She went from working with Broadway directors in New York to serving the youth of Winnipeg because of her faith.

Hannah Sagaral, Youth Head for the Christian Youth for the Nations at Jesus Is Lord Church in Winnipeg has been in the spotlight and says it's not as bright as it seems. In 2015, as part of Team Canada for the World Championships of Performing Arts, she was awarded first place in the gospel division. She believes that was God proving himself faithful. Today, she continues to rely on his guidance. 

Sagaral was a popular performer in the Winnipeg community. She was often the opening act at events, the entertainment for celebrities visiting from the Philippines, and an all-around crowd favourite. 

In 2016, she was accepted into the New York Film Academy for a two-year musical theatre degree. After finishing the four-week Broadway intensive for the program, something changed.

"I tried to run away from it but I just never had peace trying to start something where I knew God wasn't with me."

"Before I considered New York, I went to a youth camp. I was at a point where I didn't know what to do. I prayed and said 'God wherever you want me to go, lead me there.' I remember God speaking to me and He said, 'I've called you to serve the young people of this generation.'

"When I came home from the youth camp I received my acceptance letter into the Faculty of Education at the University of Winnipeg. I had applied knowing and believing that God was leading me there. I tried to run away from it but I just never had peace trying to start something where I knew God wasn't with me," Sagaral says.

She declined her acceptance into the New York Film Academy.

"I went into the faculty of education and everything else lined up. I was approached by the pastors to lead the youth group at our church. It didn't make sense at the time, I was performing for a lot of people and they were encouraging me to pursue New York. 

"When I knew God was speaking that desire and that calling into my life, my first prayer was 'I don't think you called the right person Lord. I think you made a mistake. I don't think it's me.' However, God has proven Himself faithful throughout the years," Sagaral says.

"You have to submit, He will shape you sometimes in the most inconvenient circumstances."

She held the Word of God close. "The saying that silenced the doubts, the fear, and the insecurity was Joshua 1:9. Constantly God says 'be strong and courageous do not depart from this Word, meditate on it day and night and you will succeed in everything that you do'", Sagaral says.

It hasn't always been easy. In the middle of her education degree, both of her parents lost their jobs and Sagaral left school to support the family. "It came to a point where I even doubted God's plan for my life.

"You have to submit, He will shape you sometimes in the most inconvenient circumstances but I promise you that if you trust the Lord in everything that you do, you will come out of it and you will see why and it will fall into place," Sagaral says.

Sagaral is now finishing her degree in education with a major in biology and minor in musical theatre. Her goal is to use the arts to reach at-risk children and evangelize. "There are moments when I miss [performing] but it would never outweigh the satisfaction that I have walking where God has called me to be," Sagaral says.