Today I am glad to start my new and a major chapter of life and be a committed follower of Jesus.
I accepted Jesus as my saviour more than 20 years ago. The journey to become a believer of our Lord and Jesus Christ started when I hit the low point of my life, emotionally and mentally, resulting from a broken relationship. At that time, I felt betrayed and hurt because the only reason that a lovely and promising relationship that lasted more than two years, badly ended, was that I was not a baptised Christian, period, no more no less. The rejection was painful and, for lack of a better word, triggered a downward spiral of self-destruction. One of my friends, who is my moral supporter and also a member of Cornerstone community, introduced me to Pastor Andrew for counselling and guidance. This was the beginning of my journey to Christianity. Initially I was reserved and sceptical. However, with God’s grace and the tireless effort and countless one-on-one counselling by Pastor Andrew, I was not only rescued but also embraced the love of Christ.
After all, I realize that what happens to our lives is not at random or in isolation, but it is designed with a purpose by our Lord. While we may not be able to fully accept the outcome, I believe that it is all arranged and planned by our Abba Father. Cornerstone has, over time, evolved to become my sanctuary. The sermons and the teachings during the Sunday services over the years change my perspective towards life in a big way. I have been able to overcome my bitterness and what is more important is that I often find a spiritual refreshing and safe haven through the teachings. One of the sermons by Pastor Andrew truly inspired me to understand the spirit of Christianity. His sermon teaches us that we should ”Focus on character, not credential. Focus on faith, not finance. Focus on impact, not impression.” And also remember that Jesus’ love is unconditional and we do not have to earn it.
However, I have a dark secret. Even though I attend Cornerstones regularly and consistently and consider myself a faithful Christian, I have been downplaying the importance of baptism and have not taken that step for many excuses. In fact, deep down in my mind, the idea of baptism does not resonate with me well because it brings back the bitter memory of being rejected because of not being a “baptised Christian”.
Fast forward, a little over 3½ years ago, with the prayers and the help of Pastor Andrew, my wife, Florence, and I joined a small group led by Clara because we want to deepen our faith and enrich our Christian lives. It is truly a blessing from God and it became a turning point in my faith journey. The dynamics and the welcoming nature of our small group are the key to my soul searching. In our small group, we share our stories; learn from Jesus’ teachings; and reflect how we can live out our faith according to biblical principles. We support each other and, yes, we enjoy the conversations and the good foods on every Friday night (i.e., of course before the pandemic)!
It is our small group that has helped me to understand the true meaning of baptism. I am encouraged and inspired by our group members to make an open commitment to the Christian faith and a firm public acknowledgement of acceptance of Jesus Christ.
As I mentioned earlier, I truly believe that our Father set our path in life. The woundedness from a broken relationship, while it was a bitter experience, became a blessing in disguise because it guided me to become a follower of Jesus and join the family of our Heavenly Father.
I thank Sam Chan for opening the door and for helping me to launch my faith journey. I thank God for the guidance and the rewarding friendships of Pastor Andrew who shows me the abundance of love from our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
For my wife, Florence and all the members of our small group, Clara & Steve, Bosco & Irene, Rob & Sharon, Tim & Faith, Cindy and Shirly, I just cannot say thank you enough for their encouragement and unfailing support for who I am.
I would like to share 1 Corinthians 13:13 for my closing testimony as I consider it a core to Christian values. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love”. Amen.
