Hi everyone, I’m Bryan studying Psychology, Year 3. I was baptised last year, and this is how I got to know Jesus. Way back in February 2019, I remember I was struggling deeply with school. My grades were not the problem, but rather my mental health. I was starting to learn that my old method of studying was not as sustainable as it was in poly. I struggled to find friends that I could count on, and felt a deep sense of emptiness every time I returned to hall, staring at the 4 walls of my tiny Tanjong hall single room. I was experiencing an endless downward spiral of utter despair and unworthiness. Thankfully, as a Psychology student, I recognised that I was slipping into depression. I am thankful that I was still functional enough to recognise it and realise I had to pull myself out of it before it got worse.
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I then started reading the Bible. The more I read, the more I found that I agreed with Jesus. It got to the point where I asked myself: “I agree with the teachings of this religion, why am I not following it?” It was then that I decided to find out more. One of my friends was in CSA and through him/her I came to learn more about the faith.
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Throughout the following weeks or so, I attended Mass at CSA, and attended one or two Witness Wednesdays. It was a massive info overload. It was hard, but I felt drawn, and I kept wanting to learn more about this God who I hardly knew, yet reached out to me in my darkest moment.
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Over the summer holidays that followed, which is a story for another time, I saw the beauty of God’s work and started to find meaning and direction in my life. Because of these experiences, I wanted to learn more about God, and so I decided to join RCIA and become more active in CSA. Even though I did not know what to expect, my desire to learn more about God and my desire to find friends in community drove me to join CG. There I found brothers who would journey with me and teach me about the faith. They showed me the value of community, as we shared our experiences throughout the semester.
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As I attended more CSA events and RCIA, , I recognise that my call is to be the light of Christ to those with mental illnesses, a route I thought I would never take. And on the same note, the Lord opened yet another route I thought I would never take by getting baptised in August last year.
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Today, I am a completely different person from the person I was 2 years ago. Jesus has completely changed my life. He has definitely taken me through unchartered paths but the path that I needed to take to live fullness of life that can only be found in Him. Jesus has helped me to see that alone I am weak, and that I need to rely on Him. Without Him, I lived in darkness, but with Him, I have found meaning in life and a light I can look towards no matter how dark times may get. But most of all, I learnt that God always makes the first move and all we need to do is to respond and trust in Him. So brothers and sisters, how will you respond to God’s love for you today?
God always makes the first move and all we need to do is to respond and trust in Him