THE WALKING TESTIMONY: From being bad to good and being good to bad

“Forget the former things;do not dwell on the past.See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

-Isaiah 43: 18-19

     

      It is not important how you start, but how you end it. Everything has its own beginning and ending. For a runner will never win in the start line, but in the finish line. That’s how I can illustrate my life.

          

     Before, my friends defined me as bitter, emotional, bad influence, boastful, enemy, perfectionist and any words that could define me as a very bad person they know. Although I have friends, I’m not sure if they are true to me. I have been always avoided by my classmates because I am too bad for them. They don’t even want to talk to me.

           

     But all of the sudden, I have changed. People can’t really believe what had happened to me. I’m no longer the person they know before. I will tell you why and how this happen to me.

            

     When I was in first year college, one of my classmates invited me in a youth gathering called WILDSONS, a church based gathering in Manila. At first, I did not accept his invitation. I always reject him if he tries to invite me. But one day, I accept it.

            

     In my first time going to that kind of gathering, I found it very motivating. The gathering does not only talk about Bible. It talks about putting your life back into order. There was a speaker in front of many students talking and sharing stories about his personal life. As the speaker speaks about family, the crowd becomes melancholic. I hate showing my emotions, but I can’t refuse to cry. I was filled with emotions that time. I considered myself as an ideal son that parents should be proud of. I always study hard to make my parents proud, but I feel that doing this is a nonsense thing. They (my parents) even never acknowledge all my efforts. And that is the reason why I want to get attention form others.

           

Our Church's Anniversary. 2010

     I engaged myself in this gathering because I’m getting attention from those religious people. Then one day, I joined Encounter. At first, I did not know that will happen on that event. After three days of encounter, I did not notice any changes from me. All I know is Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin.

         

     My friends asked me what happened. They say that I have change a lot. All my vices and bad hobbies were all out of my everyday life. That time, I was very kind. I always help my friends on their problem. I enjoyed doing what is right and mostly, I excel in my study. Everyone around me knows that. That’s how GOD changed me.

        

  

    And now, I don’t feel doing good things anymore. I’m now full of lies. In short, I turn to my old life. I don’t know what happened to me. I write this because until now, I could not understand myself. My mind says I should not turn back. I believe that it is just part of my journey with God.







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