I was a student with excellent academic performance in elementary school. As a class prefect, I was well trusted by teachers and loved by my fellow classmates. My positive self-image made me feel good about myself. When I moved onto middle school, I was successfully admitted to the best EMI (English as Medium of Instruction) school in the district due to my outstanding grades.
However, after entering into EMI , I had difficulty adjusting to the curriculum and finding the right study method. My grades plummeted, and my self-image also took a dive. Since my weakest subject was mathematics, I chose to study liberal arts classes in high school. Even so, I still needed to pass math in order to graduate. Therefore, I spent a lot more time reviewing math daily than my other subjects, hoping that would be enough for me to do well on the exams. Sadly, I failed math in both my high school graduation examination and the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) and was not qualified to graduate. I had to repeat the last year of high school as well as retake these examinations. These failing results totally shattered my confidence. I had considered myself a hard-working student but was hit with the reality that no matter how hard I tried, I could not graduate. I was depressed, confused, and could not see any value in myself. Moreover, after spending one whole day searching around, I was still unable to find a school that would enroll me as a repeating high school student. It was a painful experience, and I felt utterly lost and trapped.
Fortunately, encouragement from God and my dad helped me rise again from all the setbacks. God assured me that He is pleased with those who are faithful: if I try my best to be faithful in my studies, He will open doors for me. My dad’s comfort and encouragement also became my strength as I faced these predicaments. I am grateful that, in the end, I not only found a school to repeat the year, but also had a new math teacher who would explain the steps and methods of each calculation clearly, so that I finally understood math. In addition, some brothers at church guided me in drilling on previous practice tests in order for me to familiarize the test format. As a result, on my second attempt on the HKCEE, I passed math with a satisfactory grade and was able to regain my self-confidence.
I then moved onto college and majored in social work. What I learned in my studies helped inspire my personal growth. Slowly, my self-image was rebuilt, and this became very significant for my future life. After college graduation, I launched my career as a social worker and found fulfillment in my line of work. I was content to exert my God-given talent by serving people in need.
Looking back at the different stages of life, I have experienced a lot of tough challenges and have shed many tears. It has not been easy, and I am surprised to see how I have come through. As I take a closer look, I see God’s grace and help through every step of the way. I realize that as long as I rely on Him, nothing is impossible. Surely, there will still be unpredictable or harsh obstacles ahead; however, I AM confident that I can overcome them because God walks alongside me. I am also grateful for the “angels” in my life who have helped and encouraged me. Their presence and love have brought light to the despaired and have helped others appreciate themselves.
Reflections and Prayers:
1) What obstacles, difficulties, or challenges have you experienced in life? How did God help you overcome them? What did you learn, and how have you grown from those experiences?
2) In the midst of challenges, did God send someone to help you? Be thankful for these encounters in life.
3) Are you experiencing any obstacles, difficulties, or challenges now? Ask God to give you confidence, strength, courage, and joy to face them. (Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:11-13, Joshua 1:7-9, Romans 5:3-5)
Written by: Anonymous and Presence Editing Department
(The author is a participant of the Presence Life Planning Curriculum. The article is part of her reflection during the study. Author retains copyright and grants Presence and its affiliate partners the right of publication.)
Presence Hong Kong Limited is a non-profit organization that has supported Christian and family values since 2012. We aim to raise up a new generation for the cultural mission — equip individuals and families to bridge the cultural and generational gaps and to live a unique life with wisdom.
The Presence Life Planning Curriculum (PLPC) is a life planning curriculum for believers; it is also a very important personal growth education designed for everyone to learn to set life priorities, to deal with stress, to maintain mental wellness, and to build a healthy emotional and relational life.
This curriculum uses interactive games and activities, explores real-life cases, and offers biblical principles to encourage individuals to live a purposeful and vibrant life.
PLPC is currently being offered in Mandarin and Cantonese. It is one of the prime training courses of the Presence Seed Program. If you are interested in our programs or have any inquiries, please fill out this form.
🌷Presence fundraising products:
(US & Canada) https://presencequotient.org/presence-store/
(HK) https://forms.gle/8D7e2eYCR3gqQ1yw5
🌷Support us:
(US) https://presencequotient.org/support-us/donate/
(HK) https://presencehk.org/en/donate/
(Canada) https://pqcanada.org/donate/