by Pan, Member of Nong Bua Lamphu Methodist Church, Thailand.
Hello, my name is Miss Oranong Tukdee. My nickname is Pan, and I am currently 16 years old, studying in Grade 10.
Before I believed in God, I was a very stubborn person. If things didn't go my way, I would sulk by not eating, isolating myself, and refusing to talk to anyone. I was also selfish, putting myself first without caring about others' troubles. I was power-hungry, and as a child, I was a class leader, leading groups and being selected for various school activities. This made me feel powerful, and I used that power to bully my friends, thinking that I was superior and that everyone had to respect and obey me.
It wasn't until the day my father took me to church that things began to change. At that time, I only knew that my father brought me there to play with friends, eat snacks, and learn about Jesus. The words that stuck in my head were what the teacher said: "If we have problems, we should pray and trust that He will guide us out of them."
At that moment, I didn't pay much attention, until one day, I lost my father's phone at the church. I searched for it but couldn't find it, so I decided to pray, closing my eyes and asking God to help me find my father's phone. That was the first time I prayed by myself and I found the phone! I didn’t know how I found it, but that experience led me to decide to believe in Jesus.
I felt that the people at the church were kind and warm which made me want to come to church more often. I’m grateful to my father for introducing me to God. My life started to change and my old habits slowly faded away. I think the first test I faced was when my parents separated. I was very sad and cried a lot. I didn't want it to happen but I knew that God was with me and He was comforting me. At least my father had done something good by introducing me to God.
I’m the only believer in my family, which made it very difficult to tell them that I am a Christian. I once told them but they asked if I had been brainwashed which made me afraid to say more. Eventually, the day came when I was to be baptized and reborn in God. It felt like a huge transformation. I learned more about God's teachings and received training to lead prayers on Sunday mornings. I was very nervous on my first public prayer, but with the encouragement from my church friends, especially from Pastor Kluay, I promised God that I would serve Him as much as I could and He answered my prayers. I received training to become a worship leader and I thought it would be easy until I had to lead the congregation for the first time. I was so nervous that I couldn't speak. But with faith and trust in God, everything turned out as I had hoped.
However, I have encountered a challenge that I haven't been able to overcome yet. This test has been with me for almost 2 to 3 years. As the only believer, I face opposition. I remember crying every day on my way to church. I shared everything with the youth leaders, and I felt the love and warmth from them and the church community. The church feels like home and a place I never want to leave. Sister Kluay always encouraged me whenever I faced problems, reminding me to pray and trust in God, and it helped me get through every time.
In conclusion, I want to thank God for His love, mercy, and blessings He has given me.
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Dear Pan. Thank you for sharing your faith in Christ and the challenges you had faced in your spiritual journey . Praise God for guiding you through the trials. I continue to pray for you as you seek His face and grow in your faith and trust in Him. Let's trust our Almighty God to bless and direct our paths. May the Holy Spirit inspire and anoint you in the expression of your faith and obedience to Christ in all that you do among your family members , church and community. Take care. Shalom.