For
my whole life, I never imagined that I
would become a Christian. It came as a
total surprise to me that I became one
and actually made a request to be baptized.
On Sunday, 13 December 1998, Pastor Bill
Teng at Union Church Hong Kong baptized
me during the morning service. Why do
I want to be a Christian? Here is my story.
For
13 years, I studied in a Christian school.
I never touched the Bible other than to
study for examinations. The last thing
on earth I would have thought of doing
in those days was to read the Bible. I
did not go to church either. I lived in
a dream for 41 years without knowing what
I was doing. I ate when I was hungry and
drank when I was thirsty. I got married
to someone I loved and had a daughter.
I have a decent job with good pay. Life,
however, was empty and had no purpose
or any real meaning. Life just went on
uneventfully day after day until my husband
and I separated about 2 years ago. My
life was shattered and I suffered very,
very badly.
From
April 1998, I started meeting with one
of my friends, Alexandra Ip, for regular
swimming lessons after work. She is a
member of Union Church. After swimming
lessons, we would have dinner together.
We shared our thoughts during these times
and one day she invited me to attend church.
I thought it might help me to be happier
so, for a while, I attended church. I
enjoyed singing at the evening service
and it gave me peace in my heart. During
one of the services, this particular song
struck me hard and pierced right into
my heart:
Faithful
One, so unchanging
Ageless one, You're my rock of peace
Lord of all I depend on you
I call out to you again and again
I call out to you again and again
You are my rock in times of trouble
You lift me up when I fall down
All through the storm
Your love is an anchor
My hope is in you alone
It
was the first time God touched me and
I cried. After a few months, however,
my interest drifted as I was sinning and
tried to avoid God. I made excuses for
not going to church despite Alexandra's
constant invitations. For quite a few
weeks, I deliberately pursued my favourite
pastime - mahjong - on Sundays in order
to avoid attending church.
Alexandra told me an Alpha course was
starting in September and that she would
like me to go because the course played
an important part in changing her life.
She emphasized that, even counting law
school, it was the course that had had
the most effect on her life. Reluctantly
I agreed and she enrolled me on the course.
There
was an introductory Alpha supper on the
Friday evening before the course started.
I didn't feel too comfortable but it was
nonetheless acceptable. I attended the
course. The first talk was entitled "Christianity:
Boring? Untrue? & Irrelevant?."
Christianity. I found, so true, relevant
and practical. The second talk was "Who
is Jesus". After the second talk,
as I got to know more about God, my desire
to read the Bible grew. I no longer wanted
to miss any of the talks. I was in fact
looking forward to each Monday's Alpha
session.
I
had a lot of questions to ask my Christian
friends during our group discussion. At
the same time, I felt their genuine friendship,
caring and love and it was all without
pressure. They prayed for me. God's words
were so encouraging, strengthening and
comforting, I cried throughout the Alpha
course. I still recall during the course
we sang many songs. The same song "Faithful
One" struck me again, in one of the
sessions. This time it hit me even harder.
I realized that Jesus, a perfect man without
any sin, died for all of us to save our
lives, so that we could have eternal life
- I confessed the wrong things I had done
and gave my life to Jesus.
God
is changing my life everyday since I became
a Christian. For me, God uses suffering
to draw me close to Him. I want to testify
to people that God is love, his healing
power is almighty, beyond human beings'
imagination. He is always with us in suffering.
He can make use of our mistakes to turn
them around for our good. Everything in
our world is in God's good plan and control.
All we have to do is to pray and He will
never let us down.
Having
established a relationship with God, I
found the reason for living - TO LOVE
AND TO SERVE HIM.