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Marcie Grace Chavez Que

Leah C. Salterio

MANILA — What began as a season of grief became a journey of healing for 22-year-old Marcie Grace Chavez Que, who turned personal loss into her debut children’s book, “The Treasure Journey,” which she write and digitally illustrated. Que’s love for art began early — she was just 2 years old when she started drawing, first experimenting with abstract forms while watching her mother, Samantha Chavez, paint.“I think that was when my love for art started,” Que told ABS-CBN News. “Mama also writes songs and she loves doing landscapes. My dad [Rino Que] loved writing stories. Those were the biggest influences for my art. I really enjoyed painting landscapes. Being able to capture certain feelings and perspectives, as well. That was what really inspired me.”“The Treasure Journey” started after Que’s dad passed away in October 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “That really was a dark time for all of us as a family,” she admitted. “Losing dad really shook us. That really hit hard when we lost dad. There was no way we could have a change of scenery because it happened at the height of the lockdown. So you can just imagine how dark those days felt for the three of us. But that opened our eyes to the truth about the gospel and how God is real. He reached out His hand to us, showed us His love and comfort at the time that we were mourning.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773876200843IMG_3211.jpeg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="655"/>Marcie Grace Chavez Que </div>After her father’s death in October 2021, Que’s family discovered that their dog, Summer, was pregnant. Exactly a year after her father died, Summer gave birth to a single pure white puppy — an unexpected source of comfort they named Cloud.Que later turned the pup into the central character of her book.“I always wanted to create my own character and one time I was sketching Cloud and the Holy Spirit impressed in my heart, ‘This is your original character.’ So he became the main character in my book,&quot; she recalled.“The story revolves around him and there are some parts of my own personal journey that includes my grief journey, as well. Lessons I’ve learned from childhood until now are all integrated in that book. I hope the book encourages love for God and love for family.”She believes the Lord used the story in “The Treasure Journey” to heal her heart. “Whenever I felt lost, I really fell on my knees and ask the Lord, ‘Lord, am I in the place you want me to be in? Am I in the center of your will? Am I following you? Am I obeying you? Or am I obeying my own heart?’ I need your help. I need your guidance.“Then He will tell me to create, create. So I will tell Him, ‘Sige, Lord. I will create. Just lead me.’ I guess because of the call of the Lord, I decided to pursue writing this book. Even if I don’t know that future, if the Lord calls me to create, I’ll do it because I know His will is perfect and pleasing.“His plans are never for harm or evil, but only for good. I always trust Him in His plan. Even though I lost dad, He really showed up when we needed Him.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773876327904IMG_3199.jpeg" style="width:655px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="655"/>Marcir Grace Chavez Que (second from right) with brother Mark and mom Samantha </div>The are many difficult moments while working on the book. “Throughout the whole process, since this is all new, the miracles that we have all seen, it was the Lord really parting the Red Sea,” Que asserted. “There were legal things that we has to finish before we could release the book. Like ISBN [International Standard Book Number] before you published any book. You have to apply for the code before you publish the book.“But then, the National Library also directed us to apply for the NBDB [National Book Development Board]. That usually took several weeks. Will we reach the launch? We just prayed and trusted the Lord to make a way when there seems to have no way. The Lord made a way for all the legal things ironed out, the technical stuff, the codes that we need.”Que finished high school at Brent International School in 2021. She once played Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” in high school. She also loves Hannah Montana.“I was kikay and I loved dressing up as a Disney princess ever since I was younger,” Que recalled. “I would always dress up like Cinderella or Belle. They were my favorites.” Que was supposed to go abroad for college at Bond University in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. But since that was the same time her dad died, she didn’t want to leave her mom and brother Mark.“I think the Lord really redirected me to stay with my mom and kuya,” Que said. “I opted to help in our Monochrome [Events Place] business and Martha’s Cakes. So I’ve been helping mom with the marketing side. Kuya takes more of the external and even the internal. We’ve been working together as a team.“I believe the Lord called me to do it, He also game the grace to go through it. So we really discerned His presence throughout the whole process. It really has been a journey. It has been an adventure. I guess that’s why I called it ‘The Treasure Journey.’<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773876550427IMG_3223.jpeg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="655"/> The tightly knit family — mom Samantha (left), with children Grace and Mark </div>Not surprisingly, the title came up very early in the process of working on that book. “It took me three years to write the whole book,” Que said. “But the final touches of illustration were done early this year. “We had to find the right printer, worked on the legal side like the copyright and stuff like that. It was a new process for me because I never wrote a book before. This is my first so it has been quite an experience. I think I really just believe that life is a journey. This is something that has always been in my heart since I was younger.“That was it came out easily through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. With ‘The Treasure Journey,’ going through grief, I found the true treasure of my life – Jesus and love for family. That’s what I hope for readers, when they read the book, it will really encourage them to love God and family.”The March 7 launch of “The Treasure Journey” drew strong support, with several copies sold to guests. The book is now available in hardbound and paperback editions through its <a href="http://thetreasurejourney.ph">official website</a>, with plans for bookstore distribution soon. It is also promoted on Instagram and Facebook.There were a number of times Que wanted to throw in the towel and give up in completing “The Treasure Journey.” Yet, He always encouraged her to “create” for Him. She now hopes the readers will find the true treasure of life and the gift of love after reading the book.“If the Lord gives me another project, another story that the Lord puts in my hand and my heart, then I’ll do another book,” said Que. “I love to create for the Lord. I love to share the love of Christ and be able to show where to find true joy. That’s my prayer.“I’m really happy with the life that the Lord has blessed me with. I can be satisfied where the Lord has placed me right now. I am excited where the Lord will take this project and what else He has in store.“I don’t know when the Lord will give me the next one. This project took me three years in the making. If the Lord doesn’t have a story yet, then I’ll wait. I don’t want to force it. If He gives it to me, I’ll go with it.”

After losing her father at the height of the pandemic, 22-year-old Marcie Grace Chavez Que found an unexpected path to healing — writing and illustrating her first children’s book, “The Treasure Journey.”

After losing her father at the height of the pandemic, 22-year-old Marcie Grace Chavez Que found an unexpected path to healing — writing and illustrating her first children’s book, “The Treasure Journey.”

Guided by faith, young author transforms grief into children’s book

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Guided by faith, young author transforms grief into children’s book

Leah C. Salterio

Published Mar 19, 2026 03:10 PM PHT

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