一起诉说感恩的故事
美佳之窗 His Window 91( July–Stept 2020 )
文:编辑室
天使伴在我身边
文:Sasa Loh
2013年,我和我前夫离婚后,自己抚养两个孩子。儿子在两岁半时诊断出有自闭症,我觉得很无助,前路茫茫……不禁问:为什么不好的事情会一直发生在我身上?
2015年,我们认识Steven和丽诗一家人,他们介绍我带着母亲和孩子参加特殊儿童亲子福音营。我们在营会里终日祷告和唱赞美诗。听到赞美诗歌,内心有一种无法言喻的感觉,眼泪不知不觉地流下来。令我最深刻的是,诗歌《好好的过》里说:“当我不明白的时候,我选择相信,相信上帝依然爱我,那怕是长夜没有尽头,祂会陪我度过。”在那刻,我知道是祂提醒我要好好地活下去,提醒我要走出阴暗的角落,用信心等候一切。
从营会回来后,我们一家人决定每星期去教会参加主日崇拜,带孩子参加主日学。教会给我一种特别的亲切感,弟兄姐妹也特别有爱心,让我们感到非常温馨。2017年圣诞节前夕,我们一家人洗礼了。
2018年5月,我的椎间盘突出症突然第二次复发,左脚的痛楚加剧,抽筋、麻痹,举步艰难,几乎只能瘫在床上。这段每4个小时吃止痛药的日子非常煎熬,痛得彻夜难眠,情绪落入谷底,工作和经济几乎全毁。2018年12月,爸爸突然大病去世。感恩有美佳堂弟兄姐妹帮忙料理葬礼事务。2019年,病情反反复复,痛楚依旧,物理治疗不见疗效,接着我开始有点失禁。医生说要施手术,在脊椎L5放上四粒螺丝和一块铁片,但是就算手术治愈脊椎L5,脊椎L4/L3也有可能会出现同样的现象。我和母亲听到这个消息犹如晴天霹雳……我哭了。
手术前的那一段时间,为了要应付生活和支付昂贵的手术费,经济二度跌入了谷底,但神在这个时候提供足够的恩典,教会的牧师、弟兄姐妹都为我祷告,给予我经济和精神上的支持。感谢神的怜悯,手术也了成功了。
这些日子,上帝安排了很多天使围绕在我身边,如教会的陈牧师、慧仪(Joey)、丽萍等会友、小组组员为我祷告、支持和关怀,还有家人无私的爱与支持,都是让我可以行走到今天的力量。
虽然这段日子发生很多事情,可是我并不责怪上帝,反而很感谢祂看顾我和孩子。祂让我明白无论遇到多少困难试探,依靠祂的帮助必能胜过。祂让我慢慢学习不看眼前的情况,把目光放在上帝为我预备的永恒计划中。这样一来,内心能逐渐平静下来,接下来的日子,信心和灵命亦随着对《圣经》有更多的认识和了解而增长。
神是信实的,只要我信靠祂。感谢祂祂通过教会顾念我。将一切荣耀都归给神。
主爱领我到美佳
文:潘皓嫣
我信主已经有18年了,看似很久,其实一点都不长,因为我曾离开了教会13年。
舅舅一家人是基督徒,在他们的带领下,妈妈和我认识了天父而接受了救恩。我在中学的时候接受了洗礼,但因为信仰根基没有打稳,大学时期便离开了教会。这一别,就是13年。在这13年里,我随着自己的私欲做了许多违背《圣经》教导的事情。久而久之,感觉与上帝的关系越发疏远,越来越不敢面对祂,就算遇到困难也不敢求助。总觉得自己犯了太多罪,不配再去亲近祂。
去年,感情遇到挫折,有个朋友对我说:“不要害怕,你还有上帝啊!祂会看顾你。”
这句话提醒了我,对啊,我还有上帝呢!不久,家人与舅舅一家人来吉隆坡参加表侄儿一岁生日派对,正好第二天是星期日,表哥表嫂是美佳堂的会友,当天要出席美佳堂的主日崇拜,便邀请大家一起去教会。我随着家人到了教会,不料这就成了我人生信仰的转捩点。
敬拜赞美的时候,眼泪不知觉地流了下来,一份莫名的感动涌入心底,提醒我天父等着我回家。之后,虽然我在美佳堂认识的人不多,每个星期都自动回教会。感恩的是,后来有一位故友要寻找华文教会参加崇拜,我们就一起在美佳堂定安聚会了。去年8月,我们一起参加教会举办的《优先》职青营。我在营里认识了许多弟兄姐妹,也认识了如今的小组组长和副组长而参加了小组聚会。而后,9月,我参与主日学的服事。
回到教会一年半,上帝改变了我的生活。我每天灵修、读经、祷告,不断地寻求主,想要更加亲近主。亲近主,自然就不做神不喜悦的事情,靠着主的力量,我改变了以前的坏习惯。更感恩的是,如今我将大部分的时间放在教会的事工上,完全脱离了从前一塌糊涂的生活。小组组员、主日学所有的导师和弟兄姐妹都能彼此相爱,我们就像一家人,这种温暖只有在上帝的家中才能够寻得。
感谢上帝没有放弃我,更让身边的弟兄姐妹不断地鼓励我、关心我、扶持我,让我能够学得更多,灵命不断成长。有他们陪着,在跟随主的道路上一点儿也不孤单。我的生命里处处都有上帝恩典的印记。祂说:“我总不撇下你,也不丢弃你。”(来13:5)。感谢上帝让我再次回到教会——祂的家,感谢祂改变了我的人生。
感恩有美佳
文:林颕超
认识美佳堂已有十几年。早期去教会做礼拜是当时的女朋友(如今的太太)的牵引。过后因参加礼拜,听牧师信息、参加教会活动和团契才慢慢认识基督信仰。
那时,我很幸运能参加小组——从职青小组到家庭小组。起初只觉得和一班年轻人聚在一起很好玩,无所不谈……沒真正了解小组的意义和对我的帮助。直到参加了家庭小组,我才开始从《圣经》的角度探讨信仰在个人层面、生活、婚姻、工作等各方面的教导,而真正了解信仰。回想起来,恍然发现福音的种子已在我生命中慢慢地发芽成长。感谢教会办了丰富的课程与活动,帮助我建立家庭、人际关系,而且对工作的意义有更深的体会。生活的旅程中所遇到的挑战、障碍和迷惑,只要愿意,在美佳堂都可寻得到帮助,找到答案。
例如,我和妻子的关系曾出现危机,恶劣至闹分离。往往在这期间,我都能从牧师的信息里听到神在对我说话,如“你们做丈夫的,要爱你们的妻子。”(箴18:22)等教导,还得到组员支持、鼓励、代祷,从中协调等,让我学习认真祷告寻求神的帮助,让自己安静下来反省。虽然事情没有马上改变,但之后的发展奇妙得难以让人相信,对神不得不信服。经过这事,我深深体会到,自己有很多的软弱与不足,唯有学习完全放下,打开心,接受承认祂是生命主宰,生命才会踏实而有盼望。
“我的帮助从何而来?”(诗121:1)常提醒我,当生活的不顺利或遭受到挫败时,我的帮助是从上帝透过教会而来的。
God blessed through Mega CMC
Text by Wan Kit Fong
I’ve always been exposed to Christianity even back in primary school. I went to school in Methodist Boy’s School KL - home to the famous KL Wesley Church.
I chose to go to the Church during Faith sessions on Wednesday mornings during secondary school too - where students can choose between Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. I was also a drummer in the 1st KL Boy’s Brigade and the Boys Brigade has sermon sessions. After that, I set the faith topic aside as I embarked on my tertiary education for 4.5 years.
All these while, I’ve forgotten about God but God showed that He has not forgotten about me. After completing my Bachelor’s degree in 2005, I managed to get a job in an American company.
It was there that I met my destiny. I met a girl named Steffy, who would be my wife. She asked me along to Church one fine Sunday to which I agreed. After all, I’ve been going to Church all my life so there was no hesitation when I said Yes.
Steffy and her family were from Kampar and only recently (then) settled down in Kuala Lumpur. Since they were settling down in KL, they were searching for a right fitting Church. They took me along for the search too. It was a few weeks of Calvary, a few weeks of FGA and others. I was really exposed to the different ‘feel’ of different Churches. We finally found Mega CMC, due to word of mouth as Pastor Ho was also from Kampar.
We sat in one Sunday, and ushers were shaking my hands and asking how I am? I was instantly put at home when the sermon was delivered in both Mandarin and English - I took it as a learning opportunity as my Chinese is poor. The dual-language also meant that Steffy’s mother can also sit in during the sermon.
Soon, the family grew as Steffy’s sister got married and sent her daughter to Sunday school and Church on Sundays became a permanent fixture for me.
The Church also grew during that time - I would like to think it grew at the same time as my faith grew. But it never lost the homely feeling that it gave out. The deacons, ushers, brothers and sisters never once fail to say Hi and ask us howwe’re doing.
What did Mega CMC offer? To me, the Church blessed me with a lot of things.
It gave me peace during turbulent times- when work and life were tiring me out weekly, Church is the place I can find my peace. It centers me and reminds me of what’s important - my relationship with God.
It gave me my wife - during one of the most conflicting times of my life, I made the decision to be a Christian and to be baptized. My wife was a huge part of that decision. We also went through the marriage counselling and it got us properly prepared for the road ahead, together. The counselling unearthed a lot of uneasy topics but they were topics that needed to be discussed and resolved before moving ahead as a couple. The counselling was invaluable as it advanced our understanding in topics such as finances, in-laws relationships, expectations of family planning, priorities, and more.
Lifelong friends - Brothers and sisters who walked with me through my journey in life. The Life Group is one of the ways God shows His love for me. After our marriage, we experienced a period of darkness where we were childless and also having financial trouble. The outpouring of support from the group was the thing that kept us going.
This Life Group gave me brothers who I regard as my role model and mentors, they keep me grounded and humble, while still being able to share a dram of whiskey every now and then. Sisters whose love knows no bounds kept showering us with encouragement, advice, care, and FOOD! It’s been a while but I believe I have found the group to walk the rest of my life with. That discovery is just simply priceless.
Purpose - Before this, I was simply meandering through life. Settling where the wind/life takes me. God/Church has given me the gift of FOCUS. Listening to His words before the start of my workdays gave me the motivation and drive to perform the best that I can. When the purpose is God, many stresses and problems are no problems at all. When I focus on Him and His ways, then everything is clear. It simplifies everything for me and I can get right to work. Thank you, Lord!
一段美佳的回忆——恩情如山,祈愿待现
文:陈莲娜
回溯95年年初到首都就业,透过青年团契主办的各项活动,我与众契友共度许多宝贵时光。不论是一起团契、参加小组、打球、晨祷、短宣、开会或筹备退修会,都是非常美好又甜蜜的时光,奠下了我们的友谊基础。
1998年,上帝感动前主理何汉寅牧师开办了《直奔标杆》读书会,我有幸被点名和领袖们一起参加。借着每一次阅读和讨论交流,开阔了大家的视野,灵性颠覆性成长,教会事工也开始迈向多元化。自那以后,教会人数在十年间一路飙升到千人。由几十个人的布道所发展到今日的千人教会,若不是上帝的恩典,怎会如此。
1999年,我和几个姐妹正式加入美佳堂成为同工,与何牧师和师母、众执事共同承接教会的大异象。2001年九月份,美佳堂搬迁到哥打白沙罗后,主的恩典更是源源不绝地与我们同在。犹记得,当时这一区的店屋几乎空置,上帝还是赐给我们日用的粮食,保守我们上下班的平安,真的感谢上帝的恩典。几年后,哥打白沙罗成了非常繁荣的商业区,也汇集了多间不同的教会,每到星期日,停车位难求。
后来,因着上帝的呼召,带着众领袖与家人的祝福,我毅然放下安逸的职分,接受教会差派到神学院进修。毕业后,原以为会回到美佳堂担任教牧同工,但谁也没料到,我竟然被主“引领”,以自由传道人的身份去服侍众教会,这真的是一份特殊的恩典。一个平凡又渺小的生命却有幸能与上帝继续同工,借着多元平台服侍这世代,穿梭在不同的群体中,与不同的个体深入互动交流,同时还有机会经常回到自己所爱的母会走动与服侍,乐在其中。
我与母会连接25年,心中有三个愿景:
1. 我渴望上帝把“社区与国家的愿景” 重重的放在众领袖心中,使众领袖能够更多聚集禁食祷告,寻求上帝的心意,好让上帝更重用美佳堂,成为国家的祝福。愿美佳堂成为一道河流,把主爱与真理涌流浇灌至各个角落。祈愿教会上下一心,天天活出基督的样式,随时预备好向他人述说上帝的奇妙作为,养成天天把荣耀归给上帝的好习惯。因为,教会的存在本来就是领受恩典并成为伸展上帝恩典的媒介。
2. 愿每一个主日敬拜都能够深刻地提醒我们,放下掌控欲望,天天背起十字架,过舍己顺服、归荣耀给上帝的圣洁生活——不骄傲,不沾沾自喜,不贪婪,不活在罪恶之中。
3. 愿那昔日浇灌安提阿教会的圣灵,继续浇灌美佳堂。愿主的恩情一直都与众教会同在,也与美佳堂同在。愿主借着教会栽培更多弟兄姐妹,各人灵命得以茁壮成长;愿教会领袖同心合意地寻求上帝的心意,让社区、国家甚至全球,都能够因我们与神同行同工而蒙福。