by TTT, Father of two church members in Vietnam.
I am the father of Phil and Vic who are growing spiritually under Pastor Lim. I pray that this will be an encouraging testimony as you see how the Lord Jesus works in my family and my children’s families.
At the end of October 2021, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ended the lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, and everyone could go out again. Pastor Lim and Mrs Lim, and two other church members visited Vic’s family in Nha Be district in HCMC. They had dinner and talked together. At that time, Mrs Lim gave a prophetic word that I would believe in Jesus within that year. This was truly a piece of good news that encouraged my daughter in her faith since she had been praying for a long time for me to believe in Jesus. After hearing what Mrs Lim had said, my daughter was rejoicing in her faith and asking God to tell her how this would happen.
Until around the beginning of December 2021, about 2 months later, my son, Phil, got married. He decided to hold the wedding in HCMC. So, I had to go to HCMC to attend his wedding. Vic realised it was an opportunity for me to believe and accept God as Mrs Lim had exercised the gift of prophecy.
Thank God, at that time, my daughter’s family had moved to a ministry house. They stayed with Phil (her brother) and other brothers and sisters-in-Christ. So, when I came to HCMC, I also stayed at the ministry house with them.
Unbeknown to me, my wife had secretly believed and accepted Jesus 6 months ago. And only until then, I realised that my wife had already believed in Jesus. Upon hearing that, I was completely caught by surprise. Because I thought that my spouse would have a harder time believing in God than me. I also told Vic that I now understand why her mother had had many positive changes in the recent past 6 months.
My daughter asked her pastor and leaders to pray for me. While at the ministry house, I told Vic that I was impressed with the residents of the ministry house, because they were all very kind and polite.
The leaders of the house had also formed a close connection with me. Previously, I was impressed by the Pastor, his wife, their leaders who have played a part in helping Philip's change in his outlook of life and his growth in God - by their love, acceptance and caring support given to him. So even though this was my first time meeting my daughter’s leaders, I had already a very good impression of them.
My son Phil's wedding went well. I was very happy and grateful for the help of the church. Later that day, my two children’s leaders, my daughter and son-in-law invited me to go out with them. They took the opportunity to share the gospel with me that day. I accepted with an open heart when I understood and felt God's love through the church. One thing I understood about the gospel was that I could have a loving relationship with God when I repented of my sins and accepted Jesus as my Saviour. When they asked if I want to believe in Jesus, my reply was that I believed Jesus could forgive my sins and give me eternal life. However, I still had a heavy burden to carry. That was because I, being the eldest child in the family, must shoulder the responsibility to worship my late grandparents. Should I believe in God, there will be huge pressures from my family, relatives and neighbours. In my village, no one believed in the Lord Jesus except my wife and my children’s families. The young people encouraged me to cast my burden upon the Lord and trust in Him. I finally said, “Perhaps when I am back in my hometown, my spouse and I would consider praying to believe in the Lord Jesus as I want to have time to think through.”
Vic told her pastor about this, and he prayed for me. Pastor Lim encouraged Vic and her husband to ask me again if I wanted to pray to believe in the Lord Jesus before returning to my hometown. The next morning, Deborah and Vic came to see me. Vic asked me again if I wanted to open my heart and believe in the Lord Jesus that day. She encouraged me to put my trust in God and give my burden to Him. I agreed to pray and believed in Jesus right there and then!
It was 14 December 2021. Mrs Lim’s prophetic word had been made real and fulfilled in my family. Vic was especially joyful as she had been praying persistently for 17 years for my wife and my salvation. Finally, we had opened our hearts to accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. God answered her prayers in His time.
At this time of my testimony, I had believed in God for nearly 3 years. I am growing strong in my faith with God. Every time I talked to my daughter, she saw me praising and thanking God for His grace and salvation. Our faith in the Lord Jesus has greatly encouraged the church in my hometown when they witness God's transformation in my family.
God's grace and faithfulness have covered and preserved my family from the beginning until today. God has surrounded the entire family in guidance, protection, provision, and restoration. I saw broken relationships restored, and lives transformed in my family. As I continue to grow in my walk with God, I believe God has called me to serve Him in my hometown church as a deacon in the near future even though I felt inadequate and reluctant at the beginning stage when the church invited me to serve. My daughter believes that I may be used by God to spread the gospel in my village.
Vic is grateful to Pastor Lim, Mrs Lim, Dan and Deborah for loving, guiding, teaching and helping her family. Since the first day when she and her husband met Pastor Lim and his leaders, they have continued not only to make an impact on her own family life but also her parents’ and her sibling’s lives.
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Dear TTT, Thanks for sharing your inspiring and encouraging testimony. Indeed, I praise God for the prayers that eventually moved you to put your trust in Christ as Lord and Saviour. I am particularly pleased to note that your family is growing healthily in the Lord too. In fact, this morning at my Pastors' Fellowship, we were reflecting and sharing on a text in Acts 16 about the promise of Paul and Silas that those who believed in the Lord, her/his household shall be saved too! We claim God's promise for salvation for our family and loved ones. I pray that your immediate community will also come to profess Christ as Lord in the near future. Shalom.