Editor’s Note: On the road of faith, each of us has a guide who shows us the door of faith or helps us break through the barriers of religious beliefs in a way. On the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, a female believer surnamed Su told the story about her ordinary mother who led her in seeking God.
Su was born in a Chrisitan family, however, in her place believing in God was rather a constraint and a ritual to please her mother. Nevertheless, when she finally got rid of her mother's restrictions on religious beliefs, she gradually understood that the gospel was the most precious gift that her mother gave her in life.
The following was told in the first person from her perspective:
My mother embarked on the journey of faith for my elder sister who has been sick and frail since childhood. Being in bad shape, my sister had to take injections and medicines all year round, and sometimes even had intravenous drips in hospitals during the Chinese New Year holidays.
At that time, my father's aunt had turned to Jesus. Being aware of the situation in our family, she came to preach the gospel to my mother who became a Christian with a cautious attitude to give it a try. She began to learn to pray to God for my sister's health. It was so amazing that my sister did gradually recover, which deepened my mother's passion for seeking God. Naturally, I was considered a second-generation believer after I was born.
For as long as I could remember, my mother took my sister and me to church every Sunday, asking us to kneel to pray together before going to bed every night. Finding it an ordeal every time in the church, I rather liked praising than praying with eyes closed, preferring festival activities and gifts to every long sermon.
Going to church at that time was a way for me to please my mother. Back then, we could not say no to her about going to church or living a religious life, which would upset her. But when my elder sister gradually grew up with a strong will of her own, she no longer obeyed the mother in everything. She could even negotiate with our mother to let her stay at home sleeping instead of going to the Sunday services. Meanwhile, it seemed that our mother no longer insisted that my elder sister obey her lifestyle.
A child would soon grow up and be free from a mother's control. When I was in junior high school, I lived on campus all the time except for the holidays when I could go back home, as a result, my mother couldn’t control my behaviour and lifestyle. At that time, I felt like I was free. Yet later I learned that my mother had been praying about our faith all the time.
At that moment, I didn’t understand the meaning of connecting with God, as well as why my mother requested us to go to church and pray every night. But now in reflection, I am very grateful that my mother showed me the door of faith which was imprinted on my heart when I was young. It enabled me to pray to God and go to church attending gatherings when I had to face life, studying, and inner struggles alone. Especially before the college entrance exams, I was very confused and panicked. During that period, I would attend morning prayer services every morning (the school and the church were separated only by a wall), feeling like I had grasped the sparkle of hope in my life.
My mother has a simple belief in God, and even her view of Jesus Christ is very shallow. She didn’t give us a very in-depth guide in Christianity, but her simple and pure faith led our whole family to God.
My father, in particular, seemed to be an indifferent person who didn't care about his belief. But in his heart, he has already accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. Because in his life, he has also truly experienced God's protection, seeing God's leading our life. I believe that God will also lead my father to Him at the right time.
As I grew older, I found that I could communicate with my parents less and less. But my intimacy with God has become good protection for me. I actively try to find a church every time I go to a new place where I feel that my soul is at rest.
- Translated by Shuya Wang
题记：在信仰的道路上我们或多或少都会有个引路人。或许是引领我们进入信仰之门；或许是帮助我们突破信仰的瓶颈。正值三八妇女节来临之际，苏姊妹讲述了领她进入信仰之门的引路人——一位平凡的母亲的故事。
苏姊妹虽从小出生在一个信仰的家庭中，但信仰于她而言更多是一种束缚，是讨母亲欢心的一个仪式……直到她摆脱母亲在信仰上对她的约束，她才渐渐明白原来信仰是母亲送给她生命中最宝贵的礼物。
下面以第一人称叙述：
母亲踏上信仰之路是因为我有个从小体弱多病的姐姐。姐姐从小身体就不好，常年打针吃药，有时过年也会吊着吊瓶水。
那时爸爸的婶婶是信耶稣的，看到我们家里的状况，就来给母亲传福音。母亲抱着试试看的态度接受了信仰。开始学习向上帝祷告赐给姐姐一个健康的身体，神奇的是姐姐的身体真的就逐渐康复了。这加深了母亲在信仰上的热忱。因此我出生后多少也算是个信二代。
记事以来，母亲每周日都会带上我们姐妹一起去教会，每晚睡觉前叫我们一起跪下祷告。每次上教会对我来说都是一种煎熬。相对而言，我喜欢教堂里的赞美，但不喜欢闭目祷告；喜欢节日里的活动和礼物，但不喜欢每场漫长的讲道。
那时去教会对我来说是讨母亲喜悦的一种方式。因为当时，对于不去教会和不过信仰生活，在母亲那里我们是不能说不的，这会惹母亲不开心。可当姐姐逐渐长大有了很强的自己的意志后，就不再什么都听从母亲的话，主日礼拜她也可以和母亲申请在家睡懒觉不用参加，母亲好像也不再强硬要求姐姐必须遵守了。
孩子很快就会长大，脱离妈妈的管制。当我上初中的时候就全年住校了，只有节假日才会回家，妈妈在信仰上对我的管束也够不到了。那个时候我觉得自己好像自由了。后面才知道母亲将对我们的嘱托和督促更多地放在了祷告中。
那个时候不明白信仰的意义，不理解母亲为什么要求我们一定要去教会还要每晚祷告。但现在回想过来很感恩，在自己年幼的时候母亲就带我进入了信仰之门，无形中信仰在我的心里留下了印记。让我在独自面对生活、学业，内心的挣扎时可以去向上帝祷告，可以走进教堂参加聚会。特别是在面临高考时，内心很迷茫也很恐慌，那段时间每天早上都会跑去教会参加早上的晨祷（学校与教会一墙之隔），感觉就像抓住了生命的稻草一样。
母亲的信仰很简单，甚至对耶稣基督的认识也很肤浅，她并没有给我们很深的信仰教导。但就是这样简单单纯的信仰带领我们一家进入了信仰之门。
特别是父亲，表面看上去是一个冷漠对信仰不削一顾的人。但其实在他内心深处已经迎接耶稣基督为他的救主了。因为在他的生命中也真实的经历到上帝的保守，也看到上帝向着我们家的带领。相信神也会在合适的时间带领父亲走进教会的大门。
自己也是在越长大后越发现能与父母沟通的越来越少，但信仰却成为我很好地保护，所以后面每到一个地方都会主动寻找教会，因为在那里感觉自己的灵魂是安息的。
三八妇女节：感恩母亲领我进入信仰之门
Editor’s Note: On the road of faith, each of us has a guide who shows us the door of faith or helps us break through the barriers of religious beliefs in a way. On the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, a female believer surnamed Su told the story about her ordinary mother who led her in seeking God.
Su was born in a Chrisitan family, however, in her place believing in God was rather a constraint and a ritual to please her mother. Nevertheless, when she finally got rid of her mother's restrictions on religious beliefs, she gradually understood that the gospel was the most precious gift that her mother gave her in life.
The following was told in the first person from her perspective:
My mother embarked on the journey of faith for my elder sister who has been sick and frail since childhood. Being in bad shape, my sister had to take injections and medicines all year round, and sometimes even had intravenous drips in hospitals during the Chinese New Year holidays.
At that time, my father's aunt had turned to Jesus. Being aware of the situation in our family, she came to preach the gospel to my mother who became a Christian with a cautious attitude to give it a try. She began to learn to pray to God for my sister's health. It was so amazing that my sister did gradually recover, which deepened my mother's passion for seeking God. Naturally, I was considered a second-generation believer after I was born.
For as long as I could remember, my mother took my sister and me to church every Sunday, asking us to kneel to pray together before going to bed every night. Finding it an ordeal every time in the church, I rather liked praising than praying with eyes closed, preferring festival activities and gifts to every long sermon.
Going to church at that time was a way for me to please my mother. Back then, we could not say no to her about going to church or living a religious life, which would upset her. But when my elder sister gradually grew up with a strong will of her own, she no longer obeyed the mother in everything. She could even negotiate with our mother to let her stay at home sleeping instead of going to the Sunday services. Meanwhile, it seemed that our mother no longer insisted that my elder sister obey her lifestyle.
A child would soon grow up and be free from a mother's control. When I was in junior high school, I lived on campus all the time except for the holidays when I could go back home, as a result, my mother couldn’t control my behaviour and lifestyle. At that time, I felt like I was free. Yet later I learned that my mother had been praying about our faith all the time.
At that moment, I didn’t understand the meaning of connecting with God, as well as why my mother requested us to go to church and pray every night. But now in reflection, I am very grateful that my mother showed me the door of faith which was imprinted on my heart when I was young. It enabled me to pray to God and go to church attending gatherings when I had to face life, studying, and inner struggles alone. Especially before the college entrance exams, I was very confused and panicked. During that period, I would attend morning prayer services every morning (the school and the church were separated only by a wall), feeling like I had grasped the sparkle of hope in my life.
My mother has a simple belief in God, and even her view of Jesus Christ is very shallow. She didn’t give us a very in-depth guide in Christianity, but her simple and pure faith led our whole family to God.
My father, in particular, seemed to be an indifferent person who didn't care about his belief. But in his heart, he has already accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. Because in his life, he has also truly experienced God's protection, seeing God's leading our life. I believe that God will also lead my father to Him at the right time.
As I grew older, I found that I could communicate with my parents less and less. But my intimacy with God has become good protection for me. I actively try to find a church every time I go to a new place where I feel that my soul is at rest.
- Translated by Shuya Wang
Tesimony: My Mother Leads Me to Jesus
