Throughout my twenty-one years of existence, the Lord has never failed to meet my essential needs. In fact, I consider myself fortunate to have my family and to be a part of the religious community called Missionary Families of Christ, which has played a significant role in shaping who I am today.

These are some of the experiences of God’s overwhelming goodness that I have encountered – the Holy Eucharist, the compassionate people in my life, those who supported me during my dark moments, and situations where defeat turned into victory. Those gifts have truly allowed me to experience God’s presence in my life.

The Lord also revealed His power to me during dark days, such as when my brother in Christ was involved in a car accident that left him critically injured and on the verge of death. God’s grace and healing power are the reasons he survived that accident and made a full recovery. That incident was a constant reminder to me that life is wonderful and worthwhile. It is one of the reason why I am still here. My life’s path, filled with both happiness and pain, has helped me understand the true meaning of being alive.

Another experience that I had to face was the loss of my father. It was one of the hardest things our family had to deal with, bringing with it many regrets due to its unforeseen nature. Although there were numerous things we should have done together, the Lord had other plans. Thanks to God’s grace, we can gradually move forward. It is true that some things, like God’s purposes for humanity, are challenging for the human intellect to comprehend.

Nevertheless, I was always reminded that His thoughts and ways are distinct from mine.

I believe that every up and down we experience in life has a reason behind it.