If you’re between the ages 18 and 35, that’s a wonderful stage in life to be at!

But for me, I wasn’t very happy when I was younger. The first reason was because I didn’t do well in school. I spent five years – instead of three – in high school and I didn’t even graduate!

Apart from my studies, my health was suffering too. I fell ill all the time and was asthmatic. My girlfriend also left me. I just couldn’t do anything right and I was so unhappy.

Later, I did Chinese Studies in university. “What’s a boy doing, studying Chinese?” My brother questioned me about what I was going to do in the future. I didn’t know either. 

After my graduation and service in the army, I really felt that I couldn’t see much of a future for myself. What should I do?

But I thank God that I came to know him for real when I was about 20. 

My father was a pastor, so I grew up in church. Even before I could walk, I was already crawling in church. But I only really truly came to know Jesus Christ when I was 20. In that process of knowing Him, faith and salvation weren’t just a family tradition anymore.

After I really knew God, I told Him: “God, I really don’t know how to go on in life.” But I believed that what was impossible for me was possible in Him, so I told God: “I believe You have a glorious plan for my life and I pray that you’ll walk with me on this journey of life.”

But I believed that what was impossible for me was possible in Him.

When I held my life in my own hands, I made a mess out of it. No matter how I tried to make things right – my relationships, my health, my studies – nothing worked.

But when I placed my life in the hands of the Lord, he brought me on a journey I never expected. I never expected that my life could turn out the way it did. I became a news presenter, a variety show host, a theatre screenwriter and a director. These were dreams I had as a child and God turned it into reality for me.

What’s even more special is that I never once thought of becoming a preacher, but the Lord brought me on a path I’d never once imagined.

I’m 62 today, twice your age if you’re 31 this year! And as I look back at my life, I’m filled with gratitude.

If I had a ball in my hand and that ball represented my life – a young Kou Shao-en would have changed it with anyone who wanted it. I would rather have been anyone else than Kou Shao-en because it’d be better.

But if I had that same ball representing my life in my hand today, I wouldn’t want to trade it with anyone. I’m very grateful because God has tailor-made this life just for me.

There is abundant hope for this life when we walk in the Lord.

This article was adapted from a backstage interview with Reverend Kou Shao-en during the Celebration of Hope (COH). A former TV host, the Taiwanese pastor was the main speaker for the Abundance of Hope rally on May 18, 2019. Watch our highlight video to catch more action from COH.

18 到 35 岁真是一个好年龄，那是一个很棒的一个人生阶段。

其实我自己在那个阶段是不快乐的。

不快乐是因为第一，书念得不好， 功课不好。在台湾高中只要念3年，我念了5年而且没有毕业，我还是拿同等学历去考大学的。

就书念得不好，我身体也不好。整天生病，气喘。然后女朋友又跑掉了。就是做什么事情都不太对劲。其实那段时间里面真的很不快乐，

我后来念了华文，就是大学念中文系。一个男生年华文，我的哥哥说“男生念华文，你将来要干什么？” 我也不知道我将来要做什么。

毕业了，当完兵回来，真的就是觉得前面好像看不到什么路，就觉得我到底应该做什么。

可是谢谢主，我在20岁左右时候真的认识耶稣基督。其实我从小就在教会里长大。我父亲是牧师所以我从小在教会里长大，我还不会走路就在教会爬。

但其实我到20岁的时候才真的认识神，而那个过程里面，信仰对我而言，救恩对我而言，不再只是一个习惯，或者家族的习惯。

真的认识神之后，我就跟上帝说：“上帝啊，我真的不知道我前面的路该怎么走。但是我相信在我不能，在神凡事都能。 我相信祢对我的一生有一个荣耀的计划，我求祢带我走人生的路。”

我相信在我不能，在神凡事都能。

当我把我自己的人生抓在自己的手上的时候，我把自己搞得一团糟。其实我没有这么不认真的，但是我就是弄不好。感情弄不好，身体弄不好，功课弄不好，好像什么东西都弄不好。

但是当我把自己交到上帝的手中时候，我真的经验祂带我走一些路是我以前从来没有想过的。我没有想过我的人生可以走成这样。后来我进电视台，做新文主播，做节目主持人，在剧场里面做编剧，导演。我觉得都是我小时候的梦，而上帝竟然让我的梦成为实现。而更特别的事我从来没有想过我会走进教会做传道人。但上帝带我走一条我没有想过的路。

今天，我已经62岁了。如果你31岁，我是你的一倍哦。回过头来看我的人生，我充满感恩。

我像你们这么大的时候，我常常觉得如果我手中这粒球是我，我很想跟所有人换。谁要？我就跟你们换！

意思就是说我觉得我做谁就是比做寇绍恩好。我就是不想做寇绍恩。因为我觉得做什么都不对劲，

但是今天如果我手上还有一粒球，我恐怕要说我跟谁都不换。我很感恩，因为这是上帝为我量身定做的人生。走在上帝里真的很有希望。

本文内容来自寇绍恩牧师在《希望与你有约》的后台采访。身为前台湾电台节目主持人，寇牧师是2019年5月18日“丰足的希望”布道会的主要演讲者。想了解更多来自《希望与你有约》的行动，请观看我们的精彩视频。