My name is Cindy. I'm 21 yrs old and I'm from the Philippines. Honestly, I really don't know how and where to begin. This is the first time that I'm writing here. First, I just want you to know how happy I am and how blessed because I saw this site. I just want to thank God for giving me this opportunity to know that there are Christians who love God and will continue to do so.

My parents raised me and my brother as Christians, and I'm so thrilled that even though we are oceans apart, we are still binded by the Love of God.

I want you to know something about me and learn from my mistakes. I've been tempted and tried a lot of times, and yes, I let myself be tempted because I've always thought I'm different from other young people. I wanted to be what everybody wanted me to be. It was difficult because I was young and it seems I was the only one wearing a skirt, having a long hair... something like that.

When I was in college, my parents never knew that I wear pants and shorts and curse a lot and I even tried drinking beers. But when I went home at weekends, I changed into a submissive, obedient and good Christian lady. Yes, that's me. I was fooling myself, my parents and some of my friends. I've been like that for years. I felt happy one time because I thought no one will discover me. My college friends even called me "two face". So it went on and on.

I was home one weekend and preparing myself to go to sleep. I heard my father praying and there was something unusual in his voice. I knew that something's not right. There I saw my mother. She was so pale and so cold to touch. My heart was pounding. I was so afraid. Me, my brother and father held her hands and prayed. My mother was just lying there still cold and shaking so hard. I prayed like I never prayed before. She never wanted to go to the hospital so we waited and waited and prayed. It turned out her blood pressure was very high and it was the first time that it happened to her. And Praise God after two hours, she stopped shaking and her blood pressure gradually declined.

At that moment I realized all the wrong things I've done. I realized that if God willed it, in a split of a second my mother is already dead. I begged for His forgiveness and I cried because I knew what had happened was a lesson for me to learn, and I learned it the hardest way. And then the following week my parents knew all about my activities. They were disappointed and they got angry, but still they forgave me.

God made me realize that life on this world is just temporary. I made my parents unhappy because of my disobedience, and most of all Jesus. And I realized Jesus loves me because He gave me another chance to obey and serve Him. I am weak but He is strong.

To all young women and young men who think they are different, remember you have Jesus. You don't have to learn lessons in the hard way. And choose your friends well.

So here I am now... happy with my life. Yes, there are still temptations and I'm fighting... I don't just easily give in.

To the one reading this: thank you for spending time reading. I know this is not much, but I just want to share my experience.

Just by looking at the pictures here lifts my spirit because I am not different as what I thought I was. Thank you for just being here. You just don't know how much this means to me and how much this made me happy.

God Bless You and I'll be praying for you.