Natalie Tsen
My name is Natalie Tsen. I am 17 this year and am a student at Singapore Polytechnic. I want to share about my journey with God so far.
I grew up in a Christian household, so I have always known that God exists. However, even though I did believe that God died for me and I needed God in my life, I had never tried to pursue a personal relationship with God, praying only out of habit and because other people told me to. It also was not a habit for me to confide in God and come to Him to seek guidance for my problems.
My parents have been bringing me to church ever since I was young, so I grew up hearing Bible stories about God’s goodness and how Jesus died on the cross for my sins. In Sunday School, I had a close friend who was interested in exploring more about Christianity and so I followed along, finding out things like what the Sinner’s Prayer was. However, I did not take any of these things very seriously.
It was only during a sermon one Sunday, I realised that God wants a personal relationship with each one of us, with me! That reality left a strong impression on me because it was hard to believe that God was willing to be my friend despite all my flaws and imperfections. That made me curious to find out what a personal relationship with God was like, which made me see things in a different light.
I think the point when I started to know God as real and present was from late 2022 to early 2023. At that time, I had a lot of my friends going through hardships, and I could see how they struggled to handle those bad situations. I tried to comfort them and point them to God each time they shared what they were facing with me, but it soon became difficult to find the right words to say and navigate my responsibilities as a friend. Then, I realised that I could not do it alone, and I needed God to guide me. So did my friends.
I prayed to God, surrendering the situation to Him and asking Him to help me find the right words to say and the right actions to do. After praying, I felt relief and gratitude because God impressed on my heart that He was in control of the situation and I could trust Him wholeheartedly in His plan for each one who believes in Him.
After surrendering my friends’ situations to God and praying to Him, I found talking to God much easier. Soon, I surrendered my own life to God and wanted God to be involved in every part of my life.
I felt hope and had peace that God is in control of everything — in both good times and bad — and that God plans to prosper those who believe in Him and not harm them, even if that process is through pain and suffering (Jer 29:11). Whenever I face struggles and challenges, I do not feel discouraged, instead, I am confident that God will see me through. Whatever things that do not go my way are not failures or obstacles, they are God’s plan for me.
After surrendering my life to God, I felt closer to God, which helped me grow in my faith. I now make my faith and identity as a child of God as my core identity.
I grew up in a Christian household, so I have always known that God exists. However, even though I did believe that God died for me and I needed God in my life, I had never tried to pursue a personal relationship with God, praying only out of habit and because other people told me to. It also was not a habit for me to confide in God and come to Him to seek guidance for my problems.
My parents have been bringing me to church ever since I was young, so I grew up hearing Bible stories about God’s goodness and how Jesus died on the cross for my sins. In Sunday School, I had a close friend who was interested in exploring more about Christianity and so I followed along, finding out things like what the Sinner’s Prayer was. However, I did not take any of these things very seriously.
It was only during a sermon one Sunday, I realised that God wants a personal relationship with each one of us, with me! That reality left a strong impression on me because it was hard to believe that God was willing to be my friend despite all my flaws and imperfections. That made me curious to find out what a personal relationship with God was like, which made me see things in a different light.
I think the point when I started to know God as real and present was from late 2022 to early 2023. At that time, I had a lot of my friends going through hardships, and I could see how they struggled to handle those bad situations. I tried to comfort them and point them to God each time they shared what they were facing with me, but it soon became difficult to find the right words to say and navigate my responsibilities as a friend. Then, I realised that I could not do it alone, and I needed God to guide me. So did my friends.
I prayed to God, surrendering the situation to Him and asking Him to help me find the right words to say and the right actions to do. After praying, I felt relief and gratitude because God impressed on my heart that He was in control of the situation and I could trust Him wholeheartedly in His plan for each one who believes in Him.
After surrendering my friends’ situations to God and praying to Him, I found talking to God much easier. Soon, I surrendered my own life to God and wanted God to be involved in every part of my life.
I felt hope and had peace that God is in control of everything — in both good times and bad — and that God plans to prosper those who believe in Him and not harm them, even if that process is through pain and suffering (Jer 29:11). Whenever I face struggles and challenges, I do not feel discouraged, instead, I am confident that God will see me through. Whatever things that do not go my way are not failures or obstacles, they are God’s plan for me.
After surrendering my life to God, I felt closer to God, which helped me grow in my faith. I now make my faith and identity as a child of God as my core identity.
Baptism is my public declaration to others that I am a Christian and that I have chosen to follow God for the rest of my life. I acknowledge that I cannot save myself, and that Jesus is the only one who can through His sacrifice on the cross. I am getting baptised to show others that this is the God that I want to commit to, the God that I will serve, and my life is in His hands.
I want to thank my parents for introducing me to who God is from a young age, and for living out their faith at home. Thank you to my CG for journeying with me in my faith, and my CG leaders (past and present) for checking in on me constantly. I thank my oldest friend Megan for inspiring me to find out more about God at a young age. I also want to thank Aunty Erny and Uncle SK for encouraging me to take this step of faith.
I thank God especially, for watching over me every step of the way and for leading me to honour Him in this way. One verse I take comfort in is 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
I want to thank my parents for introducing me to who God is from a young age, and for living out their faith at home. Thank you to my CG for journeying with me in my faith, and my CG leaders (past and present) for checking in on me constantly. I thank my oldest friend Megan for inspiring me to find out more about God at a young age. I also want to thank Aunty Erny and Uncle SK for encouraging me to take this step of faith.
I thank God especially, for watching over me every step of the way and for leading me to honour Him in this way. One verse I take comfort in is 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”