As I reflect on how perfectly God has guided my life, I made one firm decision: I would never turn back from following Him.
My name is Haryanto Kristanto. I am now 20 years old and currently studying at a public university in Central Java. Through this testimony, I long to share the perfect love of God that has been so real in my life.
I am an only child, born into a simple family. My mother worked as a porridge seller at the traditional market, earning a very limited income. When I was seven years old, God called my father home to be with Him.
Life became increasingly difficult after that. My mother became the sole provider for our family and for my future. Yet, as the saying goes, life must go on. With nothing but her porridge business, my mother raised and cared for me. By human calculation, it seemed impossible for her daily income to cover all our needs. However, day by day, God proved His promises true—yes and amen. My mother was still able to send me to school and meet our daily necessities.
Then, God allowed another heavy season in my life when I was twelve years old. I fell into depression and experienced overwhelming fear, even becoming afraid to leave the house. But God’s presence was perfect. Through His helping hand, I was healed and restored.
One sentence from my mother remains deeply engraved in my heart:
“Whatever my child’s condition may be, he is still my child.”
From that moment on, I decided to become active in ministry and joined the youth leadership in my church.
As time passed, God’s love became increasingly evident. I was able to complete my senior high school education with honors and academic achievements. This was truly a miracle—God transformed a child once labeled as “a failure” by society into a high-achieving student.
God’s goodness did not stop there. He allowed me to be accepted into a public university in my city, majoring in Economics and Accounting—one of the most popular majors at the university. Moreover, God granted me the opportunity to receive a Bidikmisi Scholarship, which covered all my tuition fees.
My mother’s exhaustion and weariness were eased when she saw her child studying with a full scholarship. Praise the Lord—this was an extraordinary miracle. Semester after semester, I did not achieve ordinary results, but excellent ones. My GPA consistently remained above 3.5. All of this was purely by God’s grace. Today, I am in my final semester.
I carried one great hope: that my mother, who had fought tirelessly for my life, would be able to accompany me at my graduation ceremony. However, God allowed another trial at the end of my studies. My mother suffered a serious illness—a blockage in the right side of her brain that caused a stroke.
At times, a question tempted my heart: Did God make a mistake? Especially when everything seemed so wonderful and happiness was just within reach. But the answer is no. I firmly believe that Jesus never makes mistakes, even when it feels heavy—especially now that my mother can no longer sell porridge to support our daily needs.
This is where my faith is tested once again. I am reminded of the simple biblical story of the widow of Zarephath, whom God sustained with a jar of oil and a handful of flour. I believe that the same miracle will also happen in my life.
Although I am currently carrying heavy burdens and facing challenges to complete my studies, I believe that God will help and provide for us according to His riches and glory. I also believe that through this trial, a testimony will emerge—one that will bless many people.
Perhaps my story is too short to fully describe how good God truly is. But one thing I have learned is this:
Testimony is not only shared when life is full of blessings and comfort. We must also testify while walking through the valley of tears, because He is the Good Shepherd of His sheep.
