crazy Gideon | emigration | satisfaction | i've changed
"Ping pong is sports"
I'm most proud of my eyebrows and what I make can make them do.
My friends wrote a song about my eyebrows.
I'm crazy about ping-pong. I dream of being a ping pong star. I spend a lot of time visiting ping-pong websites.
Did I mention that I like playing ping pong? Some people might object, but I argue that ping pong is sports.
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Moving to a new place
Even though I was a Christian at age 9, my faith didn't have an affect on my life until junior high when I was 12 years old. That year, my family moved to a new place, a new city - everything was new.
It was hard adjusting to a new place. I didn't know anyone, I felt awkward and self-conscious about myself. I was a total nerd, I was not good at sports and I didn't think very highly of myself. I started feeling very lonely and isolated.
To make things worse, other kids would make fun of me. I didn't have a good self image.
At this low point in my life, when I had no close friends to share my troubles with, God started to grab my attention. In my loneliness and weakness, I began to understand what it means to make Jesus my best friend.
I started praying to God all the time! To me praying is simply talking to God; it doesn't have to look at certain way. I don't have to close my eyes and fold my hands or pray just before a meal or going to sleep. I realized I can talk to God in anyway and anywhere!
I started praying to God in the midst of my daily activities, while driving around or even walking to class.
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Finding Satisfaction
The search for satisfaction is unending. Sometimes I look for satisfaction in things or people that I know will never bring me complete satisfaction.
I often look to relationships, friendships, achievements in school, work or feeling I'm needed and appreciated in church for satisfaction.
But what I've learned is that true satisfaction comes from depending on God. But I only started to depend on God when I recognized my need for him. Needing God started with admitting that I can't please God and I can't live my life independent of God.
I found peace and satisfaction when I finally admitted my weakness before God and said to him, "I can't do it, I need you."
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Being transformed inside, out
I'm a very different person compared to three or four years ago. I can see that my personality has changed. I used to be very shy and didn't want to socialize much. But through different experiences in the past few years, a new confidence in my life has developed.
I've learned how to open myself up and reach out to people by approaching them in a friendly way and making them feel comfortable too.
What is surprising is when other people observe these characteristics in me. I was surprised when a stranger I met at a camp said to me, "I've noticed a real transparency about you."
His comment was striking because it made me realize how much I've changed; I never used to be like transparent to people.
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Spirituality is an important part of Gideon's life . . .
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