When The Wind Takes You to Jesus
By: Mariella Manuel
Have you been in that situation wherein, your everyday lifestyle seems like a routine? In a loop mode? Like a cycle? That’s how I described my very first semester in college before I met my first love.
I grew up in the province and before I got into college, I prayed a simple prayer to God— “Please God, lead me to the right way. I'm afraid to be influenced by city life. I don't want to accidentally get pregnant in a wrong relationship. I don’t even want to try vices. And please, I hope I’ll make friends with good people. I'm looking forward to a brighter future, Amen.”
So my first semester in college, life was so simple as this, "home—school, school—home." Pretty much to say that I don’t want to get involved in any social gatherings like parties or maybe I was just so conscious and careful at the same time to not accept any invitations pertaining to that matter that it led my life to become boring. Almost nothing new, except for new plates (homework). I got bored that I was consumed in social media. I got so attached that it brought me to a point where I began to entertain the desires of my flesh, lust. Yes, I am a woman, but it doesn't mean that I am safe from this temptation. It even questioned my identity. I struggled, secretly facing it all by myself and too ashamed to share it to anyone.
One normal windy day, I was invited by my friends to join the group wherein they share their problems. I kind of asked myself, “Where can you even find something like this, a group of people in this university, sharing their problems?”. I was quite hesitant but I accepted the invitation anyway, and told them I’ll be right there after I finished my plates. The situation resembles of that Korean drama called “Crash landing On You”. Your intention is to just go where the wind takes you and you may not know that God might stir up everything—like strong winds or rain- that you might struggle for a bit but will take you to your destiny.
As I walked towards the mini-forest in school, there I saw a group of young ladies sharing their love for Jesus. I got so curious and asked them, “What are you doing?” They told me that they were having a lifegroup where they share about how Jesus turned their life from nothing into something. I pondered and said yes to an invitation-- if I would want to accept Jesus as my Lord and savior. Then, they invited me to their organization called Youth to the Nations having that tagline, "No one must be left behind, best family ever."
There, I finally landed at a place where God brought me to enjoy the Presence of my First Love. I am always grateful to God that I am in a good company of people—who will correct you, nurture you and encourage you to become better. They supported me through the years passed and helped me to grow in my relationship with Jesus. It’s true that "..God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8).
I realized that even when I was still a sinner, He valued my simple prayer. A simple yet powerful prayer that changed the direction of the wind of my life.
Pass on.
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