They say that when you’re 25, you’re supposed to experience a quarter-life crisis. Thank God, I didn’t. And I thank Him further because my 25th year was more than just celebrating two decades and a half of my existence. It was my year of redemption.

Asked about that one thing I like most about God, I answered, without pausing a moment, that it’s His faithfulness that always moves me. He has always been faithful to me—at that time that I didn’t know Him yet, to the time I found Him and decided to make Him my personal Savior, to the time I got so lost and weary that I started to rebel, to that moment that, through His ever merciful heart, I finally found my way back to His outstretched arms. God’s ways are always wonderful and amazing; I am always at loss with words to describe all of them. There may be, during turbulence and distress, times that I complained, whined, grumbled, and criticized; but always, I find myself standing with awe and praise after the long and dark journey. Indeed, He has never left my side nor has He abandoned His child. He was always there, showing his goodness and giving me victory through His grace.

Looking back, I find another character of His that simply overwhelms me. And it is this: that He is an all-powerful God—the God of all gods, and the King of all kings—yet, He treats each one of us with justice and fairness. Imagine, with his power and might, He could have just easily banished me from this world for all the sins that I’ve committed. But He didn’t. Or, on the other side of the story, He could have just used His power and might to dictate and rule over this world, making me good and sinless always. But He didn’t. Instead, He gave me a period of grace so that in my own free will, I will repent (Romans 2:4) and allow His Spirit to sanctify me day by day (John 15:26, Romans 8:26). He used even the most trivial thing and the most painful experience to make me realize that it is only He who can complete my brokenness; it is only He who can satisfy my needs and desires; it is only He who can quench my thirst and longing (John 6:35).

Now that I am 26, I am filled with gratitude to those people God used as instruments of His love: to my family, who, despite the fact that they are yet to fully understand the Good News of His Saving Grace, has always been there for me through thick and thin; to my best friend who was very patient and persistent to share to me God’s word and to bring me back to the flock at that time that my faith was fading; to those friends, teammates, colleagues and classmates whose sincere and genuine concern made me see God more and more clearly, though they were unaware of it; and of course, to God’s sweet surprise and wonderful blessing in my life, who is always very encouraging and supportive in strengthening my faith, always reminding me that what really matter are the motives and desires of my heart that only God can see, hence, what other people think or do should not affect my faith and that God’s love is above and over our love for each other.

But most of all, I am thankful to Him and Him alone because I know that He made all things in my life possible. No word or action can contain my praise and thanksgiving to Him. I am filled with awe at His mercy; I am humbled with His love; I am strengthened with His Spirit. In Him, I am renewed.