One Testimony at a Time!

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.” Matthew 18:20 ESV

I love learning about people; where they come from, where they have been, where they are going, and who they are (passions, hobbies, goals, etc). My favorite selfishly is learning about their faith. What is their spiritual background. It’s not about religion or church, it’s about relationship. I’m open to learning about whatever faith they have (or don’t have) because it connects me more to my own journey. It’s good to question and doubt things, but one thing true for me is that, I’m so grateful to have a relationship with God. We are all learning how to navigate life together, and through these testimonies of how faith has gotten us through valleys and helped us onto mountain tops, we can learn ways to find purpose, peace, and joy!

I hope you enjoy reading the stories as much as i did hearing them. I will not be including names and might alter location to ensure the people that shared these stories remain anonymous. The stories are meant to give us hope that even in the midst of uncertainty, there’s always Faith to cling to.

Starting Somewhere

(Edited Feb 14, 2024) I deleted the majority of the posts I had under this section because this section was titled ‘Passenger Journals.’ I shared my own experiences through travel until I realized that it’s about our journey through others. I left a couple because I wanted to still maintain the important parts I found about myself that were important.

Here’s one:

Put your mind to anything and you can do what you set out to do. Start somewhere and remember, baby steps. Start by making a list of 10 things you'd like to accomplish in your current year, whether it be traveling to places you've never been, trying a new hobby, or even reading a certain number of books. Heck, even starting yoga or meditation to calm your mind. Be conscious of timing and expectations because you don't want to rush through the process. If you can complete even one thing, make that the one thing you are proud of. This is about balancing yourself while attaining your goals but also doing so by learning and growing as a person. It's important to remember that positivity and happiness are key components to elevating your life!

"What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create." Buddha

Remembering China

The best gift you can give yourself while you’re in college is to travel abroad if you get that opportunity. If I could do it all over again, I would! I had the best time of my life in a country where I never thought I’d have a chance to visit, especially without my family with me. I went to Beijing, China in 2011 and still remember everything like it was yesterday! Having an opportunity to engulf yourself in another culture other than the one you are used to will allow you to view the world through others' eyes. My journey to China was an experience I will hold dearly and never forget for the rest of my life. It taught me to learn balance, challenge myself with foods I couldn't eat and made me brave in tough times with a group of people I had the pleasure of calling friends. I still tell stories about my experience till this day! The two professors that went with us became my mentors and my roommate celebrated her birthday in our dorm! I encourage you to go to all the performances, see all the attractions, wander out to find hidden gems and try everything, I mean everything. Well, maybe not the fried silk worms or fried baby sea horses sold at the food markets. Keep your heart open and you'll get to meet amazing people who will show you a day in the life of their shoes and you bring back new perspectives to yourself.

“You will never experience personal growth, if you fear taking chances.” -T Sorensen