To know that there is a God, who has chosen to save me, who knows me much more than anyone, including myself, who created me in my mother’s womb, is my God is something I can never be more thankful for. I thank God for giving me the faith to believe that He is real and the desire to want to know and be like Him more.

I am grateful for every step of my life that God has guided me through and to see His perfect will. No doubt, I would still have weaknesses, but many times, God has used them to grow my faith. Therefore, instead of lamenting, I give thanks. Our Lord is an ever present God and He has once again strengthen my faith. Thus, even in my next moment of weakness, He will surely lead me through.

Whenever I face problems in life now, I would try to look to God first instead of constantly asking others for help. I also know that if I don’t come to church, I would easily get distracted by the world and would slowly not see the need of God in my life. Although my life isn’t perfect, I know that everything that happens is God’s plan for me and I will entrust my life to Him.

I always thought the gospel was just a way that people use to comfort others, until I myself faced setbacks in my studies and I started going back to the Word. I realised that my inner struggles and sins are not resolvable by myself or others. The only thing I can rely on is Christ and the gospel. Now I can see God’s help and presence in all I have experienced, so that I can learn to surrender and put my life in His hands.

My life would never be perfect because I am a sinner. But there’s a perfect Person in my life that will lead and guide me, teach me, protect me, and love me. And knowing there is this perfect Person in my life, I am reassured that in this journey I am not alone. I don’t fight my battles alone. God fights alongside me. I’m not alone.

Truthfully speaking, as I begin to grow and learn more about the world, my faith has been tested countless times and though I may have wavered at times, I still cling on to the blessings and sustenance that God has provided throughout my life. Romans 14:8 says, “For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”

I believe that God has graciously bestowed upon me a transformative change of heart, directing my desires towards seeking His Word. Through personal encounters and lived experiences, I have come to comprehend the profound significance of embracing and internalizing God’s teachings.

When I face difficulties now, I think more about what God wants me to gain from this experience, instead of what the flesh desires. I pray to God that I can rely more on Him and that my thoughts can be more God-centred.

After knowing Christ, I became more welcoming towards people and can accept defeats more readily. Life is never perfect, but the Lord is the one that gives me true joy. I feel satisfaction after talking to church brethren and having my lone time with the Lord after a tiring day.

In the backdrop of modern teenage joys like hangouts and Netflix, I have matured to recognize these as fleeting pleasures, albeit enjoyable. The joy of the Lord surpasses all, shaping my life in many more ways unimaginable.