“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Start

Like many others, I grew up in a Christian household, with both my parents serving in the church. I attended fellowship, Sunday school, and church retreats. At a young age, I came to accept Christ, getting baptized at 8, truly believing He is my Savior who died on the cross for my sins. Why shouldn’t I accept God when I had already seen Him work in the lives around me? To me, it was a simple conclusion: Christ is truly my Savior, and baptism was the next step in my faith journey, a public declaration that the God I believed in was the one true God.

That was my testimony back in 2014.

The Next Start

In 2016, as I entered a new school, my life seemed steady and without bumps. Making friends was easy since everyone was new. But that year, I was also introduced to death as a reality. One of my Sunday school teachers passed away from cancer, and the following year, my neighbor, a grandpa who had watched me grow up, passed as well. There were others too. I attended more funerals than birthday parties in those two years. Adults around me said I was an emotionless child because I didn’t cry, but I couldn’t understand why I should. They were Christians, which meant they were with God. One day, I would see them again. My faith was so strong that not even death could shake it.

But as stereotypical as it sounds, something else did: fear of man.

During middle school, teasing from peers I thought were friends became constant. Comments about my physical appearance clouded my mind. Afraid of being left out, I laughed along, even when someone called me a pig, even as I became the butt of every joke. Slowly, I grew insecure and filled with self-loathing. God made everyone in His image, everyone except me, or so I thought.

Those comments began to chip away at my faith. I questioned why God made me the way I am, or if He was even real and cared. I wondered if my absence would even matter. What would people say if I didn’t wake up one day? I kept these thoughts hidden, not wanting anyone to know I struggled. I feared that if I did share, they’d only agree with the cruel words.

But still, by the grace of God, in the back of my mind, I knew He was there. As small as His presence felt at the time, He was still present, holding me back from acting on those thoughts. Looking back, I think the only thing that kept me alive was my faith. Though I no longer prioritized God, I still believed He was watching, and that belief carried me from day to day. Deep down, I had hope that one day my life could be used for His glory, that even my struggles could become a testimony of His goodness.

The Present

Now, I can say with confidence: God’s grace is so good. He saves all people, rich and poor, losers and winners, each and every sinner. He shows no favouritism. For a long time, I misunderstood grace, thinking it was only about the forgiveness of sins. But grace is so much more. It’s by grace that we even hear the gospel, that we have pastors to preach to us, and that faith takes root in our hearts. It’s by grace that we endure trials, and ultimately, it’s by God’s grace that we enter His kingdom.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” God’s grace transforms weakness into strength, brokenness into beauty, and despair into hope.

In the big 2025, I’ve learned that my daily encounters with God are worth sharing. Whether it’s finding the strength to wake up, the right words to comfort a friend, or the courage to talk to someone new, I see Him working in me. God is real, and He is with me every day. If you open your heart as you are and accept Him, you’ll see Him too.

God did!