A Love Story

A Love Story

A Love Story

In one recent Sunday teaching of Acts, Pastor Dave pointed out how God orchestrated the events in the Ethiopian Eunuch’s life for his salvation. In this blog, I will recount God’s amazing work in my salvation almost two decades ago! My hope is that that my story will encourage your heart and remind us of our Savior’s unfailing love and Sovereignty!

First Church Visit.  I was a graduate teaching assistant at the time. Two students in my class kept on inviting me to lunch, hanging out, and attending church services. After saying no for many times, I finally attended church with them for the first time in my life. I could not recall what songs were sung that Sunday morning, but I was so touched by the worship that I could not hold back my tears. This “strange” experience scared me, so I decided never to attend another church service again. But then some other college students from several churches touched my life by taking me grocery shopping (I did not own a car at the time) or giving me a pocket Bible, in which I first saw John 3:16 printed in my native language.

2nd Invitation in the Airplane.  Months later, I was sitting next to a Korean lady on an airplane back home and we started some pleasant conversation. In the end, she asked me if I had ever gone to church and I told her about my only church experience. It “happened” that she went to the same church and asked me to join her the following Sunday. She said she would introduce me to a Christian couple from Hong Kong.  I accepted the invitation but my car broke down on the way to the church. When I finally arrived at church, I was quite late.  But to my great surprise, the Korean lady was still waiting for me outside! She introduced me to the Hong Kong couple and their small group Bible study that met in a different building.

Yet Another invitation! By the time when I settled down in the small group led by the Hong Kong couple, it was almost time for the closing prayer and lunch. Being extremely late and feeling very uncomfortable about prayers, I was about to leave.  But soon I was made feel at ease by the kindness and warmth of the people there.  After a good meal, they invited me to a retreat that would take place on the following weekend. Out of politeness, I registered but did not intend to attend because I was simply too busy with school, which regularly consumed all the seven days of each week.

Off to the Retreat! The following week, however, I just could not focus on my dissertation writing. So I decided to take a break.  The retreat seemed appealing as I assumed that I would relax in the retreat center. Little did I know that my life was to be forever changed over the next few days. The worship songs, morning devotions, teachings on John, and testimonies all touched my heart deeply. The preacher was a formal math professor and calculated for us the probability for the human being to evolve from a single cell. Realizing the chance is almost zero, I felt my old belief in evolution tumbling down. Yet, how could I believe there was a God? So the excuse I gave to the preacher was “I have never read the Bible, so how can I believe?” His response was stunning, “How can you understand the Bible without God’s help?” Feeling very challenged, I was lying awake in bed all night struggling. Deep down in my heart, I was convinced that I was a sinner and needed a Savior, but in my head I could not accept it since I was without God all my life.

A new Birth! The next day was a Sunday and I simply could not resist God’s calling. Right before we left for the retreat, I ran into the Hong Kong lady in the bathroom and shared with her my desire to believe. After she walked me through the gospel, I was ready to receive Jesus into my heart. The weeks followed were bliss—it was such a wonderful feeling to know that there was a Creator who created this beautiful world and I was His daughter because Jesus died for my sin. My difference must have been noticeable because my advisor asked me one day, “Did you meet someone special, Mindy?” He was half joking, but my answer was serious, “Yes, I met someone very special, Jesus!” Shortly after, a sister I met at the retreat invited me to her small group, which was led by another special person, whom later I married. So the love story just continued and still continues today…

Previous
Acts 9:20