Hello, my name is Livian Hui, and I am a junior in high school. Through baptism, I will be proclaiming my identity in Christ to the church. Because I grew up in the church, I had always believed whatever the church and my parents taught and did not think much of it. Unlike many others, I cannot recall the exact moment and period of time when I officially had accepted Christ as my path towards faith had been filled with doubts and questioning.

I was very detached to many of the teachings in that they seemed much more like fairy tales and epics, rather than something that had actually happened. In Sunday school, I would know all the stories they taught, but much of it never became more than that – stories. I failed to realize how relevant God’s words were in my life. Before maturing as a Christian, I would care a lot about academics and the approval of those around me.

I vividly remember the time in 6th grade where I read through an entire comic Bible, and right when I got to the part of Matthew and Mark, I was in awe of Jesus’s love and righteousness in that He performed miracles and died for us. The stories that I read in the Bible were no longer distant and foreign tales, but real-life events. That day I remember praying to Jesus, thanking Him, and seeing Him as a savior rather than a character. I began to really grasp the magnitude of God’s love when reading about how He had sent His one and only son, Jesus, to die and take His wrath for our sins. Just how it says in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” I saw God’s love as real and present in my life, and was awed by how righteous Jesus was and how He died for us despite how I did not deserve it.

As the years go by, I have been continuing my journey towards faith and overcoming obstacles and doubts I had in middle school. Those around me, especially the relationships I have with those in the church and CY, have really taught me and helped me grow in my faith. By trusting in Jesus, it helped me place my worries and fears on God, which is very different from how I used to handle stress in academics. I also realized the sole purpose of this life I have and how I should spend it: for Jesus Christ. Instead of worrying about the little things like academics and validation, I realized that only Jesus’ approval of me matters, and that He had already taken care of my greatest worry: sin.

Because of Jesus’s sacrifice, I aspire to spend the time I have on this earth for God and to continue to live as Jesus would have. Rather than being fearful of others’ judgments or unsure of the skills that I could offer to the church, I’ve learned that serving in the church, through activities like leading worship, is a way for me to fear and worship God above all else. Even when things get uncomfortable and difficult, I know that I can always share my burden with Jesus and know that He is always present in my life.

I hope to continue my relationship with Jesus and to be able to show others how God has worked in my life. Opening my eyes to Jesus’s love and how it works in my life drives the way I want to live purposely for Him. 1 John 3:1 tells us “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”. This is a reminder of God’s love in that He sent His only son for us. Because of this truth, I will continue to rely on Him and dedicate my life to Christ. Thank you.