Sometimes, God allows us to go through some tests in form of deep sufferings, failures or unexpected detours in life to arrive at a beautiful destination. This journey ends with a colorful rainbow of God’s great promises as we put Him on top of everything in our lives.
Sis. Kianna is from the Children’s Ministry. She has been here at Church of God ever since she was a kid. At the age of 9, she was already attending worship services here in the church by herself even though her parents were attending at a different church. Then the time eventually came where she was able to invite them to attend here in COG and they had accepted Christ as their personal Savior. She grew up here in the church until she graduated college as a scholar specifically by being a student assistant, since my parents could not afford to get me through college.
Around March 2019, she tried to take her licensure examination. Even though she knew that God has a promise for her, she motivated herself and insisted that, “I can do it! I can do this because God has a plan!” She knew for a fact that the Lord indeed has a plan. During Saturdays and Sundays, she wasn’t able to commit in the ministry. Her ministry and attendance in the church were sacrificed because she was busy reviewing for the incoming board exam. She was aware that it may be against God’s will, but she still insisted to continue doing that routine because she wanted to pass the exam and she made an oath to my parents. During those Saturdays and Sundays that she spent reviewing, it wore her out and drained her. At home, she was studying and struggling. She was spiritually dry because she sacrificed her time with the Lord.
On March 24, 2019, she took the exam and it was hard. As a first timer taking the licensure exam, she kept on praying although she could only go to church when she has the time. God, our Father, tapped her saying; “My child! Don’t exchange Me for your dreams.” It made her realize that she shouldn’t have excluded God in pursuing her dreams. While she was waiting for the exam results, she asked her parents; “Will you still love me even if I cannot pass this exam?” They replied that they did still love her nonetheless. She knew that she wasn’t going to pass the examination because it was very hard and she lacked personal communication with the Lord. That day came and her name was not on the results of the board passers. It was only one point away for her to pass, but she didn’t. It was painful and devastating. It broke her heart. She questioned God, “I thought that if I am Your child, my prayers will be answered.”
She tried again because she knew that by the month of September, there will be another examination. She surrendered everything to Him. She has attended ExCEL services each Saturday. When she was attending ExCEL services, she approached our pastors to pray for her because she was tired at work and she was worn out on self-reviewing. Though she may be tired at work and her studies, her rest was in the house of the Lord and fulfilling my duty in the ministry. Instead of studying in a review center, she enrolled herself in the house of God. She served again in the Children’s Ministry because it was her first love and passion. She kept on reviewing by herself as she served. On September 24, 2019, while she was taking the exam, she sang praise and worship songs. She knew the pain and the hurt of what she prayed and knelt down during ExCEL services.
She uttered in prayer, “Lord, I give it to Your hands. Let Your will be done. If it’s my way that’s going to remain, it will fail. If it’s my own strength that will remain, It’s going to fail again. Let Your will be done!”
On December 1 of the same year, which was a Sunday, the results came. That time, she was fulfilling her duty in the ministry by playing with the kids in Sunday School when her phone rang. Her friends told her that she passed! Her cries and struggles were over! When she first took the exam, it was painful; but now, this is the breakthrough that God has given her!
As she mentioned in her testimony, “Whoever you are, brethren, if you feel that God is not attending to your prayers or if you think that there are no answers to those prayers, I tell you to BELIEVE! Believe because there is a right time for everything! The Lord is listening to your every cry and every prayer.”
Currently, she is a licensed Senior High School teacher. She is thankful for her family at home, and for her family here in the church. Someone was used by God to help her and to sponsor her during her studies. God never gave up supporting her, and now, she was able to share this TEST-TIMONY! Our God is truly alive and He listens to all and any prayers! To God be the glory!
