Light in My Darkness

There was a period in my life when God was absent. Life was empty and there was no real purpose. The only purpose was working hard and rewarding myself with a good vacation. I was not raised in a Christian home and I never knew God, and had no idea how to be a righteous, Godly woman.

In recent years, I began to develop a healthy curiosity to life’s big questions: “What is my purpose in life? Who am I really? Why am I still single? I had no female role-models in my life. There was no big sister to seek advice on dating or relationships, or to watch them handle communications at work, family, or in social environments.

One day a friend suggested for me to study the Bible. I asked, “Why is the Bible, which was written a few thousand years ago still relevant in our lives today?” She responded, “Because human nature never changed.” That thought motivated me to study the Bible and to learn more about my human nature.

The Word Shows the Way to Life

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you

are spirit and they are life.” John 6:33

Bible study helped me to see God; I came to believe that God is my creator and He created me to have a purpose to seek Him (Isiah 55:6) and (Jeremiah 29:13). It was a great revelation, as I never knew the purpose of my life. I was just drifting. I came to believe that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). With this belief and conviction, I was baptized in 2017.

As a young Christian, the immediate difference that I felt was peace. Every time I encounter challenges at work or with family, I would pray and let it go to God. Immediate peace descended like a thick blanket of comfort, and I rarely have sleepless nights again. Sometimes when friends have sleepless nights worrying about their problems, I encourage them to pray, seek God, and trust that God can handle all that we bear.

Bible study has always been the cornerstone and foundation for my spiritual development and growth. It has helped me to discover the truth about God, about myself and others. It has also increased my self-reflection, self-awareness, self-care, and selfless-giving.

When I make any decisions today, I pray and invite God and the Holy Spirit into the situation that I am facing. Does this decision draw me closer to God, or does it pull me away from God? There is so much more clarity and discernment in my decision-making, and I am grateful that I am no longer drifting, but am filled with a more profound sense of purpose in life.

A strong foundation in God’s Word allows me to align my values with God in many areas of my life; leading to the right relationships, right decisions and right activities.

Fellowship: A Key to Growth

I have learned that fellowship with other disciples is a key to my spiritual growth. The Spirit wisely directs us to encourage one another in Hebrews 3:13.

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that

none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.”

Church activities increased a lot via Zoom online during the pandemic in 2020, I was initially hesitant to join additional groups, but agreed finally. I started out as a bench warmer watching passively but soon got into the flow helping out in areas that I have some expertise in, like technology, events, testimony sharing, etc.

Vulnerability – True Fellowship

Unexpectedly, when I revealed more about myself and participated actively, I experienced a deeper sense of ownership and belonging when my responsibilities increased.

Last year, I was invited to disciple a young Christian, surprisingly I became more aware of my personal spiritual development.

We checked in with each other every week. I wanted to be the sister that she never had. Here are some of the ways I connected with her:

• shared my faith with her;
• participated in activities together;
• had times of fun and laughter;
• listened to understand her feelings and challenges;
• talked to God together;
• helped her with “Quiet Times;
• supported and comforted her when her dog passed away;
• gave her grace and understanding, and many more seemingly everyday activities.

The Fellowship of the 7Fs

I regularly spend time with other sisters who are willing to share how they went through difficult relationships, and learned to follow God’s directions for godly relationships. They warned me about certain mistakes they made, in the hope that I don’t fall into those same mistakes.

I feel so enlightened and elevated every time they share gems of advice, and our bonding and appreciation of each other grows stronger. Also, I am thrilled and fortunate to learn how to be more feminine by connecting with them.

I have found that participating in this community life (Unity group) has been a blessing. This is my fourth year as a disciple and I am still feeling strong in my faith. I am hopeful that I can continue to connect and contribute to this community by participating actively in organizing activities/events, as well as sharing and praying together.

The sisters in this community have a special quality that is quite different. They have a dedicated purpose, a sense of dignity, and a sense of identity in what we call the “ 7Fs” (Faithful, Fruitful, Fearless, Fun, Friendly, Flourish, and Feminine). I learned that these are qualities of a good sister, and a Godly woman.

I observed some prerequisites to being a Godly woman: be receptive; be willing to participate actively in all activities; interact and emulate the Godly qualities in each other. Paul, the apostle, encouraged people to imitate him as he imitated Christ,

1 Corinthians 11:1. When we emulate the Christ-like behavior in others, we are following Christ’s example.

The transformation starts when I begin to see the importance and meaning in being active in the community of believers. This participation in fellowship is an excellent way to help mold ourselves into all the attributes of a Godly woman, the very essence that becomes our personal identity in Christ.