By L. G. Vassell, BSc Social Work
Wow! Looking back at these pictures from 9 years ago, I can truly say, God has been so good to me.
At that time, I was around 28 or 29 years old. I was in my twenties, and I had no idea just how much those years would teach me about life, faith, perseverance, and my relationship with God.
My twenties taught me how to fight through difficult seasons. They taught me how to fast, pray, wait on God, and develop my own personal relationship with Him. I learned that I could not depend solely on the faith of others—I needed to know God for myself.
There were many highs and lows.
There were moments of disappointment, moments when things did not happen the way I expected, and moments when I questioned whether certain doors would ever open. But through it all, God remained faithful.
I experienced seasons of sickness where I saw the healing hand of God upon my life. I went through spiritual battles that I could not fight in my own strength, yet I watched God fight battles for me. There were situations where I knew that if it had not been for God, I would not have made it through.
My twenties also taught me that not every disappointment was a denial—sometimes it was God’s protection and redirection.
There were things I wanted that did not happen when I wanted them to happen. I had envisioned being married during my twenties, but God had another plan. At the time, I may not have understood it, but today I can look back and say:
God knew what He was doing.
He was preparing me.
He was developing me.
He was strengthening me.
He was teaching me to trust His timing.
Academically, I can also see God’s hand over my life. I pursued a profession that I had a genuine passion for, and there were times when I felt like giving up. There were moments when finances, circumstances, and discouragement made the journey difficult.
But somehow, God provided.
He made a way for me to continue my education when I could not see the way forward. And today, I can look back with gratitude and say:
“Look what the Lord has done!”
The woman in these pictures had dreams, struggles, questions, disappointments, and hopes. She did not have all the answers.
But she kept going.
She kept praying.
She kept believing.
She kept trusting God.
And nine years later, I can testify that God was working even when I could not see what He was doing.
Sometimes we become frustrated because our lives don’t look the way we imagined they would. We wonder why certain prayers haven’t been answered or why certain doors have remained closed.
But looking back has taught me something:
God’s delay is not God’s denial.
Sometimes the closed door is protection.
Sometimes the delay is preparation.
Sometimes the disappointment is redirection.
And sometimes God is simply saying, “Trust Me. I have something better ahead.”
I am grateful for every lesson my twenties taught me.
I am grateful for the battles.
I am grateful for the victories.
I am grateful for the tears.
I am grateful for the growth.
I am grateful for the unanswered prayers.
And most of all, I am grateful that God never left me.
Nine years later, I may not be where I thought I would be, but I can confidently say:
I am not where I used to be.
God has brought me through sickness, disappointment, spiritual battles, academic challenges, seasons of waiting, and moments when I wanted to give up.
And He is still writing my story.
If God has brought me this far, I know He is not finished with me yet.
So, when I look at these pictures, I don’t just see a younger version of myself.
I see evidence of God’s faithfulness.
And my testimony is simple:
**God has been good to me.
God has kept me. God has carried me. God has provided for me. God has fought for me. And God is still writing my story.
“Thus far the LORD has helped us.” — 1 Samuel 7:12
— L. G. Vassell, BSc Social Work Leota Inspirational Thoughts
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