Wang’s Testimony
I would like to share the story with you of my path to becoming a Christian. I hope it could help you to build up your faith. First I want you to know that growing up in China influenced by atheism, no decision of becoming a Christian is made radically. At least that is not my case, instead, this decision was being made for over two years.
As I look back at the events that turned me into a Christian, I just realize now this is not a coincidence, rather it is like a plot worked by God to carefully guide me here step by step. In 2014, a book from my Christian friend Shuang brought Christianity into my life. She said this was a book of love and wisdom and the AUTHOR of the book saved her life.
In order to come to the U.S. to study I’ve taken more than 15 GRE and TOEFL tests.
I thought I was tough and it was all my efforts that brought me here.
But later on, I realized this was so wrong.
After coming to the U.S., I met Fred and Mary Kay in their yard sale, where they and other Christian friends helped new international students start their lives here. Their warm hearts and kindness touched me. I was invited to their house that weekend and somehow left my jacket there. It was this jacket that gave me an opportunity to get closer to God. To give the jacket back to me Fred met me in Wendy’s, where we had an in-depth conversation about Christianity. Also in that meeting I was invited to the Bible Study hosted by Fred and Mary Kay.
Later on I also invited several of my friends to a Bible Study where we were mentored by Fred and Mary Kay. In the study, we grew in our knowledge about Jesus and Christianity. More importantly, we encouraged, and challenged each other and built up our faith.
After two and a half years my two friends and I felt the time had come that we were determined to follow the Lord. Just like after you have a relationship with someone for a while and one day you think it is time to make a commitment to spend your life with him/her. We wanted to be like the Lord Jesus, transformed by his glory and to become acceptable to God.
The moment I was buried in the water (baptism) I realized that this was God’s work: revealing himself to me first through my friend via the Bible, then trying to send me to the U.S. (he might have tried a little bit harder, after all I’ve taken so many tests…), finding me great spiritual mentors like Fred and Mary Kay and such supportive friends.
The greatest struggles preventing me from being a Christian were to believe in the resurrection and to put God in the first priority of my life. Paul resolved my concerns in Corinthian 15:17, Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. Since he laid down his life for our sins,
there is no reason for us to hold so tightly to earthly properties, which are all so temporary.
Therefore to serve God and to please him shall become our first priority.
The new Christian life made me reborn and become acceptable to God. Before I was selfish and boastful, only loving myself. Now the transformation into a Christian has made me love God and love my neighbors. As in Corinthian 13:4 Love is patient and kind, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrong that others do.
I wish you could feel the same thing that I felt, which is something you’ve never felt before. If you haven’t, I believe you will. The life we have on this earth is only temporary, we can make the worst or the best out of it, I hope you can make the best. I’m also not saying that becoming a Christian is easy, but I am telling you it’s worth it. Being humble, taking the cross of him, getting down, being loving and getting loved.
Blessings, Wang
It’s worth it!