After God healed my waywardness through my "mild depression," I started to diligently study the Bible and read diverse marriage books in 2022. During this period, I attended two weddings that renewed my understanding of marriage.
I first met Kemeng in 2019, during the final stage of the life of my elder brother, who received chemotherapy at the Zhejiang Cancer Hospital in Hangzhou City. Kemeng and other Christian men in the fellowship visited my brother at the hospital when I hadn't fully embraced the faith.
Due to the limited hospital beds, my parents and I squeezed into a small corner of the hospital room on wire beds. These male believers specially rented a hotel room for my parents to rest, taking turns to accompany my brother at night. The next morning, when I arrived at the hospital, I found their eyes were red and swollen from a sleepless night.
At that moment, I saw the love of Christ. On the day of my brother's cremation, they rushed from Ningbo and stayed until his burial.
Later, I went to work in Ningbo and met Kemeng, who was our group leader. Every week, he led us in Bible study, and afterward, we would go to a roadside stall for supper.
Later, during a dinner, he shared his real struggles with me. As a full-time worker, he had little savings, with his parents unable to provide much support. It was difficult for him to get married; it seemed difficult even after he found a suitable partner. At one point, he even fell and broke a tooth, unable to afford dental care.
But at his wedding, I encountered Kemeng again, who shared his testimony and revealed that the broken tooth led him to true love. A Christian lady in the church lent him money when she learned he couldn't pay for his dental care. To express gratitude, he helped her understand challenging biblical concepts. Over time, they became acquainted and eventually married.
During the wedding, his father, dressed modestly, sang "Hallelujah" with a robust Henan accent. Kemeng choked up as he spoke to his in-laws, saying, "I don't have much money now, and even I won't in the future. I may not be able to satisfy you now or in the future, but please believe in my sincerity."
In 2022, I attended another Christian Aaron's wedding. He invited me to be his groomsman, surprising me as we had only exchanged nods in church and I had left Ningbo for nearly three years.
I asked Aaron what had happened in these years, and he shared his story. After I left the church in Ningbo, Aaron changed jobs and attended another church. One day, he saw a sister in Christ whom he liked. It was her first time attending that church, and she had just completed her medical postgraduate studies in Northeast China. After the prayer for seeking God’s will, she moved to Ningbo for work. As they got to know each other, Aaron bravely confessed his feelings. However, his appearance, height, profession, and income became hurdles in the lady's mind.
Then she sought advice from her Christian mother, but after praying together, her mother was at peace. However, her father had reservations about Aaron's height. She invited her father to kneel together to seek guidance through prayer. After seven days of prayer, the father's attitude made a 180-degree turn. During prayer, he faintly saw the Chinese character 喜 (meaning "double happiness") on the window, which brought him inner peace.
At the wedding, Aaron's mother-in-law said something that resonated with me. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but my son-in-law, without anything, trusts in the name of the Lord our God."
After the wedding, I asked Aaron how to find a life partner in line with God's will. Suddenly, he asked me if I had prayed about marriage, saying he had prayed about marriage for a year. While people see the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. It dawned on me that I had been seeking my own desires rather than God's.
I began earnestly seeking God and enrolled in a Christian dating course. Unexpectedly, I found my life partner during the course.
(To be continued...)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
神通过我的“轻度抑郁症”医治了我背道的病。2022年开始我拼命地读圣经,阅读各类婚姻书籍。这期间我参加了两场婚礼,更新了我对婚姻的认识。
可蒙是我在宁波工作时认识的,他那会是我们小组的组长,每周会带领我们查经。每次查完经后,我们都会去路边摊吃夜宵。
第一次认识可蒙是在2019年,在我哥生命的最后阶段,在浙江省肿瘤医院接受化疗。可蒙还有团契其他弟兄来医院探望我哥,那会我还没怎么信主。
由于医院床位紧张,我爸妈和我都挤在病房小小角落里的钢丝床。几个男信徒特意在宾馆开了一个房间,让我爸妈去休息,他们晚上轮流陪护我哥。第二天一早,等我去医院的时候,他们个个眼睛红肿,一夜没睡好。
那一刻,我看到了基督的爱。在我哥火化那天,他们也从宁波赶来,一直陪到我哥下葬。
后来在一次吃夜宵时,可蒙向我诉说了真实的难处。作为一名全职同工,没什么积蓄,父母又帮衬不上。他觉得就算找到了对象,结婚也难。最困难的时候,他还摔了一跤,门牙断了一颗。说话漏风,又没钱去补牙。
再次见到可蒙弟兄,是在他的婚礼上。他讲起他的见证故事,原来正是这颗断牙,让他遇见了真爱。教会一个姊妹得知没钱去医院补牙后,便借给他一笔钱。为了答谢姊妹的雪中送炭,每当姊妹遇到不懂的圣经知识,他都会答疑解惑。一来二去,两人就熟识了。
婚礼现场,可蒙爸爸穿着朴素的衣服,用浑厚的河南口音高唱哈利路亚。可蒙对岳父岳母哽咽着说,“我现在没什么钱,今后也不会有什么钱。我现在无法让你们满意,以后也不一定能让你们满意,但请你们相信我的真心。”
2022年我又参加了另一个男基督徒亚伦的婚礼,他邀请我当伴郎,这令我诧异。因为我离开宁波将近三年,与亚伦弟兄在教会中也只属于点头之交。
我问亚伦这几年发生了什么,他和我说起自己的故事。自从我离开宁波教会后,亚伦也调换了工作岗位,辗转去了另一个教会。有一天,他在教会中看见一个姊妹,十分中意。
姊妹第一次来这间教会,她刚在东北念完医学研究生。经过祷告后,便来到宁波工作。随着两人了解的深入,亚伦便大胆向姊妹表白了。但是他的外貌、身高、职业、收入,却成为了姊妹心中的一道坎。
姊妹便回家,向她基督徒妈妈请教。在和女儿一同寻求祷告后,妈妈内心很平安。可姊妹的父亲却对亚伦的身高不是特别满意,她便也邀请父亲,一同跪下来祷告寻求。
经过七天祷告后,父亲突然来了180度大翻转。因为他在祷告中依稀看见,家里窗户上贴了一个喜字,内心十分平安。
在婚礼上,亚伦的岳母说了一句话,我觉得也是在提醒我。“有人靠车,有人靠马,我的女婿虽然什么也没有,但他信靠耶和华。”
婚礼结束后,我问亚伦,如何才能找到合神心意的另一半。亚伦突然问我,有没有为婚姻祷告寻求。因为人看外貌,神看内心,而他之前为婚姻祷告了一年。我突然醒悟,原来我一直在寻求自己的心意,而不是上帝的心意。
我开始专心寻求神,并报了一个主内恋爱课。让人意想不到的是,我竟在恋爱课上遇见了属于我的另一半。
我爱情和择偶观的转折点—两场主内婚礼
After God healed my waywardness through my "mild depression," I started to diligently study the Bible and read diverse marriage books in 2022. During this period, I attended two weddings that renewed my understanding of marriage.
I first met Kemeng in 2019, during the final stage of the life of my elder brother, who received chemotherapy at the Zhejiang Cancer Hospital in Hangzhou City. Kemeng and other Christian men in the fellowship visited my brother at the hospital when I hadn't fully embraced the faith.
Due to the limited hospital beds, my parents and I squeezed into a small corner of the hospital room on wire beds. These male believers specially rented a hotel room for my parents to rest, taking turns to accompany my brother at night. The next morning, when I arrived at the hospital, I found their eyes were red and swollen from a sleepless night.
At that moment, I saw the love of Christ. On the day of my brother's cremation, they rushed from Ningbo and stayed until his burial.
Later, I went to work in Ningbo and met Kemeng, who was our group leader. Every week, he led us in Bible study, and afterward, we would go to a roadside stall for supper.
Later, during a dinner, he shared his real struggles with me. As a full-time worker, he had little savings, with his parents unable to provide much support. It was difficult for him to get married; it seemed difficult even after he found a suitable partner. At one point, he even fell and broke a tooth, unable to afford dental care.
But at his wedding, I encountered Kemeng again, who shared his testimony and revealed that the broken tooth led him to true love. A Christian lady in the church lent him money when she learned he couldn't pay for his dental care. To express gratitude, he helped her understand challenging biblical concepts. Over time, they became acquainted and eventually married.
During the wedding, his father, dressed modestly, sang "Hallelujah" with a robust Henan accent. Kemeng choked up as he spoke to his in-laws, saying, "I don't have much money now, and even I won't in the future. I may not be able to satisfy you now or in the future, but please believe in my sincerity."
In 2022, I attended another Christian Aaron's wedding. He invited me to be his groomsman, surprising me as we had only exchanged nods in church and I had left Ningbo for nearly three years.
I asked Aaron what had happened in these years, and he shared his story. After I left the church in Ningbo, Aaron changed jobs and attended another church. One day, he saw a sister in Christ whom he liked. It was her first time attending that church, and she had just completed her medical postgraduate studies in Northeast China. After the prayer for seeking God’s will, she moved to Ningbo for work. As they got to know each other, Aaron bravely confessed his feelings. However, his appearance, height, profession, and income became hurdles in the lady's mind.
Then she sought advice from her Christian mother, but after praying together, her mother was at peace. However, her father had reservations about Aaron's height. She invited her father to kneel together to seek guidance through prayer. After seven days of prayer, the father's attitude made a 180-degree turn. During prayer, he faintly saw the Chinese character 喜 (meaning "double happiness") on the window, which brought him inner peace.
At the wedding, Aaron's mother-in-law said something that resonated with me. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but my son-in-law, without anything, trusts in the name of the Lord our God."
After the wedding, I asked Aaron how to find a life partner in line with God's will. Suddenly, he asked me if I had prayed about marriage, saying he had prayed about marriage for a year. While people see the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. It dawned on me that I had been seeking my own desires rather than God's.
I began earnestly seeking God and enrolled in a Christian dating course. Unexpectedly, I found my life partner during the course.
(To be continued...)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Story: 2 Christian Weddings Alter My Partner Selection Criteria