Fortifying my faith through water baptism and growing strong with Jesus.
I was baptized as a baby, which was a beautiful beginning to my journey in faith. While that occasion marked the start of my public life in Christ, I only began to understand and experience my faith in a deeper and more personal way as I grew older.
Tested but Strengthened
During my early teens, I experienced moments that challenged and strengthened my faith. One of those moments took place while I was undertaking my national “N” level exams. During that period, I felt overwhelmed by the pressure to perform well. I was anxious and unsure if I could meet everyone’s expectations of me. I was even unsure about meeting my own. But during that time, I repeatedly turned to God in prayer to ask for His peace and guidance. It was not easy to do so, but each time I did, I felt a sense of calm sensing His presence with me. Despite having to stay up late to study and fighting against doubt, I reminded myself that my worth was not defined by my grades but by who I am in Christ.
Leaning on Jesus
There were days when I wanted to give up because the workload seemed impossible to manage. However, over time, I had been strengthened in my faith and had learned to lean on Jesus even more. I would start each study session with a prayer, asking the Lord for strength and helping me stay focused. During those times when I felt overwhelmed, I turned to Scripture for comfort. The verse in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength,” reminded me that I was not alone in the struggle. In the end, I passed my N-Levels. I knew that it was not just from my efforts, but God had guided me in every step of the way. By God’s grace, I was able to overcome that challenging season and perform better than I had expected.
Declaring my Faith and Commitment to the Lord
When I reached 18 years old, I chose to get water baptized by immersion. I believed that it was important to publicly declare my personal faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. This was my decision to acknowledge the Lord Jesus who is the center of my life. I needed to take the step of obedience and declare my desire to follow Him wholeheartedly. In this season of my life, I want to embrace the faith I’ve been given and take ownership of it. Being baptized now is my way of saying that this faith is mine and not just something passed down to me; it is a truth I have come to know and believe deeply. The experiences that I have had, especially during my exams, have shown me that Jesus Christ is very faithful and He is with me in every challenge. I am excited to continue growing in my relationship with Christ, knowing that He has a plan and purpose for my life.
