Hao Jin shares her testimony.

Dear brothers and sisters, my name is Jin Hao. Thanks be to God for His great love and for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, so I can share my testimony of how I became a Christian and His grace upon me here.

I was born in the city of Chifeng, inner Mongolia in 1978. My parents are high school teachers and atheists. The people that surround me are all atheists. Thus, I have been an atheist all my life, even when I was studying for my doctorate. I thought that there’s got to me a supernatural force, but I have never thought about whether it exists or what it is.

The Bible says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

It took me three years from the time I first had contact with a Christian to the time I became a Christian. During these three years, God sent different people to help me, through them He sought to save this lost soul of mine. The first time I met a Christian was in July 2005. At that time, I was in my doctorate studies in Shanghai Jiao Tong University. It was during the summer holidays and so there were very few students on campus. I remember that I was eating lunch at the canteen by myself. A girl that looked like she was 17 or 18 came to greet me politely and started chatting with me. She told me she is a Korean studying high school in the United States. This is her first time visiting China with her friends. She then asked me if I know about God, the Bible. I told her I have heard of them but don’t know much. After that she started telling me about the Bible. At the time, she spoke to me in English, I didn’t get a lot out of it, but I remember distinctly the phrase “Jesus Christ” as it was mentioned many times. But who is Jesus Christ, what is He all about, I still wasn’t clear.We chatted for about an hour. Before she left, she gave me a booklet about the Bible and told me if I was interested which sections I can read. Even though I did not end up reading the booklet, this young Christian left a strong impression. There must be a special power that supports this young lady to share the gospel with strangers in a strange country.

Hao Jin shares her testimony.

In May 2006, I came to continue my post-doctorate studies at the University of Alberta, in Canada. I stayed with a Canadian family, the hostess is a Christian named Karen. She will take me to worship on Sunday, sometimes she would talk to me about the Bible. However, at that time the main motivation for me to go to church was to practice English and to make friends. I never paid attention to learning the God’s words.

In November 2007, Pastor Nie started Bible study at the U of A. I attended once in a while but did not commit.

Not until after March 2008 did I regularly attend the U of A Bible study. Under the direction of Pastor Nie and Krista Li, I learnt gradually and systematically more about Jesus Christ and the Bible. As I see it now, this is all God’s amazing work, leading me and preparing my heart to accept Him.

One afternoon this year in June, I got depressed from the stress of work and the little things in life. So I took a stroll on the lawn outside my office. I saw a few ants busy moving. I intentionally blocked it with a stone or let it climbed on the stone and then moved the stone away, and then observe what it is going to do. Suddenly, I thought about how small the ant was compared to me and compared to God how tiny I was. I wanted to believe in God. After that, I visited the UA Bible Study website, browsed the Four Spiritual Laws and examined myself.

Hao Jin is 1 of 7 baptisms Christmas 2008.

I understood that I am a sinner. I understood that because of my sin, I am separated from the Holy God. Only through Jesus Christ and by the cleansing of His precious blood can I become pleasing to God.

I also saw the sample prayer: “Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”

I felt that this prayer was just what I felt and so silently prayed to receive Christ as my Saviour and Lord of my life.

That Saturday when I went to Bible Study, sister Krista was the leader. Under her direction, and under the witness of the brothers and sisters at the Bible study I prayed to receive Christ and became a Christian.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Truly, my Salvation is God-given, I have God’s son, Jesus Christ, I have the Creator of all things living in me, no matter how small, how unworthy I am He lives in me.

Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Jin Hao is baptised by Rev. Ng.

After I became a Christian, Lord Jesus bestowed His grace upon me, leading me and strengthened my faith. That night after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I called my sister once I got home to tell her I believe in God. Even though she is not a Christian she supported me. At that time she has been looking for a job for a long time, but there was nothing suitable.

So I told her, “Why don’t I pray for you, maybe God will give you a job?”

She agreed and said that if she lands a job, she will believe in God. I prayed for her. After two weeks, my sister emailed me to tell me she got a job. Thanks be to God! I know that this is all because of His grace. Even though my sister has not yet received Jesus as Lord and Saviour, I believe her heart is now soften. She just needs appropriate guidance.

The Bible says: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” May God guide and lead my sister and my husband’s path, so they may have more opportunities to know God. One of the blessings of being a Christian is God is with you.

This year at the beginning of August, I was preparing to move out of my old place. I needed to find a new place to live. At the U of A Student Union website, I saw an advertisement from a person that is now my landlord. I called her for an appointment to visit her place. Then I went there after work by bus. After I stepped off the bus, the weather turned really bad, not only was it stormy it started to rain. I tried my best to go according to the instructions found on Google, but found that I got lost. There were very few people on the street, I started to panic.

Jin Hao is baptised by Rev. Ng.

So I prayed as I walked, I said, “Lord, aren’t you with me? If so, please stopped the wind and the rain and show me the right path.”

Two minutes after my prayer, I can clearly feel that the wind and rained died down. I walked on a narrow path, even though I wasn’t sure why I went that way, nor did I know which way it led. After a few minutes, I finally found the street number that the Landlord gave me. When I stood in front of that house, the wind and rain had stopped. When I lift up my head, I say the bright sun shining on me, I was so moved at that moment. God is like that sun, taking away my fears, warming me with the sun.

After interviewing the landlord, we were both quite pleased so I paid the deposit right away. I asked her how can get back to the University. She told me there is a shortcut to public transit. I found out it was actually the path I took to her house.

God’s grace is so amazing; He always prepare the best for you.

Just like the Christian song, “Sun above the clouds” it sings like this: Whether living on the beautiful mountain, or lying in the dark valley, when you lift your head, you will find that God has prepared for you and me.”

I don’t know what God has planned for me, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8) But I believe that God’s plans for me are good. I will praise Him all my life, bowed low to worship Him.

Lastly, I will like to use God’s words to bless each of you: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”