When Trials of Our Faith Produces Steadfastness | 当我们的信心经过试炼就产生坚忍
Experiencing God beyond understanding | 经历超乎理解的神
Three of our Chinese ministry leaders and volunteers went through a tough time while they were serving in the Mid-Autumn Joyful Concert last year. Their perseverance and faith found joy and strength in the Lord beyond understanding. Here are their testimonies:
我们的三位中文部的领袖和同工在去年的中秋欢乐音乐会服侍期间经历了一段艰难的时期。 他们的坚忍和信心在主里找到了超乎理解的喜乐和力量。 以下是他们的见证：
Jess Fen
Praise God for allowing me to experience again how unpredictable His works are.
One month before the concert, I had multiple medical procedures to go through and was diagnosed with Covid. My team of four helpers each also experienced illnesses and challenges affecting their ability to serve.
I laughed to myself but cried out to God, “What a joke! What is going on?” At that moment, Psalm 28:7 came into my mind surprisingly, ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.’
Our team began to pray together for the work of God to be done in and through us. In the end, everyone was there to help out even though they were in difficult situations. We can clearly testify, God is always there for us. I thank God as our responsibilities were well delivered with no delays.
Truly, this is a spiritual work filled with His power, unity of His people, and joy. All glory to the Lord!
赞美神让我再次经历祂难测的作为。
音乐会前一个月，我接受了多项医疗程序，并被诊断出患有新冠病毒。 我的四名团队成员也都经历了影响他们服侍能力的疾病和挑战。
我对自己笑了，但向上帝呼求：“开什么玩笑！ 到底是怎么回事？” 那一刻，诗篇 28:7 突然出现在我脑海里，‘耶和华是我的力量，是我的盾牌， 我心里倚靠祂得帮助。我心中欢乐，我要用诗歌称谢祂。’
我们的团队开始一起祷告，祈求上帝的工作在我们里面和通过我们完成。 最终，每个人虽然经历困难但都到场侍奉。 我们可以清楚地见证，上帝总是在我们身边帮助我们。 我感谢上帝，我们的任务一一完成，没有拖延。
确实地，这是充满祂的大能、子民的合一和喜乐的属灵工作。 一切荣耀归于耶和华！
Yvonne Liew
One month before the concert, I was supposed to fly to London. However, I cancelled the trip as my pregnant daughter contracted Covid and I wanted to help her in her recuperation. It was a miracle that I got a full refund from the airline. Therefore, when Pastor Peter suggested that I be the concert coordinator, I had no reason to reject and dared not disobey God’s calling to serve.
During this period, my daughter was in and out of the hospital multiple times and new health problems were discovered week after week. I find this was not a trial that any average person could handle. I was very worried and heartbroken, but I continued to pray and trust in God.
Guess what? When I started working on the concert, my heart was filled with so much joy and peace. At the same time, my daughter’s health issues began improving, one after another. I believe that this is God at work!
I find this was not a trial that any average person could handle. I was very worried and heartbroken, but I continued to pray and trust in God.
这个考验不是一个普通人能夠承受的，我很担忧和心碎，但我继续祷告并信靠神 。
God then gave me another trial. During the day of the Mid-autumn Joyful Concert, as I was getting ready to head to church, my daughter started bleeding and needed to be rushed to the hospital. I was in a dilemma whether to head to church or to drive my daughter to the hospital. I wanted to do the latter instinctively but also did not want to neglect my responsibilities as an concert coordinator. In the end, I decided to head to church leaving my daughter’s situation to my son-in-law and prayed for God’s protection over her. Praise the Lord, He filled me with peace as I was carrying out my duties during the concert and at the hospital, her bleeding stop. I realised that sometimes when there seems to be no way for us, God will have a way to accomplish His will for His people.
I am very grateful, with the Holy Spirit’s presence and Associate Pastor Peter’s guidance, the team was able to face all challenges and carried out all duties with much joy, resulting in a successful and fruitful event.
During this whole journey, God has taught me one very important lesson – as long as I am obedient and prioritise serving God to carry out His work, He will take care of the rest of my worries. Praise the Lord!
音乐会前一个月，我本该飞往伦敦。但是，我取消了这次旅行，因为我在这里怀孕的女儿感染了新冠病毒，我想帮助她恢复健康。我从航空公司得到全额退款，真是个奇迹。所以，当王牧师提议我担任音乐会的协调员时，我没有理由拒绝，也不敢违背神的呼召去侍奉。
在这个期间，我女儿进出医院多次，每个星期都有出现不同的健康問題。这个考验不是一个普通人能夠承受的，我很担忧和心碎，但我继续祷告并信靠神 。
你知道吗？当我安排和策劃着这个音乐会时心里充满了喜乐和平安。而我女儿也一次又一次的得着神賜下憐憫 ，平安无事渡过， 我深信这就是神在动工！
神又给了我另一个试炼。音乐会当天，当我准备去教会时，我的女儿开始流血，需要被紧急送往医院。我左右为难，是去教堂还是开车送女儿去医院。我本能地想做后者，但也不能忽视我作为音乐会协调员的责任。最后，我决定去教会，把女儿的状况交给女婿，求神保守她。赞美主，当我在活动期间履行职责时，我内心充满平安。而在医院，她的血也止住了。我意识到有时候当我们似乎没有办法时，上帝总会有办法为祂的子民完成祂的旨意。
非常感恩，有圣灵的同在和王牧师的带领，团队能够面对一切挑战，满怀喜乐地履行各项职责，活动取得圆满成功。
一路走来，神给我上了很重要的一课——只要我顺服神，优先侍奉神以完成祂的工作，其他的忧虑祂都会解决。赞美主！
Eric Chew
Thank God and the church for giving me the opportunity to serve, not only in the concert, but also in the Life Group Conference right before that. It was a consecutive four days’ worth of events. On top of that, I responded to serve in the Hospitality Ministry at about the same time.
During that period of time, I was physically exhausted with neck and shoulder ache and lacking quality sleep. Additionally, I had to organise a Photo Fair for my employer and helped my wife to prepare food for her clients. I was aware that I needed to seek God's help, for healing, strength, power, and wisdom… and so I did.
One day, I was inspired by the biblical account of Elijah. God provided him with his material needs and then he met a greater spiritual purpose (Kings 17 - 18). I felt God was assuring me to trust Him in all of my challenges, by His grace I will be able. Indeed, all things went well in the end as the team gave our best to Him. Furthermore, when God calls us to serve, He will surely equip us for it. As I was put in charge to serve our guest speaker in the concert, what I learned from the Hospitality Ministry came in handy.
Though it was a tiring period of time, I have greatly experienced God’s presence and His abundance of grace! God gave me a clear understanding of “serving Him and not His people”. If the focus of my service is on Him, I will maintain a healthy posture regardless of circumstances; otherwise, I tend to be emotionally negative. The biggest encouragement I received is to know that though we are not perfect, He will always strengthen us when we put Him first and wholeheartedly.
感谢神和教会使我有服侍的机会，不仅是在中文佈道音乐会上，还有在那之前的家庭小组高峰会，共是连续四天的活动。 除此之外，在同一时间我也答应参与招待部服侍。
那段时间让我很吃力 - 身体疲惫，颈肩酸痛，睡眠不足。 此外，我还必须为我的雇主组织一个摄影展，并帮助我的妻子为她的客户准备食物。 我意识到并当下寻求上帝的帮助、医治、力量、和智慧。
有一天，我受到圣经中关于以利亚的记载的激励。 上帝为他提供了物质需求，然后他实现了更伟大的属灵目标（国王 17-18）。 我觉得上帝在向我保证，在我所有的挑战中都要信任祂，靠着祂的恩典，我必能够做到。 确实的，最后一切都很顺利，因为这团队把最好的都献给了祂。 此外，当神呼召我们服侍时，祂必定会为此装备我们。 当我负责在音乐会上接待我们特邀讲员时，我从招待部学到的知识派上了用场。
虽然这段时间很累，但我大大经历了神的同在和丰富的恩典！ 神让我清楚地明白“服侍神、不是服侍人”。 如果我侍奉的重点是祂，无论环境如何，我都会保持健康的心态； 否则，我的情绪会变得消极。 我得到的最大鼓励是知道虽然我们并不完美，但只要我们一心一意把祂放首位，祂就会赐给我们力量。
God gave me a clear understanding of “serving Him and not His people."
神让我清楚地明白“服侍神、不是服侍人。"
