Testimony
By Shirley Kwok
I grew up with a Catholic influence. My mother is a Catholic, and I went to Catholic schools all my life in Hong Kong. Being a member of any church never came up to my mind. As my mother believed that I should be the one who decide my own religious path, I was not baptized at birth. I was busy with my life and doing things to satisfy my desires. Being selfish and self-centered, I did not accept God’s offer to be the Savior of my soul and the spiritual support of my life. After I came to the United States, my attitude did not change. As I went through ups and downs during my college life, I started to look back and wonder how amazing it was for me to even achieve so much and still hold on. I started to question myself. Where does all that strength come from ? Who is supporting me and guiding me through all these years? Who is watching and listening to me at all times? God is the answer to all my questions. He is my guiding light. He gives me support. He gives me strength. He is always watching over me, and be there for me. He never lets me down.

Many thanks to my classmate from pharmacy school, who witnessed to me and invited me to her Chinese Baptist Church in Jacksonville last year. Her father is a deacon, while her mother, surprisingly, is a longtime good friend of Pastor Lau’s. With their warm welcome, love and support, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior in December. When I prayed the sinner’s prayer of repentance, I deeply felt that Jesus Christ had died for my salvation and saved me. The feeling of being saved is very hard to describe. Peaceful. Joy. Assurance. I was longing to be born again as a Christian.

All the ‘homework’ for baptism preparation could be quite overwhelming along with my regular schoolwork, but I fully understood the need for preparing myself for this wonderful, symbolical ceremony. Baptism symbolizes my faith, my assurance, my goal to serve God at all times. Everyday is a wonderful new adventure to discover the miracles God performs. The Bible speaks His words and introduces a new meaning to my life. The power of prayer allows me to communicate with Him honestly and trustfully. To be baptized at the Chinese Baptist Church of Miami with my family and friends as my witnesses is an honor. May the blessings from God be with you always!