I have found favor in the sight of my Lord. When I was young, I lived in a poor family where my father was a construction worker working outside and my mother was a farmer working at home to take care of my sister and me. At that time, I was looking forward to my father’s return, because the time he came back was just before Chinese New Year when I could have something delicious to eat.
Later, my mother fell ill. She didn’t digest well, which wasn’t serious at first. However, it became worse and worse over time. The reason was that we did not have much money for her medical checkup. Back then, every time one felt a little uncomfortable, he or she wouldn’t go to the hospital until the disease could no longer be tolerated. Later, she became weaker, and several other diseases appeared.
Because of my mother’s poor health, our family began to believe in Jesus again. I use the word “again” because my mother used to go to church since my grandmother believed in Jesus, but gradually she stopped going there after she got married because my father didn’t believe. My grandmother urged my mother to go to church as soon as possible and not to make bad decisions anymore. As a result, my mother went to church and believed in Jesus again. I was taken there when I was a child. I didn’t understand the faith, though; everyone said that believing in Jesus could put my mother in good health.
As time went by, I grew up. My mother did not fully recover, but the disease stopped becoming worse. She also felt much better than before. Although I didn’t really know Jesus at that time, I still had a good opinion of him. After all, if it weren’t for believing in Jesus, my mother might not be in a good state of mind at home alone since my sister was married and both my father and I were working outside.
My opinions didn’t change much until one day, when I was really depressed while working outside. I saw casual sexual relationships between men and women and the immorality of married people, which had a huge impact on me, who had just entered society. I really didn’t understand why these things would happen, nor was I able to face them. My mother then told me to read the Bible and go to church when I had time. She could not help me since she was not with me, but God could. In this way, I began to really learn to seek the Lord. There were times of stagnation in between, but gradually I was drawn to the word of the Lord. I am grateful that I have not gone along with the uncleanness and depravity of society, but I have found Jesus. Up until I found my own life partner, he forced me to keep my inner purity from the world.
Moreover, later, after marriage, I have a son and a daughter. Now I have opened a small barber shop. The income is not very high, but it guarantees basic food and clothing. I believe there has always been God’s grace to preserve my mother, me, and my present little family. He gives me the holiness of my heart and the peace of my family. Truly, I thank God!
(The author is a Christian in a town church in Jiangsu.)
- Translated by Stephen Huang
我是一个蒙恩的人。小时候，家里条件并不好。父亲是一名工地的工人，母亲在家务农，照顾我和姐姐。那时候最盼着父亲回来，因为每次他回来就要过年了，可以得到些好吃好喝的。
后来母亲生病了。一开始也不是什么大病，消化不好，可久而久之，越拖越差。因为那时候也没有条件体检，有点不舒服也都是先硬抗，抗不了再去医院。后来身体越发虚弱，还引起了其它的几样病。
因为母亲身体不好，我们家又重新信了耶稣。因为我外婆是信耶稣的，母亲以前也会去，结婚后慢慢地就去的少了。偶尔去，后来就不去了，因为我们父亲也不信。后来外婆说赶紧去教会，别再糊涂了。母亲也就去教会了，又重新信了耶稣。我小时候也被带去过，虽然不懂，但大家都说信耶稣母亲身体能好。
慢慢地，长大了。虽然母亲身体没有彻底康复，算也没有恶化多少。不仅如此，心情也好很多。虽然那时我并不认识耶稣，但还是对他有些好感。毕竟，如果不是信耶稣的缘故，我的母亲可能一人在家心态也不一定好。因为我姐嫁人了，我在外地打工，我爸也在外面。
直到一次，我在外实在是心里苦闷。在外面上班的时候，看到男女关系的混乱，已婚人士也不检点，对当时刚入社会的我影响极大。我实在想不通，也面对不了。母亲告诉我，让我读读《圣经》，有时间到教会去，她不在我身边，帮不了我，但上帝会帮我的。我就这样，开始真正地学会去找主。虽然中间也有一些时间停滞不前，但慢慢地还是被主的话语所吸引。我很庆幸，自己并没有与社会上的不洁堕落同流合污，反而是还能找到耶稣。他使我保守内心的洁净不被世俗同化，直到找到自己的人生伴侣。
不但如此，婚后我有一儿一女。现在也开了一间小理发店，虽然收入不是很高，但也解决了最基本的温饱问题。我思想不论是我的母亲，我自己，还是我现在的小家庭，一路上都有上帝恩典的保守。他赐我内心的圣洁，妻子儿女的平安。我由衷地感谢神！
（本文作者系江苏一乡镇教会基督徒。）
我是一个蒙恩的人
I have found favor in the sight of my Lord. When I was young, I lived in a poor family where my father was a construction worker working outside and my mother was a farmer working at home to take care of my sister and me. At that time, I was looking forward to my father’s return, because the time he came back was just before Chinese New Year when I could have something delicious to eat.
Later, my mother fell ill. She didn’t digest well, which wasn’t serious at first. However, it became worse and worse over time. The reason was that we did not have much money for her medical checkup. Back then, every time one felt a little uncomfortable, he or she wouldn’t go to the hospital until the disease could no longer be tolerated. Later, she became weaker, and several other diseases appeared.
Because of my mother’s poor health, our family began to believe in Jesus again. I use the word “again” because my mother used to go to church since my grandmother believed in Jesus, but gradually she stopped going there after she got married because my father didn’t believe. My grandmother urged my mother to go to church as soon as possible and not to make bad decisions anymore. As a result, my mother went to church and believed in Jesus again. I was taken there when I was a child. I didn’t understand the faith, though; everyone said that believing in Jesus could put my mother in good health.
As time went by, I grew up. My mother did not fully recover, but the disease stopped becoming worse. She also felt much better than before. Although I didn’t really know Jesus at that time, I still had a good opinion of him. After all, if it weren’t for believing in Jesus, my mother might not be in a good state of mind at home alone since my sister was married and both my father and I were working outside.
My opinions didn’t change much until one day, when I was really depressed while working outside. I saw casual sexual relationships between men and women and the immorality of married people, which had a huge impact on me, who had just entered society. I really didn’t understand why these things would happen, nor was I able to face them. My mother then told me to read the Bible and go to church when I had time. She could not help me since she was not with me, but God could. In this way, I began to really learn to seek the Lord. There were times of stagnation in between, but gradually I was drawn to the word of the Lord. I am grateful that I have not gone along with the uncleanness and depravity of society, but I have found Jesus. Up until I found my own life partner, he forced me to keep my inner purity from the world.
Moreover, later, after marriage, I have a son and a daughter. Now I have opened a small barber shop. The income is not very high, but it guarantees basic food and clothing. I believe there has always been God’s grace to preserve my mother, me, and my present little family. He gives me the holiness of my heart and the peace of my family. Truly, I thank God!
(The author is a Christian in a town church in Jiangsu.)
- Translated by Stephen Huang
I Find Favour in the Sight of My Lord
