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2009/8/4 Testimony (Austin Chinese Church New Member's Class)We were required to send a copy of personal testimony to Pastor Gaylord at the new member's class. This gave me a chance to review my spiritual journey over the past few years. I'm actually not new to ACC at all; my close connection with ACC has started ever since I got Austin in 2003. Now I'd like to officially become a member of ACC. After all, this is where my root is. July 1st, 2009 This March I had my seventh anniversary of baptism. “Seven” is a perfect number in the Bible, so I think this anniversary was extraordinarily special to me. Seven years ago (in 2002), I was baptized in Taipei, Taiwan, and officially became a Christian. Seven years later (in 2009), I finished my Ph.D. in UT Austin and got a teaching job in a high school. When I looked back upon the past seven years, from a baby Christian to a Christ-centered Christian, I just want to thank and praise God unceasingly.In November, 2001, my purse was stolen and I lost a huge amount of money. Before that I had been accumulating a lot of negative emotions in my life, so the “purse event” was like a trigger – I didn’t know how to handle those unpeaceful emotions anymore. A college friend invited me to the small group he was attending. I liked those people and the atmosphere in the small group, so I stayed. A few months later (in March, 2002), I decided to get baptized. Later on I realized that the “purse event” was actually a guised blessing from God, as He used this event to lead me into His kingdom. I came to Austin for graduate school in July, 2003. Ever since I was a new student in UT, I joined the Mandarin-speaking student fellowship – ACCCF (Austin Chinese Campus Christian Fellowship), where I was tremendously nurtured in my spiritual life. I was so blessed to know those very wise elders in ACCCF and to be taken good care of by them. ACCCF is a very evangelical group; we have many seekers with us. Even though I was still a new Christian at that time, I was asked if I was willing to be a co-worker. So I learned how to serve and gradually understood the meaning of doing ministry. My faith was deepened through studying God’s Word and serving with other brothers and sisters in Christ in the Fellowship. In December 2006, I attended the Urbana conference in St. Louise. That was another great impact on me. I was in the International Student Track of the conference and heard a lot of messages concerning cross-cultural missions. God led me to the international student Sunday school class at Hyde Park Baptist Church in early 2007. There I met a very gracious American couple who devotedly served in the church and international students. God also used me to support that group, as there were also many seekers. In May 2009, I finally finished my study at graduate school. It had been a process of relying on God: taking classes, preparing for the qualifying exam, dissertation writing, passing the final oral defense, and countless meetings/discussions with supervisors and revision afterwards. Had I not relied on God, I absolutely wouldn’t be able to achieve it. My life journey continues, and a new life chapter is about to start. Getting a teaching job in Austin is another grace from God. God also led me back to Austin Chinese Church, where my root is. May God help me to be a good teacher, and always be a good testimony for Him. One day when it’s about the time for me to leave the world, I hope people will remember me as a person who loves God and loves people. |
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