As I start my mid-year prayer and fasting, I'd like to share something I have written more than 3 years ago.
January 14, 2011 at 3:12am
This is an account of my walk with God.
I was born to an Evangelical Christian family. I came to know Jesus Christ when I was at a very young age in Sunday school.
I grew up never lacking anything. There were times when we just had enough. There were times when we had more. There were times when the Lord had to discipline us but I never felt that I was lacking anything except perhaps a Barbie house and a grand piano which my parents never bought me and which were always on my wish list. Instead, they got me a Barbie bathtub for starters!
I went to one of the best Chinese Catholic schools in Zamboanga City. I had to struggle to fit in whenever religion became an issue.
High school went by so fast. Nothing extraordinary but fun!
Then my life changed when I got into the University of the Philippines Diliman for college. It’s the one place I learned everything I needed to know about life. Experienced triumphs and failures. Built and broken friendships.... relationships.... I had a blast!
I was a Christian still. I had only one God in my heart but I started to drift away believing in Him but never really nurtured my relationship with him. So it went on until after college. I was living by God’s grace and mercy seldom thinking if I am hurting him by living the way I was - SELF-CENTERED.
After I passed my local board exam, I got into a business deal which ended up to be a big mistake! It was a total disaster. I was swindled at a very young age. Charged with court cases, retaliated and filed court cases, wrongly accused, it was a nightmare! That was in 2003. To make matters worse, I went through a very bad break up, my businesses went bankrupt, I wasted my parents’ money, I was diagnosed with anemia of unknown origin and Toxic Goiter secondary to Grave’s Disease and my grandfathers both died one after the other in a span of only 6 weeks. I battled with life’s injustices and suffered the consequences of my mistakes for 2 years.
I had depression. I was on medication.
My parents decided to take me to China. It was then when I prayed to God: “ Lord I don’t know what to pray for but I am still praying to you.”
God reminded me that He never left me.... I just ignored His presence in my life all this time..... Once again, I had encountered God in my life.
I made a decision to immediately stop taking medications claiming that God has healed me. And I was healed.
We came back... my life was still chaotic but my spirit was renewed. I had so much hope in the Lord that I started to seek him to know him more.
He made it possible for me to overcome all the trials that I was going through one step at a time. There was unconditional love and support from my family, provision and everything I needed to fight the battles that came my way. He gently took bad things, bad attitudes, bad habits and bad people away from my life. He built, restored and strengthened relationships with true friends.
It was in the year 2005 that I was vindicated from my court case. The one who wrongly accused me was finally arrested. Deliverance and Justice only comes from Jesus Christ! He removed the hatred, bitterness and taught me to find it in my heart to forgive. Then I was set free from my burden.
God gave me new great opportunities to enhance my career, strengthen my relationship with my family, my friends and my employees. He blessed me with so much to constantly remind me that He is the source of everything and that He has a purpose in my life. I am blessed so I can be a blessing to other people.
It was in January 2006 that I started to submit to the Lord through 1 week prayer and fasting. It became a yearly thing for me and my brother to join our church’s annual prayer and fasting.
It has been 6 wonderful years and every year the Lord just takes me to a higher level of faith. Every year I encounter him in many ways. Every year he refines and moulds me for His purpose. He took a lot of things and people away from me because they hinder me from getting the promises and blessings He has for me. He replaced them with things, people and blessings beyond what I have asked for. I am not perfect. My life is not storm free but it is storm proof by God's grace.
I am excited to embrace whatever good, pleasing and perfect will God has for me this 2011.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11
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