Testimonies

This page is dedicated to God’s unsurpassed love in my life.

Water Baptism (4th May 2008)

This was the second  visit of the year back to Indonesia. After receiving news that my parents are registering for water baptism, I was rejoicing in my heart and thanking God for what He has done.
I really wanted to witness that beautiful moment but seems that I can’t leave my work. I was really not sure about the leave approval and some other things. about 2 weeks before the event, I did share to some people in the Caregroup and they were so shocked and i remembered how they responded so positively. One sister ‘Tian-tian’ did say that she is willing to quit her job to see this event happening in her family and that statement really bother me a lot….., I was thinking in that moment, what should I do ????

I finally decided to go back on the 1st of may, went online to buy my tickets
Singapore – Jakarta – Pontianak , thanK God for online purchasing…..and e-ticket

Arriving Pontianak about 5pm(local time), My parents were waiting in the airport for 30 minutes because of the flight delay. Then we went home for my mom’s home-cook food. yummy…..

At night we went shopping and managed to buy some food for supper….

 It was amazing How my parents were so excited about water baptism, They got up early on that day and prepare everything (towel and clothes) and then left early for the church….

the Baptism started at 8am. When we arrived, my parents registered their attendance and then put on the white clothes like choir uniform or maybe more like angel….really jealous that last time i didn’t get to wear those cloth during my baptism.

It was really God’s plan that i went back because there was no photographer stand by for documentary, at the end i was asked to take picture for everyone….

I can see the face of my parents really happy after the water baptism, their life, speech and many things has been transformed by God greatly….after that event, there were like a wholeness feeling in me, that now my whole family have came to know the Lord Jesus…..

we went to church service after that, I saw with my own eyes that both my parents lifted up their hands and worship God…..they claps during praise songs…..it was just amazing…..unspeakable…..

there are a few things that really impactful from this trip:

1. My dad has removed the chinese worship altar in the shop
   it was passed on from my grandpa, and it has been there for about 16 years ++.
   I actually thought that my dad might remove it when the shop to be renovated by the government, but suprisingly He had already remove it not long ago…….praise God
2. My parents regularly listen and learn to sing worship songs at home
   my parent has to wake up very early like 3.45am and leave 4.30am for work, but they will always spend about 25 minutes listening to worship songs before they make a move. every night they will also play and learn to sing worship songs. They even bought the karaoke worship vcd for practice…   it’s really encouraging……
3. My parents will be opening up our house for cell group
   They have been attending few cell group meetings, my dad will be opening up our house for the next CG, he was so excited and started to plan the seating arrangement and I really believe that our house can be a blessing to many people.
4. My parents encourage me to pray
   My dad says that they always pray for their children before bed and he has experience the power of prayer, in one occassion, he got sick in the shop and just felt very weak, so he went to the back and pray for the healing from God through the water that he was going to take….God did heal him immediately…and also he encourages me to pray for my sis’ health, she got some problem on her neck…so now we join forces as family to pray for her….it’s really amazing if the whole family can pray together.     

 I am looking forward for more growth and good news from my next trip….
Praise God from the bottom of my heart……..Thank you Jesus

 

Parents’ Conversion (9th Feb 2008)

9^th February 2008, the third day of the Chinese New Year.  I was enjoying my time back in ‘Pontianak’ (West Borneo), my home town. I have eaten lots of good food cooked by my mom and spent great time with the whole family except my older sis(she was in Kuching, Malaysia) since I arrived on 6^th Feb. Relax atmosphere at home faded my intention in the first place to share the ‘Good News of Salvation through Jesus’ to my parents. The thought of ‘there will be another chance or day to share’ keep repeating in my mind.

As usual practice for my family, the third day of the Chinese new year, we would stay home waiting for guests/family/relatives/friends to come. That very afternoon, after my parents’ guest left, I came out from my room and other guests came. They were my younger sister’s friend. We have 2 living rooms, so my sister accompanies her friends in the outer living room and I spend time with my dad and mum in another living room.

They sat on the sofa and I was standing nearby them, suddenly a conversation about my uncle pop up, it was about my uncle went to this church and give tithe faithfully but somehow neglect giving to his parents(my grandparents). So my parents were curiously asked if it’s a compulsory thing and the reason of giving 10% instead of freewill offering. I was slightly panicked and thinking about how to answer them in a way that doesn’t make church look bad and seems like sucking the money of the members. I was so worry if they would ask me whether I give tithe to church.

 True enough, after I explain about trusting God with the money God gave, my mom asked if I do tithe. Convicted by the Holy Spirit that lying won’t bring glory to God, I confessed to them that I have been tithing. In my heart, I wasn’t sure how I could end this conversation nicely without any disagreement with them since the perspective of tithing was very different from their point of view compared with mine.

I was sweating even though it was raining not long after the conversation started. I was then trying to share about God that provides for my needs and assurance of salvation. I touched on different beliefs and traditional Chinese practices (worship ancestors), exposing how those beliefs won’t guarantee any salvation after our life on earth. I think I spent about 5 minutes doing exposition on this thing….hahaha…. (Just imagine, I was standing and they were seating down – really like preaching).  Then I spent the next 2-3 minutes talking about the assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ. Thank God for Bill Hybel’s book (Just Walk across the room), I did use the illustration of the bridge that many times human were trying to build the bridge to God with our good works but it’s just impossible because of our sins. In Christianity, God Himself is the bridge builder so that we can cross over to Him. Anyway it was a very good book.

Back to the preaching session, after the exposition on Salvation through Jesus Christ, I explained how God change my life and my sisters’ life. I told them that me and my sisters have been praying for them to get to know this Jesus and explaining to them that it will be my dream that all of us in the family come to know God together.  My dad responded ‘We’ve been thinking about it……that one day we’ll become Christian’.

With the conviction of the Holy Spirit, I challenged them ‘why not today?, Dad, Mom to receive Jesus in our heart is very easy. We just need to pray and acknowledge Jesus as our saviour in our life’. I came closer to them and kneel down just in front of the sofa and ask them one more time the same question. My dad nodded his head. My heart burst with great joy and I asked them to pray together with me. I asked them to repeat after me ‘the sinner’s prayer’. Again my heart overflowed with joy when they prayed out loud with me. After the prayer my dad said ’oh…so tomorrow we have to go to church!?!?!’. It was half question and half conviction. Then I said ‘yes, definitely good to go!!!’. It was really an amazing experience on the next day, when our whole family went to church together. They like the church and amazingly they do have some people they know in that church. Now they’ve been going to church regularly.

Recently I got the news that they were attending this 3 night’s seminar then they’ll be baptised in the Holy Spirit (28 April ’08). I was so surprised yet rejoice that they were willing to commit to church and grow in God. I called them on that day itself to confirm the news I received. When I called them, it was about 6pm, my dad told me that they were outside the church and going in for the seminar soon. One other thing that shocked me was when he was telling that they have been fasting since morning for the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

 

Joshua 24:15 ‘… as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord’.

God’s faithfulness still amazes me until now.