God was a part of my life since I could remember. I was born into a Christian family that came from 4 generations of pastors. Church and hearing God’s Word was a natural routine for me. My parents were both very poor when they had me. This gave me the chance to witness God’s faithfulness in placing food on our table. Throughout my childhood years, I’ve been blessed to see His miraculous hand work in my family.

When I got into my teenage years, my trials became more difficult. I brought a lot of pain and suffering to my family and myself during my high school and college years. I became rebellious and turned to the world. I spent many months living off the streets. I lived in my car, stole car parts, messed around with girls, and even carried a gun. Life was even more difficult with the passing away of my mother. I ran away from home many times and thought of ending my life numerous times. I became angry and bitter against God.

Little did I know that many things I’ve heard about God were mainly in my head, not walked out in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I did have a relationship with God, but a relationship built on emotion more that the Word of God. I would love God, go to church, and do the right thing, only when I felt like it. When I’m mad at something or someone I would forget the teachings of the Bible. I was the Master of my own life, when who I really needed was Christ to be master of my spirit, emotions, will, and feelings. Like the Prodigal Son in the Bible, God brought me back into His home. God graciously showed me His love, patience, and wisdom.

Sometimes, I would look back and be thankful that God can still use me to serve Him. Many friends and family that knew me before my transformation would come up to me and comment on how much I have changed. I used to be a real jerk. I humbly know that there is still many, many thing that I still need work on. In a way, this is a story about a failure, a loser. I was a loser that had no hope without God. But God showed me His endless love and that He can absolutely, definitely, positively use anybody.

He gave me strength to face difficult circumstances and choices in life. In Him I found real joy and happiness. God’s peace followed me, as He made my paths straight.

Whether serving through my church, Holy Ground Fellowship, CCU, Asian Basketball Connection, I’ve been blessed to see myself and people around me change. Serving God has given me renewed purpose in life. I just pray that we all recognize our need for God. There is a need for God in all of us. The sooner we recognize that we need Him in our relationships, education, career, finances . . . lives, the sooner we can start living life the way life is meant to be lived.