Testimonies

I have something to celebrate! With my recent trip, unexpectedly and with God's active involvement, I underwent 2 months of comprehensive mental health treatment. After a month, based on my care team's accessment, I went from severely depressed to near normal!
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And so I want to share a short love letter to RC to thank you all.
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At first, I didn't want to come to Reign City. Something happened and I spiralled that year. I gained a lot of weight and couldn't force myself to smile anymore so I didn't want to see anyone. But my lovely Jenny was persistent with her invitations. It was really her constant love and support that moved me to visit.
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When I started to go to Reign City, I had just started antidepressants. I felt like people were meeting a me, I didn't even recognize. I thought that I'd never be able to shake that first impression. I always had one foot out the door ready to run.
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I've felt so much shame and guilt and self blame with Reign City for not living up to who I believed I still was. Coming to church has been incredibly hard at times. Yet, the truth is all of you at Reign City have only looked at me with love and acceptance, even when I had nothing to give but unfulfilled promises and half hearted service.
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Now, I am free of all those chains.
Though I have trouble showing my struggles. You all have loved me through the hardest years of my life
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Thank you for being God's grace and unconditional love in my life. Thank you for shielding me from my demons and casting them out. For not blaming or judging me when that was all I could do to myself.

The love that RC has for broken people, the unyielding love for God and yearning/hunger for Him, moves hearts and changes people. And it is love that covers a multitude of sins. So, thank you for loving me.

I have been a Christian for over 30 years. As I reflect on my faith journey, there is a recurring theme. That is, God has prepared the best for me in my life situations and always surprises me with his abundant provision whenever I surrender my will and submit to his.

For example, after I graduated from UBC, I returned to Hongkong where I was born to look for a job. Before I left, Bernard, who is my husband, asked me out and wanted to start a relationship. He was rejected as I have decided to go back to Hongkong. He wouldn’t give up and in that Summer, he came to visit me. The funny thing is, out of the whole of Hongkong, it happened that his friend whom he stayed at, lived in the same apartment building of my home and it is only one floor down from my floor. The situation presented itself in favor of Bernard and I also needed to come back here to fulfill my citizenship that was approved around the same time. I remember praying for the decision on staying or not in Vancouver and also asking myself whether this man is suitable for me. We have brought up differently in culture and language. However, God convinced me that the most important thing is that we believe in the same God. Other confirmations are that we are compatible in our interests. We both like outdoor activities and like-minded, like we would never choose the same dish at the restaurant, but always order different ones to share the variety. I gave up my desire to work in Hong Kong and stay here. I am thankful that God has guided me through and rewarded me with a loving husband. To my surprise, his family actually has lots of ties in Hongkong and I get to visit there because of his ties. God knows my desire and he really cares about what I like as well, not just barking rules for me to follow. 

We married after 4 years of courtship and our first child was born a year later. I have to admit that we didn’t plan “well” when to start a family, but God has His plan for us. From the book of Jeremiah 29:11. “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. We had 3 children within the first 6 years of marriage. We were so busy and tired raising children in our young married life. By the grace of God that we are still married. For a long time I was overwhelmed and frustrated. I felt stuck at home raising kids. I admired my friends enjoying life with successful careers of their choice. I felt upset and wondered why I was in this crazy circumstance. As I look back now, I think God has picked the easier path for me. That is to raise children while I was younger and had the best energy to offer them. And now I got to enjoy life while I am still comparatively young with still good health to travel. I have friends who are my age still raising young kids and have a hard time keeping up with them. 

Another incident was about my career. I was raised in a family of an entrepreneur. My parents owned a business and I was encouraged to be in businesse after graduation. I had continued working even after I had my 3rd child. However life became too hectic and insane, so we came to the decision that I would need to stay home for the good of the children and to stop the craziness of running around to the daycare etc. Even though till now,  I can’t say that I enjoy being a stay at home Mom and certainly have missed working as a business woman. But as I looked back, if I didn’t surrender to the situation that God has allowed it to happen to me, l would not have the blessings that I had. I would not ended up work at Bernard’s business which God had in store for him to take over, in the perfect timing, that I am available to work for him as an administrative person at home, and raising the children at the same time.

Fast forward to the present, as some of you may know that we left our home church at the beginning of this year. And it was the one and only church that we have attended since we came to Vancouver. We attended one other church for 2 months before we joined Reign City. I am sure that I will have yet to tell stories on my understanding on God’s intention behind all these happenings, but I experienced sorrows and tears, confusion and frustration, lamenting on the decision to pull ourselves out from our home church where we had experienced although many ups and downs, yet blessings as well. There were fond memories in laboring in the Lord with many lifelong friends made, but now has to come to an end in this season of my life.  

Although I may not fully understand why, I believe that God has His purpose in it. Since we have joined Reign City, our faith has revived. From listening to Pastor Steve’s vibrant sermons and uncomfortably put up our hands, to practicing quick listening to the Holy Spirit and learning to exhort one another in visions. It certainly requires from me the leap of faith in prophesying in other’s life. I also feel so encouraged to see young Christians like you all, so full of the spirit and putting forth your faith in practice. Good job everyone!

To sum up my sharing, I believe that God looks after us in circumstances and allows life situations to challenge our faith. He calls us to surrender to His way which is the way to life. He wants us to look for His will within and gives us free will to choose from. God, our heavenly father, knows how to give good gifts to His children who love him and respond in repentance. His blessings are overflowing and abundant. 

One of my favorite verse that has been my encouragement is from the book of Romans: 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.

For the past 6 years, I've had Celiac Disease. For those of you who don't know, this autoimmune disease damages the small intestine whenever I eat gluten. Over the past 6 years, I've had to be very careful about what I eat because even contamination can trigger negative effects on my body. During this time, I've had many people pray for me, including those at Reign City Church, for healing. However, I still wasn't sure so I continued with my gluten-free diet. Then just this month, I went and got checked again for Celiac Disease - it came back negative! I just want to thank God and all of those people who prayed for me over the years. I hope this testimony can be an inspiration to whoever is reading this as well.

I just want to give a testimony on practicing "to receive" God's blessings. Thank you for Sonya encouraging us to simply approach our Heaven Father with hands stretched out to receive. Last week as I was practicing and thanking Jesus for the blessings, it confirms with the scripture from John 11:41-42. "So they took away the stone (from Lazarus' tomb), then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me". It confirms to me that Jesus also practices the same in believing with confidence that God has already heard and given to us before we even ask. I am convinced that we just need to approach Him and declare out loud to the benefit of ourselves.

Another realization is that I need to break through from the traditional thinking in being content and therefore not asking for more to increase in whatever capacities. God said, "Ask and you will receive". He promises to give when we ask in His way. I will actively claim for not only the rightful amount, but in great faith asking for even more (just like Jacob who holding on and not letting go the Angel of the Lord for his blessings) as I believe that He is God of multiply and will gladly increase us in all our circumstances. 🙏😃

When I was in Uganda, I met a young man named Daniel. God gave me a vision of Daniel surrounded by a harsh and painful environment, fighting to be the light in this dark place. I shared this image with Daniel, and he was shocked since this was exactly what he was going through.

As a child, Daniel’s life was dedicated to demons. Part of this process included being forced to take part in scarring rituals (ex. bathing in blood). When Daniel became a Christian, which was relatively recently, his family disowned him. Thus, he was left homeless.

Over the last 12 months, I have been encouraging and discipling Daniel with the things that I have learned at Reign City. Specifically, I have been teaching Daniel how to be a trustworthy steward of money, people, and skills, how to build a direct relationship with Jesus, and how to strengthen himself by relying on God.

When I first met Daniel 12 months ago, he felt alone and hopeless. Today, because of God’s grace, Daniel has become the pastor of a church with 50-70 members, focused on the 5-fold ministry (Ephesians 4:11). His family has been shocked by his transformation and have since welcomed him back into the family. No longer homeless, Daniel now manages four acres of farmland, cows, and goats. Most importantly, Daniel is growing closer to God each day.

This is the mission of Reign City: to revive, restore, and release. To revive people’s hearts, to restore their identities (teach them what it means to be a son/daughter of God), and to release them into the world (equip them to advance the kingdom and be a blessing to others).

Watch Daniel’s 5-minute Testimony here.

Recently, I went to a friends gathering with some of my closest friends. There’s a newer friend whom just moved to Vancouver and is still finding his footing here. We’ve played volleyball a few times and hung out a few more times after, but nothing really significant happened. Then one night, I was driving him home and we started talking about my life and how I’ve became the way that I am. And naturally, I began to talk about my struggles and walk with God. I also brought up how I’ve grown in not only my faith but understanding of myself through Reign City and ultimately God, whom has built me up to be the person I am today. And he was so amazed and fascinated with my story then it led us to talking about something that’s been bothering him for so long. He became very interested in coming to church and learning more in hopes of understanding his situation better. I just wanted to share that we are living proof that God is working. And sometimes, just being who we are is enough to shine light onto others. So our growth helps those around us and I was reminded of that strongly! 🙂