Sometimes it takes many believers

The journey of a person from knowing nothing about the God of the Bible to being able to put one’s trust in him for salvation takes many forms. Sometimes, it’s a straightforward journey; other times, it takes many believers along the way, each providing another piece of the puzzle—explaining a little more about who Jesus Christ is and what he accomplished on the cross for all people.

During a long journey, Jian Hui met Nick and Lisa,* a missionary couple on their way to Southeast Asia. They had a wonderful chat and agreed to keep in touch via email. Nick and Lisa wrote about their lives and Jian Hui described hers.

She revealed that she had gone to take up an internship in the U.S. Prior to her trip, she knew nothing about Christianity or the Bible. However, soon after her arrival, she started attending a nearby church because she wanted to learn more about American culture. She ended up in a Bible study group hosted by an elderly couple. She grew close to them and treated them like her own grandparents. Jian Hui related that she studied the Bible in English with the elderly lady and learned a lot from her.

Later on, she met some Chinese Christians and they took her to a Chinese church. Though she continued attending the English church, she found her understanding of the Bible growing by leaps and bounds now that she was learning it in her heart language. She related to Nick and Lisa that she was touched by what she was learning. She revealed that she had always believed there was a God overseeing her life but she had no idea who or what he was. Once she started learning what the Bible had to say, she found the God who was in control of everything. She understood enough to put her faith in Christ for salvation.

Immediately, she began to think of her family. She told Nick and Lisa she was doing her best to explain the good news to her parents and they have been open to learning the truth.

To help Jian Hui, Nick and Lisa sent her a Chinese edition of The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus. Jian Hui read it with interest. She wrote to Nick:

“Thank you again for your helpful book. [Now] I can explain many tough questions to unbelievers after reading the book. I’ll keep reading it and learn more from it.”

Jian Hui had started with no knowledge of God and now was a believer seeking to explain the gospel to her family. The change God has worked in her life has been so remarkable that her family certainly took note. In fact, when Nick and Lisa were in China on a trip, they managed to meet up with Jian Hui’s cousin. He remarked to Nick that the family had noticed the positive changes in Jian Hui and were moved to learn more about her faith. Nick and Lisa also left him with a copy of The Stranger in Chinese and he promised to read it.

What a remarkable story of faithful believers who do not know each other, each having a role in helping Jian Hui come to faith in Christ. Not only that, God is making such a change in Jian Hui that her family—even a cousin—can notice the transformation. Praise God for what he has done. And pray with us that Jian Hui’s family will soon come to faith as well.

See also: Which Chinese edition do I give my friend?

(*Names changed as per GoodSeed policy.)