God's Faithfulness in Our Mess

In my three years of walking with the Lord, my life has never been the same since. He has been three-dimensionally present in me. As my favorite Christian author would put it, the Holy Trinity is transcendent in every believer in such a way that God the Father is above him, Jesus Christ the Son is beside him, and the Holy Spirit is inside of him. That's exactly what I feel now that I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

My journey as a Christian has not been an easy road. It is not devoid of trials, temptations, failures, and a lot of hardships that have tested me. Like any other relationship, we have faced and dealt with numerous issues, continually changing, sanctifying, pruning, but most importantly, abiding in Christ through it all. But also, unlike any other relationship, the one I have with Jesus is wholly different as I can now do all things through Him who gives me strength. With grateful heart, I praise God for every experience he has put me through because that has borne in me Faith which, to him, is more precious than gold.

Indeed, when I backread my prayer journals, I can attest that all the songs of praise and worship written and sung to the Lord for generations upon generations are really true. They all come alive, especially His Word, when I remember all the times God has been so distinctly involved in the nitty-gritty details of my life.

And so, at 23, I am living and breathing in His grace.

I am at lost for words for praise reports, and unsure of where I should start. Hopefully, these bullets will suffice:

• September 2016 - I enrolled for IELTS review
• February 2017 - I took the exam.
• March 2017 - Received my results. Failed to achieve my desired score for most of the countries I applied for, except for Canada. During this time, I had been at lost, challenged once again, began to question my abilities. It was like being denied that I cannot write the way IELTS required to get a band 7. I was short of 0.5. I then resorted to ask God what was his plan for me now that this is my reality. Is he redirecting me to a different path?
• In the same month, I once again visited the agency my uncle (who sponsored my going abroad) recommended. I was so lost at that time, telling God, acknowledging God I need his guidance and directions as I was not only heartbroken from the recent result, but I didn't know which step to take. The consequences of frustrations were also evident in my family. I understand where they are coming from for I myself have felt the same towards myself. But if I dwell on that part and focus on my failures instead of looking to God and his sovereignty, I cannot move on.

So now, after asking the Lord where I should go and what I should do next, I have decided that I will go for Canada as an immigrant. Now, I have to take the IELTS again but this time, in General Training band.

I pray that God will continue his work of sanctification and pruning as I abide in Him. Wherever I go, may he be glorified.

Amos 5:5-6

"do not seek Bethel,do not go to Gilgal,    do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,    and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”6 Seek the Lord and live,"