I was raised by parents who were prone to anger, and as a child, that deeply affected me and my relationships with others. It was hard for me to make lasting connections, and I didn’t have many friends growing up. Because I often held grudges and lashed out, life felt quite miserable.
I first heard about God in kindergarten when I attended a mission school. I loved how this God taught about forgiveness and love, and how He is worshipped with joy and song. However, my parents later pulled me away from religion, and over time, my struggles with anger and emotions led me to attempt suicide in secondary school and even in my polytechnic years.
In secondary school, my tuition teacher, who is a Christian, brought me back to the faith in Jesus. She was strict but caring, and she helped me see that I needed God in my life. Later, my mother brought me to church, and I have been attending for the past 6 or 7 years.
Since then, I have experienced real change. I am much happier and have grown to be more loving toward others. I want to continue to live out and share the love that God has shown me
I grew up in a Christian family, and going to church was part of my life. I heard the gospel many times, but for a long time, it felt more like routine than something personal. I thought being a Christian meant I had to be “good” and have everything together.
I lived my life chasing career goals and what I believed was the “right” path. I was constantly seeking approval and finding my identity in achievements. Eventually, I became unhappy, and I could not find rest.
I applied for many jobs, but the only one I truly wanted was the one that responded. Looking back, I now see that as God’s provision. He knew exactly what I needed, even when I was anxious and trying to control everything.
In Matthew 6:25–26, Jesus reminds us not to worry, and that if God cares for the birds, how much more will He care for us. I am learning that I do not have to carry everything on my own, because He provides for me.
More recently, God has shown me that I was only coming to Him when I felt “put together.”
After speaking with a friend who shared how she cried out to God in her struggles, I felt that God was speaking to me. I realised I can go to Him as I am—with my fears, confusion, and even the messy parts of my heart.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9, it says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
I am still learning and growing, but I see a change in my life. My identity is no longer in being perfect or successful, but in being known and cared for by God. Instead of striving for approval, I am learning to walk with Him one step at a time.
Before I knew Christ, I lacked meaning and direction, especially during my O-Level years. My relationship with my father was strained, and I grew increasingly resentful toward him. I felt that I could only rely on myself, yet at the same time, I was exhausted by life. I gave up on my studies, isolated myself, and became addicted to video games as an escape.
At home, conflicts were frequent. I often lashed out at my father and cried almost daily, even though I knew it wasn’t right. By my first year of polytechnic in 2022, I was so frustrated that I stopped speaking to him for nearly a year. I felt alone but didn’t want to burden my friends, which only deepened my sense of isolation.
In 2023, during my second year, two strangers shared the gospel with me. I was defensive and questioned how a loving God could allow my suffering. I also felt unworthy, believing that Christians had to be perfect and that I had sinned too much for God to accept me. Although I had briefly attended church as a child, I realised I didn’t truly know Jesus.
Over time, my misery grew, and I found myself praying, “God, if You are there, please take me out of my misery.”
A month later, I attended a NLBC’s camp in Batam. The message about the “rat race” of life deeply resonated with me. What struck me most was hearing that in Christ, there is true rest and eternal hope. When invited to respond, I felt a strong nudge from the Holy Spirit to accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour. I was overwhelmed with tears and a sense of freedom that I could not explain.
After returning to Singapore, I reconciled with my father—something I could not have done on my own. Through Jesus, I have found peace, hope, and direction. I now know that salvation is not about being perfect, but about trusting in Him, who loved us and died for us while we were still sinners.
Before knowing Christ, I was heavily focused on career success as my only source of worth. I grew up in a home that was not religious.
I struggled with deep anxiety and a constant feeling of “not being enough.” This affected my sleep and also my relationships with my family.
During a particularly low week, a friend invited me to a church service. There, I heard a message about “grace vs. performance.” It made me realise that I did not have to earn God’s love.
In that moment, something changed in my understanding. I began to see that my worth is not based on what I achieve, but on what Christ has done for me. I chose to put my trust in Jesus and follow Him.
Since then, I have experienced a sense of peace that does not depend on my bank account or job title. I have also become more patient with my spouse and children.
One important lesson I have learned is that my identity is in Christ, not in my work. God also reminded me through His Word: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
说实话，在 2012 年之前，我这人真的挺自我中心的。那时候在工作里，我总觉得只有自己是对的，别人都错得离谱。我待人的方式甚至可以用‘野蛮’来形容，总觉得全世界都得顺着我的逻辑转。
直到 2012 年 9 月 2 号下午一点，那一天我真的永远忘不了。当时我在吉隆坡参加我弟弟办的一个营会，周围全是基督徒。就在大家聊天的时候，我突然感觉自己好像‘上天’了。
那是一个特别神奇的地方，到处都非常明亮、非常宽敞。我看到一个很大很大的房子，但是没有屋顶，视野开阔得不得了。我还看到一大群穿着白长袍的人走来走去。虽然我当时没看清楚耶稣的长相，但我心里特别笃定，就是他在拉着我的手，带着我往前走。那种脚下空空的却能走得很稳的感觉，还有那种极度的平安，真的太真实了。
等我回过神来，发现自己还坐在那群朋友中间，但我整个人已经完全不一样了。
接受耶稣作为救主后，我的生活真的发生了翻天覆地的变化：
性格变柔软了：我以前那种‘老子天下第一’的野蛮劲儿不见了。我开始学会反思，意识到以前很多时候都是我太固执，现在我懂得感恩，也愿意接受别人的意见了。
职场心态稳了：以前要是听到有人在背后说我，我肯定会炸毛。但现在我心态特别平和，觉得人与人之间有摩擦很正常，只要我问心无愧，那种从神而来的平安就能让我一笑置之。
不再满腹牢骚：以前我总爱怨天尤人，看什么都不顺眼。现在我心里不再有那种苦毒和埋怨，每天都觉得很踏实、很平安。
虽然我还没正式受洗，但在我心里，耶稣就是我的救主。他不仅带我看过天堂的样子，更重要的是，他教会了我怎么在这个世界上谦卑地去爱、去生活。”
2023年1月8日是我生命中一个无比重要的时刻，感谢我主基督耶稣 的救赎，感谢陈有强弟兄带我来到新生命浸信教会
我在中国大陆接受的基础教育，从小在脑子根植了唯物主义，随着年龄的成长，感觉心中始终有一块空旷的地方，尽管时时有家人的陪伴，有时也感到孤独与恐惧，我知道这需要更加丰满的内涵去填满，记得刚来新加坡那年是为了照顾快要生产的女儿和我的第一个外孙女的到来，虽然每天忙忙碌碌，当空闲的时候觉得内心空旷孤独感，也许是上帝的安排让我认识了陈有强弟兄，他是一个纯粹的基督徒，于是，他带领我来到了他的华语崇拜。在这里认识了很多的弟兄姊妹，感谢董牧师赠送给一本华语版的圣经书，也感谢楷瑜姐妹帮助我透过阅读圣经认识神，接近神。让神接纳自己，从此圣灵充满我的内心使我不再孤独感，让我感受到自己之前是有罪的，也感受到了基督徒的平安喜悦，所以，我试图去阅读圣经，如同读一本普通的书一般。当我翻开第一页；创世纪“地是虚空混沌，渊面黑暗”，这是大爆炸吗？我可以理解，然后下一句话：”神的灵运行在水面上”，使我懵了，我设想着海面之上有一个天使。但是大爆炸到地球上有海有超过210亿年的距离呀，既然是神的话语，怎么可以不自洽！我开始用怀疑论去看待圣经，这句话也成为了我和基督耶稣之间最大的隔阂
来到新生命浸信会，在楷瑜姐妹的帮助下，我能感受到教会弟兄姐妹发自内心的爱与帮助，感受到圣歌中满溢的福音，感受上主日学时董牧师在台上的激情与坚定信仰，虽然我还是不能理解”神的灵运行在水面上”，但是在主日学中，我开始跟随大家的脚步试着一步步的从一个基督徒的角度去学习神的话语，终于明白了我们是渺小的，如果背对神是不可能理解神的话语的，放下不理解，谦卑的去思考，不要试图去证伪神的话！感谢主在我心智不坚定地时候没有抛弃我，安排我重回教会，这次我已经不再抗拒，从最初来的时候就有一个信念：我要受洗先，相信圣灵的引导，相信我主，所有的不理解都将会被丢弃。我突然明白了上帝的话语是何等的奇妙!”神的灵运行在水面上。”上帝知道我的纠结，在我生命中最重要的时刻以如此特殊的方式诠释了他的话语，破除了我心中的障壁，神的赐福无偿的赠予了我，我在想从受洗那一刻我就是一个全然的基督徒，一个新的自我！反观自己的罪，看到自己是多么渺小并且狂妄；感谢神的怜悯，总是给我机会悔改。盼望圣灵能够给我更多的启示，多多催促，也期盼圣灵赐下满溢的平安喜乐。我相信，靠着主的大能，我最终会从内到外的改变，让自己变成一抔好土，让福音的种子发芽，并把福音传给包括我家人在内的更多的人！感谢聆听我的感受，感谢主的接纳，阿门!
Being born into a Christian family, I was actively going to church throughout my entire life. As a second-generation Christian, I found that I experienced a sort of desensitization towards Christianity. Though I knew of God and stories in the Bible, I wasn’t able to fully comprehend how Christianity played its part in my life and this inhibited my growth as a Christian early on.
When I was growing up, I had many struggles regarding my self-worth and value. With high expectations that I placed on myself, it was difficult to see myself as being worth anything more than my accomplishments. I would often have thoughts that the people I knew and loved would be better off without me. I was very sensitive when others made comments about me. I often felt I contributed nothing to others, no matter how hard I tried to achieve more and more acclamations as a means to prove otherwise. This made it extremely difficult for me to love myself, and to feel the love from others as well.
Between secondary 4 and the transition to polytechnic, my spiritual maturity started to blossom. I remember my most striking moment was when I went to an event with my friend where we watched a film called “Show me the Father”. My biggest take-away from that event was that God, despite being the Almighty Creator, is also my family, my heavenly Father. To me, this was a very big revelation. I realised that a God who is so powerful loves me His own son. From that moment onwards, God placed in me a growing sense of love for myself, through the showering of His love for me. I focused less on what others thought of me and focused more on God’s purposes for me.
Previously, I did not realise the closeness of God as a Father. Whenever I prayed, it was mostly at surface level and I never really felt as though I was praying to anyone at all. However after this revelation, I began to have closer and more intimate prayers with God. It was as if I was having conversations with a friend. Feeling the love of God has helped me overcome my self-deprecation. I began to understand that my accomplishments and the approval of others cannot compare to God’s love. Through this, God has empowered me to live a life that is truly worthy of Him.
Focusing on the blessings that we have, and not what we don’t have, is a powerful way of living life. In times where it is easy and almost common to overlook our blessings, it is important to take a step back and appreciate that our lives are in no way bad. Many people in the world would do everything in their power to live the way I do. Therefore, no time should be spent on sulking, but instead on giving thanks.
I was born into a Christian family and have been attending NLBC since I was young. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior when I was 11. However, for a long time I did not encounter God personally. I knew about Him through the stories in the Bible but I didn’t really feel His presence in my life.
In secondary school, I struggled to make friends and to find a purpose in life. I had always been quiet and shy, but in that new environment, I failed to reach out and connect with others. By the end of secondary one, I found myself without friends in school. I convinced myself that I was fine and better off without friends. Yet I felt worried because many of my classmates and people around me seemed to have clear goals in mind, like what university course or job they wanted in the future. I was scared that I would be left behind while everyone else progressed forward.
In secondary four, I finally talked to my sister about some issues I had been facing and emotions I didn’t know I had bottled up started pouring out. That day, I opened up The Daily Bread after months of not reading it. The devotional was about God’s purpose for us, which is to spread the gospel so that others can be saved. When I played the audio recording, I discovered that the person narrating the passage shared the same name as me. I felt that God was speaking to me. It was like the devotional was meant specifically for me. I felt touched and relieved as my purpose in life was something I had been unsure and worried about for a long time. I felt comforted that I had found a purpose in life in God.
Today, I feel that I know God on a more personal level and am comforted that He is always there for me. When I remember 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”), I am less worried about finding my purpose and direction in life as I trust that God has a plan for me. God has also blessed me with new friends in JC who are non-believers. I’ve also learned to open up more and to make more effort in building friendships, instead of closing myself off too much. Hopefully I can share the Word with them and bring them to church someday.
I think Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” – helps me to remember not to worry too much when there are challenges in my life because I can trust in God’s plan for me.
I was born and raised in a strict Catholic family. Because of that, my grandparents didn’t allow me to be baptized in a Baptist church, even though I had the desire to follow Jesus from a young age. When I was a child, someone invited me to attend a Baptist church in our hometown. I began attending regularly and became active in church activities like youth camps. The church also supported me through my elementary and high school years, which I’m truly thankful for.
Even at that time, I already wanted to be baptized and become part of the Baptist church, but out of respect for my grandparents and the traditions of our family, I waited, trusting that one day I could make that decision for myself.
Later, I moved to Manila to work. I couldn’t find a church like the one I grew up in, so I started attending a Catholic church again. I also made friends with people who didn’t share my faith. I got along with them, but deep inside, something felt missing in my heart.
After about a year, I returned to my province and entered into a relationship with someone from my hometown. By God’s grace, we were blessed with children, and for a time, life seemed stable. But when he went abroad for work, everything changed. A few months later, he messaged me to say that he would continue to support us financially, but that our relationship was over. That moment truly broke my heart.
After that, I decided to work abroad as well. My first job was in Hong Kong, but the experience was very difficult, and I eventually returned to the Philippines. My sister then encouraged me to apply in Singapore. By God’s grace, I found a good employer here.
While in Singapore, I discovered NLBC—a Baptist church just like the one I grew up in. I started attending church again, and God began working in my heart in a deeper way. Through worship, preaching and the love of the church community, I felt God gently reminding me of how much I needed Him. That was when I finally decided to be baptized. It was a decision I had held in my heart since childhood but couldn’t act on because of my family’s background. Now that I’m older and able to choose for myself, I decided to follow the desire God had placed in me so long ago.
Life hasn’t always been easy. I’ve gone through pain, heartbreak, and many struggles. But I’ve also experienced God’s faithfulness through it all. He never left me—not even in the darkest moments. He was always there, quietly guiding me, giving me strength, and surrounding me with His love.
Now, I’m continuing to grow in my faith, and I’ve found peace, purpose and joy in following Jesus. I’m thankful for the community He’s placed me in and for the grace that has carried me through every season.
My name is Marisa, and I am from Thailand. I moved to Singapore after marrying my husband, John. At first, I went to church simply because I had to take my children there, and I didn’t think much about it. However, as I attended Sunday School with my sons, I began to hear more about God.
One moment that really stood out to me was when I heard the story of how God is always with us, even when we don’t realize it. I remember feeling overwhelmed one day, struggling with loneliness and adjusting to life in Singapore. During that time, I heard Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” That verse spoke directly to my heart. I felt as if God was assuring me personally that I was not alone, that He was with me, and that He would give me strength.
At first, church was just a place to take my kids, but slowly, I started feeling a sense of peace and joy that I didn’t expect. I learned that God is a loving Father who cares for us and that Jesus Christ died for our sins so we can have eternal life. I also noticed a change in my children. They became more thoughtful and kind, and they would come home excited to share what they had learned in Sunday School. Seeing their simple and innocent faith and how they trusted God made me want to seek Him more.
One day, I prayed and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour with Pastor Edwin. Since then, I have experienced a deep sense of peace, and I have learned to trust God during difficult times. One challenging season was when I struggled with doubt and worry about my role as a mother and wife. I often felt like I wasn’t doing enough or that I wasn’t good enough. But in those moments, I prayed and surrendered my worries to God. Slowly, I began to feel His peace replacing my anxieties, and I learned to trust in His plans rather than my own abilities.
Now, I continue to grow in my faith and seek to know God more each day. I spend more time in prayer, reading the Bible, and surrounding myself with fellow believers who encourage me. I have also started applying what I learn in my daily life—whether it’s being more patient, forgiving more easily, or simply trusting God in small things.
This is my testimony, and I hope it encourages others to experience God’s love too.