First John 5:4b states: “and this is the victory that overcomes the world – our faith.”
I firmly believe that my faith in God has played a pivotal role in helping me to live a victorious life. I was privileged to have caring and supportive parents whom I love dearly. Special credit goes to my mother who instilled in me the importance of working hard and never giving up accomplishing my goals in life. She was my role model as I watched her working hard to support us.
On completion of my high school tenure, I was honored with a 2-year government scholarship to a community college where I pursued my associate degree. This meant leaving home and parents. It meant adjusting to living on a new island, to new surroundings, and a new way of life. However, by the grace of God I made it.
With the persevering attitude and the values learned from my parents, I then decided to go a step further and pursued a bachelor’s degree. This is when I started to experience what “the hardship of life” actually means. I was no longer under the care, protection, and provision of my parents. I couldn’t travel back to North Caicos as often as I would have liked. I had to now make decisions for myself, find a place to live, seek employment, pay my own bills, and all of this while studying. To say the least, I was scared. Life was becoming overwhelming, but I knew that giving up was not an option. So with faith in my heart and the encouragement of friends, I forged onward – determined to achieve my goal.
I was bent on not being a burden to my parents, so despite the challenges I faced, I was determined to put myself through college. There were late nights working a part-time job at a grocery store. There were sleepless nights trying to complete assignments. There were times when I wanted to give up. It was tiresome. It was frustrating, but in the end worth it all.
Then it happened! Final exams were one week away! Fees were due! Deadline came, and I only had half of the amount! What was I to do? I could call my dad. He would definitely help, but I wasn’t about to swallow my pride and ask. The only other way out was to depend on God, and I did.
I found myself bargaining with the president of the institution, promising to pay the next half of the fees. Well, wonder of wonders, God made the impossible possible. I was allowed to take my exams. God came through for me. I was successful.
On graduation day, I had mixed emotions – sad because my parents weren’t there to celebrate with me but relief and excitement flooded over me as I recounted the goodness of God. I knew that the Lord had a plan and a purpose for me, but I did not know what it was.
Today I am living victoriously, ever keeping in mind my encounter with God when he made it possible for me to have the opportunity at attaining my degree. Blessed be his name!
