Although it was the beginning of my life, my parents were halfway through theirs. As such, they already had a troubled walk with God. Therefore, we never went to church. Aside from my grandparents, my only exposure to God was through religious education in primary school. It was the highlight of my day, but for whatever reason they stopped teaching it after a few years. I loved hearing stories from the Bible, but over the years I started to hear them less.
I was in Grade 8 in 2013 when a group of four Gideons came to the school I was attending and spoke to our grade and distributed Bibles. Many of my grade took a Bible, including myself, and from that moment forward my life changed forever.
For the next few years, I always kept that Bible close and read it in times of need. It wasn’t until 2015, when we received news that my grandfather was going to die within the year due to cancer, that I began to read it more often and the first steps towards my salvation were taken.
Over the next few years, I would struggle with the expectations of the world while trying to learn the truth that Jesus Christ provides. For many years I had struggled with anxiety, and it was so severe l was afraid to go outside. My parents’ marriage ended, our family was fractured by sin, and what seemed like an impassable chasm between myself and my mother, was bridged over time through our shared fellowship in Christ.
For many years I have struggled with what to do with my life, but it is obvious now in hindsight that God was preparing me for His purpose. Nothing that has happened over the past year would have been possible without faith in God. Within a few months many of my prayers from the past eight years had come to realisation.
“A total restoration of my life, years in the making, thanks to a group of Gideons granting me the Word of our Lord, and God’s persistent mercy and masterful timing.”
This is a shortened story of what happened in those few months a year ago in 2022:
One day I was contacted by an old friend from High School. This prompted me to contact another old friend. At the same time, I had been given jury duty. I had been recommended a sushi place to try for lunch while on jury duty, and along the way l came across the man who l now call my pastor and friend. These events, prompted by God, seemingly had no connection until looking in hindsight. The miracle of it all is cemented by the fact that any other day l would have missed meeting my pastor. He plays the saxophone a few times a week in the local mall. Had I gone to the sushi place for lunch any other day, I would have missed him. The following time he would play, I was sick with COVID due to jury duty. It was a divine appointment that day for our paths to cross.
A total restoration of my life, years in the making, thanks to a group of Gideons granting me the Word of our Lord, and God’s persistent mercy and masterful timing.
I would like to thank all of you for doing the Lord’s work, and I hope that no matter how discouraging these times may be, please never stop fighting the good fight to bring the gospel of our Lord to the world while there is still time.
“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” – Psalm 103:8 (ESV)