[Doulos 5] Testimony - change in life & how did it change > 제자학교

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     I moved to US at the age of thirteen years old.  As the eldest son of an immigrant family, I was brought up to help my parents with family decisions early on.  I always found myself helping out with family businesses.  During my early high school years, I would take a bus to downtown Los Angeles after school to help out my parents till I got my drivers license.  I worked as a gardner.  I sold merchandise at flea markets.  I ran a video rental business.  My early years made me a quick learner of people, and molded me to tackle any situation head on with eyes to work around any roadblocks that I might face.

     My parents who were non-believers sent me and my younger siblings to church stating that we would not learn bad stuff from church.  So I went to church for many years until I overheard one of the church elders berating one of the young adult.  “Why are you so diligently picking them up each Sunday?”  I was shocked at the implication of the statement.  They are just three young kids with barely any offering.  And this turned me off church for several years.  But God always kept the door open for me even when I was in revolt.  He taught me that he wants personal relationship with me.  He showed me that He has done everything per His plans.  As Jeremiah 29:11 states, “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.”  He blessed me and my family with personal encounters with God ironically through two deaths, of my mom’s friend and of my mom’s (which is a testimony of its own.)

     After my personal encounter with God, Jesus took hold of me and changed my life.  I no longer went to church because of others.  I returned to church and started to build back up my relationship with Jesus.  When I began to submit, Jesus began to work on me.  He showed me how prideful I had become after working for few years and just having finished up my MBA.  I did not realize then that it was only through God’s grace that I achieved anything at all.  I left my company thinking that with my experiences and education that I can easily transition from telecom industry to high tech industry.  It took five months of job searching and wearing down of my pride before I repented and submitted to God’s will.

     I still remember the first time that I willingly submitted to God’s will.  Like I have been doing all my life up to that point, I searched for my mate relying solely with my own efforts and experiences.  When I reached the end exhausted, I submitted.  “God I will go anywhere you send me!”  Within two weeks, I had three dates lined up across US.  How great is God?  I look back now and know that He had prepared me for the moment well in advance of my submittal…matter of fact a year before, He had already placed a person to prepare me.  Needless to say, I am happily married to a soul mate who was prepared for me by God.  And although I might fail sometimes, I now I try to submit to God’s will in all aspects of my life. 

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”  1 Cor. 10:31