GRACE ANCHORED JOURNEY

Today, I turned 30. Not all people reach this age anyway, so I am so thankful to God that despite all the ups and downs of life, I am still standing. They say that gratefulness is always the antidote of depression and discontentment. I agree with it and that’s the reason why remembering our blessings is a good way to start another year that the Lord has given us.

In my journey of discouragements and struggles, counting my blessings is a means for me to be reminded of God’s unfailing grace and mercy. I left home when I was just 16 years old and from then on, I have been living independently. In those 14 years of facing life alone, I have learned how to dance with its music. Memories of good and bad are all kept in my heart. Scars were there as a reminder of how I fought and became so strong on my own. But, these unpleasant remembrance could not outweigh the good ones, especially the fact that I have known Christ to be my personal Savior and Lord.

As I look back, recollection of those good gifts from above enables me to see how big our God is. Those experiences and the smooth and rough roads that I had been to have made me for who I am today by God’s enabling grace.

I am grateful for . . .

1. Jesus Christ who became my Personal Lord and Savior when I was 17.
2. God’s many years of protection prior to becoming a Christian and even now (how unfortunate and terrible to die without Him).
3. God’s unfailing provision and guidance as I journey a new path.
4. God’s faithfulness and mercy despite my stubbornness and unbelief.
5. God’s forgiveness in times of hopelessness and doubts.
6. My 30 years of existence.
7. My family who became my source of strength to stay positive and keep on serving the Lord.
8. My mom who kept on pushing me to achieve something in life. And later on, the Lord touched her heart and now encourages me to serve God and dedicate my life to Him because I don’t know what tomorrow may bring.
9. My dad who stops watching his favorite drama so he can use that time to pray for my healing.
10. My brother who says that he will work hard so that he could support my medications.
11. My brother who is like me when it comes to intelligence and disposition in life.
12. My favorite sister who supports and helps me emotionally, financially, and spiritually.
13. My friends who are like my second family.
14. My friends and families’ genuine love towards me.
15. My friends and families who are always there to support me emotionally, spiritually, physically, and even financially ( you know who you are).
16. My best friend who always lends her two ears whenever I need someone to listen and talk to.
17. All the people who accepted me to be their friend despite my infirmities.
18. The challenges I have survived which made me much stronger now.
19. My Bethany Baptist Church family.
20. My Bethany Baptist Pastor who has inspired me in many ways.
21. Those failures that I managed to overcome.
22. The comfortable life that the Lord allowed me to experience for a season.
23. A graceful and abundant life while in the mission field here in Vietnam.
24. Being exposed to the mission field which enabled me to see things in a different perspective.
25. Meeting new people – making more friends.
26. Asus (my laptop) who became my best friend in writing and my Bible (where I get my wisdom to write as well as my other books).
27. All the people who inspired me to write.
28. All the people who constantly praying and asking for my condition despite their busy schedules.
29. I won’t ever forget – I thank the Lord for coffee.
30. Lastly, my illness that makes me more closer to God each day and made me appreciate and value life afresh.

Writing these things moved me to tears. I never imagined how the Lord has provided and used so much people, events, and things to encourage and bless me in unimaginable ways. In spite of my unstable heart, the Lord still blessed me with so many things. Writing it would not suffice.

What can I say then? Should I dwell on the dark side of life when all I could see is God’s mighty hands? Through the twist and turns of life, the Lord never fails to reveal Himself to me. Life is too short to waste and long enough not to find Him somewhere along the way.

Today, I turned 30 and all I can think of is the Lord’s goodness in my life. Another book needs to be opened. And now, I will start a new chapter. May the pen of my life be upon God, so He could write the next chapters of my journey with Him.