Before I start my testimony, here's a brief background of my life. I'm an only daughter and because of that, my parents were very strict and protective of me. I'm a straight-A student with no serious behavioral problems so I never really understood why they were so strict with me. Don't they trust me to choose and do the right things? Cinema movies? I watch it with my parents. Weekends are also spent with my family. If I want to spend time with my friends, they should go to our house. Me going to hangout in another place is a big no-no. I never even crossed a street on my own until I was in high school which made me verrry careful in crossing (I wait until both roads are clear of vehicles until now) once I was allowed to. There were also (lots of) other rules that really stifled me, but since I was still being supported by my parents, I followed their rules.
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I'm a very independent and free-spirited girl so my parents' protectiveness really grated on me. I never had a full-on teen rebellion against them but I often argue with them. Honor thy father and mother was really, really hard for me to do but I tried and truthfully, I'm still trying until now. Anyway, my only consolation during my high school years was that I'll soon be going away to college and finally, FREEDOM! :) I should have known they won't allow me to leave our hometown to go to a college in our country's capital city (which was my lifelong dream!). During the application process (third year HS), they forced me to write our hometown city in the campus of choice question. I did it with a very heavy heart, and cried to the Lord afterwards about my longings to be independent and be my own woman. I asked God: I followed my parents all my life, when will I get to live my own life?
But the Lord has no answer for me in the next few weeks. I gradually settled into a weary acceptance of my fate: that I will live forever with my parents and never experience living on my own. My only thought was, "Lord, help me survive." Haha! I know it sounds dire but when you're a teen hungering for independence, every rule set by your parents just triggers your rebelliousness (talking back, secret hangouts, etc). Thankfully, I was brought up properly and I knew it was bad to rebel; and that children should always honor their father and mother no matter what. Months after I applied for the hometown college, a letter came~ I WAS IN! I was really thankful that the Lord blessed me (less than 10% are accepted in that college) and then an idea came: the school campus was far from our home so maybe I can have a bit of independence time there :) I rejoiced that the Lord DOES give the desires of your heart even though it's a bit different than what you want!
I'm a very independent and free-spirited girl so my parents' protectiveness really grated on me. I never had a full-on teen rebellion against them but I often argue with them. Honor thy father and mother was really, really hard for me to do but I tried and truthfully, I'm still trying until now. Anyway, my only consolation during my high school years was that I'll soon be going away to college and finally, FREEDOM! :) I should have known they won't allow me to leave our hometown to go to a college in our country's capital city (which was my lifelong dream!). During the application process (third year HS), they forced me to write our hometown city in the campus of choice question. I did it with a very heavy heart, and cried to the Lord afterwards about my longings to be independent and be my own woman. I asked God: I followed my parents all my life, when will I get to live my own life?
But the Lord has no answer for me in the next few weeks. I gradually settled into a weary acceptance of my fate: that I will live forever with my parents and never experience living on my own. My only thought was, "Lord, help me survive." Haha! I know it sounds dire but when you're a teen hungering for independence, every rule set by your parents just triggers your rebelliousness (talking back, secret hangouts, etc). Thankfully, I was brought up properly and I knew it was bad to rebel; and that children should always honor their father and mother no matter what. Months after I applied for the hometown college, a letter came~ I WAS IN! I was really thankful that the Lord blessed me (less than 10% are accepted in that college) and then an idea came: the school campus was far from our home so maybe I can have a bit of independence time there :) I rejoiced that the Lord DOES give the desires of your heart even though it's a bit different than what you want!
So I was happy (hehe), and my parents were happy that their daughter isn't going to a faraway college. I never even felt envious of my circle of friends who are mostly going to the capital city. My 2 best friends were also going to a college in our hometown (different school from mine) so we can totally see each other whenever we want to. All through this I kept thanking the Lord for His wonderful plans for me but guess what?! He wasn't finished with me yet! :) After confirming to the hometown college that I'll go there next year, the news came that my father will be transferred to another city because of work. And since my mother always goes with my father (also us kids when we were young), guess who'll be living independently during college?!! Yes, ME!! Poor, old, cloistered me! :) I was more than ecstatic to say the least!! I was thanking and praising the Lord left and right for granting me my fondest dream of independent living! And my parents? They were NOT thrilled at all, hihi!
"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him." (Psalm 37:5-7a, NIV)
Yes, yes, the Psalms verse above was made real in my life when I was a mere rebellious teen. The adolescent hormones were really overpowering me during those days but I never let it win (most of the time, haha) by the grace of God. I always strived to honor my protective father and my strict mother, even when what they want for me is something that I do not want. Imagine the pain I felt when they forced me to write the hometown campus in my college application when they know I wanted another (really faraway) campus. But I humbled myself and obeyed them as the Lord commanded. That early I knew that when you follow His laws, He will bless you and will give you your heart's desires if it's according to His will. Dear readers, please trust in the Lord and delight yourselves in Him, commit your way to Him and wait patiently for Him~ and I promise you, He will bless you beyond your wildest dreams and fondest wishes! My life is a living proof of that :)
P.S. This is the oldest faith post written in my head some 20 years ago. I'm so thrilled to be able to finally write it down "on paper" (blogged, to be more accurate, hehe) and share it with the world. And yes, there's more parts coming! This is just Part 1, the beginning of everything.
P.S. This is the oldest faith post written in my head some 20 years ago. I'm so thrilled to be able to finally write it down "on paper" (blogged, to be more accurate, hehe) and share it with the world. And yes, there's more parts coming! This is just Part 1, the beginning of everything.