12. Manna issue 85 - Following God’s Calling 跟隨神的呼召
by Derren Liang, Sam Kuo and En Ping Liu
How God calls His servants and walks with them on their journeys of service.
神是如何呼召他的僕人，並在他們的事奉旅程中與他們同行。
Editor’s note:
The Scriptures tell us that the true church will eventually reach perfection and be glorified by God.
But as we strive to reach this goal, we need workers to dedicate themselves to serve in the ministry.
In fact, since this process of perfection is God’s work, God Himself will raise up workers.
Many are called, but few are chosen.
Who are the chosen ones?
Those who boldly accept God’s calling.
In the following testimonies,
three writers share their personal journeys towards full-time ministry,
how God called them and continues to guide and walk with them, every step of the way.
編者註：
聖經告訴我們，真正的教會最終將達到完美，並且得到神的榮耀。
但是，在我們努力實現這一目標的過程中，我們需要工人犧牲奉獻，在事工中服務。
實際上，由於這個完美的過程是神的工作，神將親自養育工人。
許多被呼召，但很少人被選上，誰是神的選民？
那些大膽接受神呼召的人。
在下面作見證，
三個人寫下來分享他們的全職事奉的工作經歷，
神如何稱呼他們，並且一步一步地繼續引導他們，並與他們同行。
Choices: My Family’s and Mine 選擇：家裡和自已的選擇
Derren Liang—Irvine, California, USA 美國加州爾灣教會 梁得仁
Our lives are defined by the choices we make.
For me, the greatest decision I have made in my life was to dedicate myself to be a full-time minister.
However, the roots of this choice were not planted by me:
I did not choose this faith.
As a second-generation believer, I received my faith from my parents.
The choices they made changed their lives (and those of their children) eternally.
我們的生活取決於我們的選擇。
對我來說，我一生中最大的決定，就是獻身為全職傳道人。
但是，這種選擇的源頭不是由我自已設定的：
我沒有選擇這個信仰。
作為第二代信徒，我從父母那裡得到了信仰。
他們做出的選擇徹底改變了他們（以及他們的孩子）的生活。
MY FATHER’S CHOICE TO BELIEVE 我父親選擇信主
In 1951, while my father and his brother were on a shopping trip in Taipei,
they came across a sign that read “True Jesus Church.”
My father, a Presbyterian at the time, was very indignant.
He thought to himself, Why do they call themselves “true,” suggesting other churches are not?
So he marched into the True Jesus Church to demand an explanation.
During that session, a minister explained the doctrines of the church to my father,
who realized that they all made sense.
He could see that their basic beliefs were from the Bible.
After the discussion, as my father was leaving,
the minister told him that he could pray and receive the Holy Spirit.
1951年，當我的父親和他的兄弟在台北購物時，
他們碰到一個標有“真耶穌教會”的招牌。
我父親當時是長老會信徒，對招牌非常憤慨。
他心想，為什麼他們稱自己是“真的”，暗示其他教會不真？
因此，他走進了真耶穌教會，要求教會作出解釋。
在那次會議期間，一位傳道向我父親解釋了教會的教義，
他才意識到他們都說得通。
他可以看到，教會的基本信仰來自聖經。
討論之後，當我父親離開時，
傳道告訴他，他可以祈禱並接受聖靈。
My father took the invitation to pray for the Holy Spirit to heart.
He fervently prayed at home, and was overjoyed when he received the Holy Spirit.
Not only did he understand the truth, he was able to experience the precious Holy Spirit.
Eventually, he brought his five siblings and their families to be baptized into the True Jesus Church.
我父親應邀在內心祈求聖靈。
他迫切地在家裡祈禱，而得到聖靈時候，非常喜樂。
他不僅了解真理，還能夠體驗到寶貴的聖靈。
最終，他將自已的五個兄弟姐妹及其家人，帶入了真耶穌教會受洗。
MY RELATIVES’ CHOICE TO BELIEVE: DISTURBANCE FROM THE DEVIL
我親戚的選擇：魔鬼的干擾
Thirsting for the truth, my extended family willingly converted to the True Jesus Church.
However, as new believers, they neither fully understood the Bible
nor had full discernment when it came to spiritual matters.
After praying for the Holy Spirit, they seemed to have received Him.
However, they soon felt that something was amiss, although they were unsure what.
The spirit they had received could predict certain things.
These relatives were vegetable farmers who sold their produce at the market.
The spirit in them could prophesy which kind of vegetables would sell well the next day, and which would not.
If my relatives heeded the spirit’s forecast and took those vegetables to market, everything would be sold quickly.
If they ignored the spirit’s prediction, their vegetables would be left unsold, even up until noon.
因為渴慕真理，我們大家族同意歸依真耶穌教會。
但是，作為新信徒，他們既沒有完全理解聖經
在屬靈問題上也沒有完全的洞察力。
在祈求聖靈之後，他們似乎已經得到聖靈。
然而，儘管不確定是什麼，他們很快就感到有些不對勁。
他們所得到的聖靈可以預知某些事情。
這些親戚是菜農，他們在市場上出售農產品。
他們的聖靈，可以預言第二天哪種蔬菜比較好賣，哪種蔬菜比較難賣。
如果我的親戚留意了聖靈的預言，並將那些蔬菜拿到市場賣，那一切都會很快賣出。
如果他們忽略了聖靈的預言，他們的蔬菜就沒人要買，甚至直到中午為止。
Later on, these relatives became more fervent.
They started to fast and pray, even skipping work to do so,
saying that the Lord Jesus would come soon.
At one point, a few of them saw an aeroplane flying backwards in the sky.
They were puzzled but, in their inexperience, did not understand what was going on.
They just knew that a powerful spirit was involved.
Besides making predictions, this spirit could also reveal what wrongs had been committed by other people.
It was so accurate that others started to fear them.
後來，這些親戚變得更加熱心。
他們開始禁食祈禱，甚至省去某些工作而專心禱告，
宣稱，主耶穌很快就會來了。
在某一時刻，他們中的一些人看到一架飛機在天空中倒著飛。
他們感到困惑，但由於經驗不足，根本不了解發生了什麼事。
他們只是知道，其中包含一種強大的靈。
除了做出預測之外，這個聖靈還可以揭露別人犯了什麼錯誤。
事情如此精確，以至於其他人開始害怕他們。
The church came to know of these happenings when workers made a routine visit for newly baptized families.
Through prayer, these workers discerned that the spirit was an evil one.
When the workers helped my relatives realize this, the spirit fled.
By God’s grace, when my relatives knelt down to pray again,
they truly received the Holy Spirit and were filled with joy.
當工人對新受洗的家庭進行例行探訪時，教會得知了這些情況。
通過祈禱，這些工人意識到這種靈是邪惡的。
當工人幫助我的親戚意識到這一點時，這種靈就逃走了。
靠著上帝的恩典，當我的親戚跪下來再次祈禱時，
他們真正地接受了聖靈，並充滿了喜悅。
Lesson of Faith 1: Test Every Spirit 信仰的教訓1：測試每一個靈
My relatives’ experience shows that we cannot believe every spirit (1 Jn 4:1).
Even after believing in Jesus Christ, it is possible to receive a spirit that is not from God.
We must thus be vigilant and build up our ability to discern.
我親戚的經驗表明，我們不能相信所有的靈（約壹 4：1）。
即使在相信耶穌基督之後，也有可能得到不是來自神的靈。
因此，我們必須保持警惕，並加強自已的辨別能力。
MY FATHER’S CHOICE TO ENTER THE MINISTRY 父親選擇從事聖工
My father was a teacher, but after his baptism, he aspired to serve the Lord.
One night, he dreamed of a train that was destined for heaven.
He opened his suitcase to look for his ticket,
but he found that there were just too many things packed inside.
By the time he found his boarding pass, the train had left.
The message was clear: he was tied down by many secular tasks,
and if he continued to be bound by these, he would find it difficult to enter heaven.
Hence, he decided to enroll in the church’s theological seminary,
and was accepted into the first cohort of full-time theological training program students.
父親是一名老師，但受洗之後，他渴望事奉主。
一天晚上，他夢見一列開往天國的火車。
他打開行李箱找車票，
但他發現裡面有太多東西了。
當他找到登機證的時候，火車已經離開了。
這個信息很明確：他被許多世俗的事務所束縛，
如果他繼續受這些束縛，他將很難進入天國。
因此，他決定加入教會的神學院，
並錄取成為第一批全職神訓班的學生。
After my father joined the ministry, my mother had to raise the family on her own.
Although we were poor, my mother loved to offer to God.
On one occasion, the local church requested contributions to help fund the construction of a church building.
My mother promised to donate a sum that was equal to half of my father’s living expenses.
When my father returned home and heard what my mother had done, he was upset.
He said to my mother,
“I have offered myself to serve the Lord full time.
Why do you create another burden for yourself?”
What an irony—the evangelist objecting to his wife making an offering to God!
父親加入該事奉之後，母親不得不獨自撫養家庭。
儘管我們很窮，但母親還是喜歡獻給神。
有一次，本地教會請求募捐，以資助建造新會堂。
我母親答應捐贈一筆相當於我父親生活費一半的款項。
當我父親回到家，聽到我母親做了什麼時，他很沮喪。
他對媽媽說“我已經獻出自已，全職事奉神。
您為什麼還要給自己造成另一個負擔？”
很諷刺的是，傳道反對妻子向神獻祭！
When my father returned to the church he was pastoring, his body started to itch.
He tried applying topical creams, and even prayed for healing, but to no avail.
He reflected on his behavior: Is this happening to me
because I opposed my wife’s offering?
He then prayed to God, “If I am suffering for my wrongdoing, I repent.”
After this prayer, the itch disappeared.
Amazingly, the amount of money he had spent on the medicine was the same amount
that my mother had intended to offer!
It was a timely reminder that the ability to offer is indeed grace from God.
當我父親回到教會牧會時，他的身體開始發癢。
他嘗試塗抹外用乳霜，甚至祈禱求神醫治，但無濟於事。
他對自己的行為進行了反思：這是發生在我身上的事嗎
因為我反對我妻子的奉獻？
然後，他向神禱告：“如果我為自己的錯行受苦，我會悔改。”
祈禱後，癢癢消失了。
令人驚訝的是，他花在藥物上花的錢是一樣的
是我媽媽打算奉獻的金額！
這及時地提醒我們，奉獻的能力確實是神的恩典。
Notwithstanding my father’s repentance, we still had a problem:
where would we find the money that my mother had pledged to the church building fund?
My father decided we should raise piglets.
Miraculously, the pigs thrived
and, within six months, we had sold them and offered the pledged amount to church.
儘管我父親悔改，我們仍然有一個問題：
我們要到哪裡，可以找到母親已經認捐給教堂建堂基金的錢？
我父親決定我們應該養小豬。
奇蹟般地，豬群長的很快，
在六個月內，我們賣掉了它們，並將認捐的數額獻給了教會。
Lesson of Faith 2: God’s Grace is Sufficient 信仰的教訓2：神有充兄的恩典
The God we worship is the source of living water.
If we do what is pleasing in His eyes, we need not worry, for God will sustain us.
For instance, in the countryside where we lived,
there was only a line dividing my family’s fields from those belonging to our non-believing neighbors.
We sowed the same seeds and used the same water to irrigate our fields.
However, there was a noticeable difference between our crops and those of our neighbors.
Even the non-believers could see how much more fertile our fields were compared to their own.
They did not understand how this could happen, but we knew that it was the blessing of God.
我們敬拜的神，是活水的源泉。
如果我們做祂所喜悅的事，就不用擔心，因為神會供養我們。
例如，在我們居住的鄉村，
只有一條地界線，將我家的田地與那些非信徒鄰居的土地區分開。
我們種了同樣的種子，並用同樣的水灌溉了我們的田地。
但是，我們的農作物與我們的鄰居農作物之間，存在明顯的差異。
即使是非信徒，也可以看到我們的田地，比他們的田地肥沃得多。
他們不知道這是怎麼發生的，但是我們知道這是神的祝福。
My father often encouraged us to serve the Lord throughout our lives.
Do not put off service until you are advanced in age;
give God your best while you are still young.
父親經常鼓勵我們，經由自已的生活方式來服事主。
在年紀老邁之前，不要停止自已的事奉；
在你還年輕的時候，就盡你最大的努力獻給神。
MY MOTHER’S CHOICES IN SPIRITUAL NURTURE AND DIVINE SERVICE
母親在屬靈教養及聖工服務方面的選擇
Lesson of Faith 3: Pray Unceasingly 信仰的教訓3：不停的禱告
Besides her spirit of offering, my mother was also a sterling exemplar in prayer.
She loved to pray, waking up at 5 a.m. to pray until 7 a.m.;
and she would always have a long prayer before bed, even if she was exhausted.
When filled with the Holy Spirit, she would sing spiritual songs;
at times, she was so joyful that she would wake us up to pray with her.
In our prayers, we always felt God guiding our family.
Though our lives were simple, joy filled our days.
母親除了奉獻精神外，還是禱告的純正典範。
她喜歡祈禱，於凌晨5點醒來，一直祈禱到7點。
即使她精疲力盡，睡前她總會保有漫長的祈禱。
當被聖靈充滿時，她會唱靈歌；
有時，她是如此快樂，以至於叫醒我們與她一起祈禱。
在祈禱中，我們總是感到神在帶領我們的家庭。
儘管我們的生活很簡單，但歡樂充滿了我們的日子。
◎ Note: Materially Poor, Spiritually Rich 註：物質匱乏，靈命豐盛
My life as a child was a stark contrast to life today.
Up until I left elementary school, I had never worn shoes.
Unlike the youth of today, who grow up in front of screens and are sheltered from nature,
we climbed trees, chased birds, caught fish in the canal, and swam in rural ponds.
Prayer was a source of great joy to us.
Despite our poverty, we led fulfilling lives.
Most importantly, we drew nearer to God and enjoyed His presence in our lives.
我小時候的生活，與今日生活形成了鮮明的對比。
直到離開小學，我才從未穿鞋。
與今天的年輕人不同，他們在銀幕前長大，避開大自然，
我們爬上樹，追逐鳥，在運河裡釣到魚，在農村池塘里游泳。
禱告是使我們感到非常高興的源頭。
儘管我們貧窮，但我們過著充實的生活。
最重要的是，我們距離神越來越近，在生活中享受著神的同在。
My father passed away after serving the Lord for ten years.
At forty-six years of age, my mother had to shoulder the burden of feeding and caring for the whole family.
Yet, she did not allow this to affect her life of prayer.
Despite her intense sorrow at my father’s demise, she was able to rely on God.
Whenever she sang spiritual songs in prayer, her sorrows were lifted.
The Holy Spirit comforted her.
我父親在服事主十年後去世。
我的母親在46歲那年，必須承擔餵養和照顧全家的重擔。
但是，她不允許這種情況，影響到她的祈禱生活。
儘管她對我父親的去世感到非常悲傷，但她還是能夠依靠神。
每當她在禱告中唱靈歌時，她的悲傷就被解除。
聖靈安慰她。
My mother’s prayerfulness had wide and long-lasting impact.
My parents had five children; all five of us married in the Lord and are preserved in the Lord to this day.
Apart from God’s grace, I have always felt that the most important factor was my mother’s unceasing prayers.
母親的禱告生活，產生了廣泛而持久的影響。
我父母有五個孩子；我們五個人都在主裡結婚，直到今日仍保守在主裡。
除了有神的恩典之外，我一直覺得，最重要的因素是母親不斷的禱告。
Lesson of Faith 4: Serve with Diligence 信仰的教訓3：勤奮服事神
Another of my mother’s virtues was her diligence.
She got up early, slept late, and worked tirelessly throughout the day.
She also applied this attitude to serving the Lord,
particularly in her determination to complete every task she undertook.
This is an enduring example to her children.
When my mother was given the opportunity to live in the church to serve God,
she was thankful to be able to fulfill her desire to serve.
She would ensure that every floor was thoroughly cleaned,
and every blanket was properly washed and odor-free.
Her belief was, Not only must I finish the work of God, but I must do it properly.
I answer not to man, but to God.
另一個母親的優點是勤奮。
她起得早，很晚才睡，全天不倦地工作。
她也以這種態度事奉神，
特別她決心完成所承擔的每項任務。
這對她的孩子們，是一個長遠的榜樣。
當我母親有機會住在教會裡，服事神的時候，
她很高興能夠實現自己服事神的願望。
她會確保徹底清潔每一層地板，
每片地毯都已正確清洗，且沒有異味。
她的信念是：不僅必須完成神的工作，也必須正確執行。
我不是對人負責，而是對神負責。
MY CHOICES 我的選擇
Staying in Church and Experiencing God’s Guidance
留在教會裡，並體驗神的引導
When I was in high school, my brothers enlisted in the army and my mother moved to the city.
Left to live alone, I decided to move into the church.
The three years I lived in church changed my life.
I had no family living nearby, so after school I would head straight back to church
and spend between thirty minutes to an hour in prayer.
I was often filled with the Holy Spirit and with joy.
Indeed, that was one of the most joyful periods of my life.
當我上高中的時候，我的兄弟們入職軍伍，而母親搬到了城市。
捨棄了一人獨住的方式，我決定搬進會堂。
我住在會堂的三年，改變了我的生活。
因為附近沒有家人，所以放學後我會直接回到會堂，
用三十分到一個小時的時間於禱告中。
我時常聖靈充滿和感覺很喜樂。
確實，那是我一生中最快樂的時期之一。
In my second year of high school, my prayers became particularly earnest.
“Lord, I do not have my parents here to guide me. Oh Lord, please guide me!” was my constant supplication.
On one occasion, while I was deep in prayer, a thought was carved deeply on my heart:
God wants me to serve Him.
After that prayer, every time I thought about serving the Lord, I would be moved to tears.
This could happen when I was at school, when I was riding my bicycle, or when I was lying down to sleep.
Even though I was still in high school, God had let me know what He wanted me to do.
This thought, imprinted on my heart, would eventually lead me to enter the full-time ministry.
在我高二的時候，我的祈禱變得尤為逼切。
“神阿，我沒有父母在這裡引導我。噢，神阿，請指引我！” 是我不斷的祈求。
有一次，當我處於深度祈禱的時候，心中深深刻劃了一個念頭：
神要我服事他。
在那禱告之後，每當我想到事奉主時，我會感動得熱淚盈眶。
即使是我在上學，騎自行車，或躺下睡覺時，都可能發生。
即使我還在讀高中，神還是讓我知道，他要我做什麼。
這個念頭，深烙印於了我心，最終使我進入了全職事奉工作。
From University to Ministry 大學結束進入事奉工作
In my third year of university, another thought was planted in my mind during prayer.
It was that God wanted to lead me to America and use me there.
I was puzzled why such a thought would pop into my mind.
I wondered whether I had imagined it, or whether it was truly God’s will.
I pondered on this for a long time, but I had no answer.
Yet, the thought of serving God still moved me to tears.
I shared my uncertainty with a preacher, who advised me to watch and wait.
If God were the source of this thought, it would surely happen.
So I decided to let things fall into place naturally.
在我大三的時候，禱告中我有了另一個想法。
那是神想帶領我到美國，並在那裡使用我。
我不知道為什麼會有這樣的想法。
我想知道，是否是自已的想像，還是真的是神的旨意。
我想了很長時間，但仍找不到任何答案。
然而，事奉神的念頭，仍然使我感動得流淚。
我和一位傳道分享了自已的那不確定的想法，他勸我繼續注意這件事，並等待下去。
如果神是這種想法的源頭，那事情肯定會發生。
因此，我決定讓事情自然發生。
After university, I enlisted in the army.
For six months, I attended an infantry academy as part of the basic infantry training
that all university graduates were required to undergo.
After this, I was posted to the paratroopers unit.
Soon after, I realized that I was not suited to this role.
Paratrooper cadets were selected specifically for their physical strength and stamina.
They were expected to run with machine guns—something I found difficult to do.
On one occasion, while crawling on the ground during an exercise,
I told God that I really could not handle this.
If I could not live up to the physical demands of training,
how would I be able to lead a platoon of thirty men?
As I prayed, the moving of the Spirit within my heart told me God had heard my prayer.
大學畢業後，我當兵入伍了。
在六個月的時間裡，我參加了步兵學院的基本訓練
所有大學生都必須接受。
此後，我被派往傘兵部隊。
不久之後，我意識到自己不適合擔任這個職位。
傘兵學員，是專門根據其身體強度和體力來選擇的。
他們被期待，攜帶著機關槍來跑步，我發現自已很難做到的。
有一次，在鍛煉過程中，要在地上爬行，
我告訴神，自已真的無法應付這種情況。
如果我不能滿足身體訓練的要求，
怎麼能帶領一個三十人的步兵排呢？
當我祈禱的時候，聖靈在我心中的感動，告訴我神已經聽了我的祈禱。
Not long after, I was chosen—as a civil engineering and construction graduate—
to oversee the building of army barracks for the paratroopers.
This meant that I had regular working hours,
and no longer needed to undertake such extreme physical training.
The barracks were not built in the end.
But, indeed, we can cast all our cares—no matter how big or small—
on our Lord who truly cares for us.
不久之後，我身為土木工程和建築專業的畢業生，
被選為傘兵部隊營房建設的監督。
這代表了，我有固定的工作時間，
不再需要進行這種極端嚴酷的體能鍛煉。
最後，並沒有建造營房。
但是，的確，事情無論大小，我們都可以卸下自已的憂慮，
讓那真正關心我們的主，來處理。
As the end of my army service drew near, I had no idea what my next step should be.
On a train home from the army camp, I thought about my choices.
Some of my classmates had entered the workforce,
some had continued their studies, and others had moved overseas.
What should I do?
As I reflected, the Holy Spirit moved me to tears.
The person sitting next to me kept staring at me in puzzlement.
His confusion was a counterpoint to my clarity and certainty—I had to serve the Lord.
Therefore, I joined the theological seminary in Taichung and entered the ministry.
當我的服役接近尾聲時，我不知道自已下一步該怎麼做。
從軍營回家的火車上，我考慮了自己有的選項。
我一些同學已經進入職場，
有一些人繼續升學，而另一些人則移居海外。
我該怎麼辦？
正在我反思的時時，聖靈使我感動得流下了眼淚。
坐在我旁邊的人困惑地盯著我。
他的困惑，與我對神旨意了解的清晰性和確定性，正好背道而馳，我必須去事奉主。
因此，我加入了台中的神學院，並進入傳道生涯。
Coming to America 來到美國
In 1981, at the World Delegates’ Conference held in Taiwan,
the United States General Assembly submitted a proposal:
to help church workers go to the United States (US) to learn English.
When I saw that proposal, I knew that my time had come and that God had opened the way.
However, I did not put myself forward to the International Assembly (IA), as I wanted to see how God would guide.
Indeed, the IA passed the proposal, and decided they would send two candidates to the US.
Elder John Yang informed me that I was one of the chosen ministers.
Thus, the idea of serving the Lord in the US was indeed from the Lord.
1981年，在台灣舉行的世界代表大會上，
美總提交了一項提案：
幫助教會工人去美國學習英語。
當我看到那個議案時，我知道我的時機已經來臨，神開闢了道路。
但是，我並沒有向聯總提出申請，因為我想看看神將如何引導。
實際上，聯總通過了該提案，並決定將兩名候選人送往美國。
約翰·楊長老告訴我，我是受選召之工人的其中之一。
因此，在美國為主服務的想法，確實來自神。
Truly, if we seek the Lord, He will reveal His will for us.
是的，如果我們尋求主，祂就會為我們揭露祂的旨意。
I started preparing to go to the US.
First, I applied for a theological program at a seminary run by another Christian denomination,
with the purpose of improving my English.
As part of the application, I had to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Despite not having taken a test since university and having only a short timeframe to study for it,
I attained the score required by the school.
This was yet another one of God’s mighty works.
我開始準備去美國。
首先，我在另一個基督教派的神學院申請了神學課程，
目的是提高我的英語水平。
作為申請的一部分，我必須參加托福英語考試（TOEFL）。
儘管自大學以來沒有參加過考試，而且學習時間很短，
我達到了學校要求的分數。
這是神的大能之作。
The next problem soon popped up.
I did not realize that, back then,
the Taiwan government only granted Taiwanese students permission to travel to America
if they were accepted into certain universities;
Taiwanese were restricted from leaving the country for religious purposes.
What was I to do?
I suddenly remembered that I had also applied for other university research programs.
One of these universities had accepted my application and had sent me an admission letter.
Better yet, this university was on the Taiwanese government’s approved list of universities.
Therefore, I used this letter to obtain a passport from the Taiwanese government,
before applying for a US visa.
下一個問題很快出現。
那時我沒有意識到，
台灣政府只會授予許可台灣學生前往美國，只有已經在被某些大學錄取的時候；
並且禁止台灣人出於宗教目的而出國離開的申請。
我該怎麼辦？
我突然想起，還申請了其他大學研究計劃。
其中一間大學接受了我的申請，並給了錄取通知書。
更好的是，這所大學在台灣政府批准的大學名單中。
因此，在申請美國簽證之前，我用這封錄取申請書從台灣政府那裡獲得了護照。
CONCLUSION: RIGHT CHOICES BRING ABUNDANT BLESSING
結論：正確的選擇帶來了豐盛的祝福
In retrospect, I can clearly see how God has guided my every step.
I came to the US with little, but with God’s guidance, I have everything I need today.
My three daughters were able to complete their tertiary educations without taking any loans,
which seems impossible on a preacher’s salary.
By God’s grace and miraculous ways, it was indeed possible.
He provided for all our needs.
Many believers who came to the US empty-handed have had the same experience of God’s providence.
回顧過去，我可以清楚地看到，神如何引導我走每一步。
我來美國身無分文，但是因為有神的引導，今天擁有了所需的一切。
三個女兒也不用學貸，就可以完成高等教育，
以傳道薪水的數量，似乎是很難的。
因著神的恩典和奇妙帶領的道路，這真的都有可能的。
他滿足了大家所有的需求。
許多信徒空手來到美國，對神必預備都有相同的體會。
My mother used to say,
“If you do not have something to do each day, then what is the point of your life?”
This motivated her to serve the Lord every single day, giving her life value and meaning.
This is why I have always thought the best way to live my life is to serve God.
Even though we may lead simple lives with few possessions, we can be filled with peace and joy.
我母親常常說：
“如果每天沒有什麼事情要做，那你的人生意義何在？”
這激發了她每天服事主，賦予了她生命價值和意義。
這就是為什麼，我總認為生活的最好方式，就是服事神。
即使我們只有簡單的財產，過著簡單的生活，生活也可以充滿平安與喜樂。
I often ask myself, If I were to live my life again, would I make the same decisions?
Indeed, I am certain that, if the Lord were to move me, I would take the same path.
Like others, I have experienced the pain of seeing co-workers depart from the truth,
but this is a useful reminder to all of us who serve, to be vigilant and watchful.
Only then can we complete this path of service,
and be able to give a joyful account to the Lord when we see Him on the last day.
我經常問自己，如果我可以重新開始自已的人生，我會做出同樣的選擇嗎？
是的，我敢肯定，如果主要感動我，我會走同樣的道路。
和其他人一樣，我體會過，看著同事偏離真理的痛苦，
但這是對我們所有人，要保持警醒和謹慎，有效的提醒。
只有這樣，我們才能完成這服事神的道路，
當我們在末後見主面時，能夠很高興地向神交付報告。
May all glory and praise be unto His holy name! Amen.
願一切榮耀頌讚歸予神的聖名！阿們。
We Are God’s Workmanship 我們是神的精心傑作
Samuel Kuo—Flushing, New York, USA 美國紐約法拉盛 Samuel Kuo
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10)
10我們原是他的工作，在基督耶穌裡造成的，為要叫我們行善，就是神所預備叫我們行的。
(弗 2：10)
Every creation has a purpose.
Take a look at the things around you—the roof over your head,
the clothes on your body, even the typeface of this text—
they have been made for specific purposes.
每個創作都有其動機。
看看周圍的事物-頭頂的屋頂，
身上穿的衣服，甚至是本文的字體，
它們都為特定目的而造出來的。
Our existence is no exception. Jesus Christ created and called us for His purpose.
As Paul wrote in Ephesians, we were created in Him for good works—
works that have been prepared long beforehand for us to accomplish.
Fulfilling these works means we are living out our Creator’s purpose for us—
the epitome of a successful life.
我們的存在也不例外。 耶穌基督帶著祂的目的，而創造並呼召我們。
就像保羅在以弗所書中所寫的那樣，我們是為融入神而造的，為成祂的善工-
很早以前，就已經準備好工作，要讓我們去完成。
完成這些工作，代表了我們正活出，自已造物主設定在我們身上的旨意-
成功人生的典型。
My First Calling 第一次神的召喚
The first half of 2004 was my final semester at university.
Throughout that school year, I had prayed over what I should do after graduation.
I was interning at Motorola at the time, and they had offered me a full-time position.
Therefore, I prayed to see if it was God’s will for me to take this job, or to do something else.
All this while, I pondered over my calling in life.
What was my life’s purpose?
2004年上半年，是我在大學的最後一學期。
在整個學年中，我為畢業後應該何去何從而努力祈禱著。
當時我在摩托羅拉公司實習，而他們也為我提供了全職的工作。
因此，我祈禱看看，是否神對我的旨意，是要我接受這份工作，或是去從事其他的事情。
這期間，我一直在思考，自已生活的使命。
我人生的目標是什麼？
During spring break that year, I met with my resident preacher,
Preacher Derren Liang, to discuss some local church matters.
I took this opportunity to seek his advice on my future.
During my university years, I had become more involved in the church’s literary and internet ministry,
so serving in this area was also a possibility.
那年春假期間，我遇到了駐牧傳道，
梁德仁傳道，來討論一些本地教會的事情。
我藉此機會徵求他對我未來的建議。
在大學期間，我深入地參與了教會文宣及網路事工，
因此在此領域事奉也是有可能的。
Preacher Liang advised me to consider applying for the full-time theological training program,
explaining that a sound theological foundation was necessary for writing edifying works.
Before I left, he added, “Right now, we really lack English-speaking preachers.”
This statement stayed with me, as I had always thought that my birth in the United States,
with English being my strongest language, was no accident.
梁傳道建議我考慮考慮，參加全職神學訓練班，
解釋說，編寫的作品要能造就人，必須有良好的神學基礎。
在我離開之前，他補充說：“現在，我們確實缺少會講英語的傳道。”
我一直以為，我在美國出生，英語是我最好語言，
這句話一直留在我心中。絕不是偶然的。
After that session, as I drove home, tears welled up in my eyes.
I wondered, Is God calling me to be a preacher?
However, I quieted those thoughts, rationalizing that if God wanted to call me,
He would make it very clear.
會談結束後，當我開車回家時，眼裡湧出了淚。
我在想，是不是神在呼召我成為傳道？
但是，我平息了這些想法，心中自已合理化，
如果神想呼召我，他表明得很清楚。
A few days later, our campus fellowship group visited members in Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
That Friday evening, we lodged at the church in Philadelphia.
As I was assigned interpretation duties for Sabbath services the following day,
I stayed up late to read the Bible and pray in the church hall.
幾天後，我們的校園團契小組訪問了費城和華盛頓特區的契員。
那個星期五晚上，我們住宿在費城的教堂。
由於第二天我被分配安息日講道翻譯的職責，
我熬夜讀聖經，在教堂裡禱告。
My prayer started liked any other.
Soon, as I shifted my focus to pray about my future,
I reflected on my recent conversation with Preacher Liang.
Suddenly, the Holy Spirit moved me with great intensity.
It was like nothing I had experienced before, or since.
It reached the point where I could no longer pray in tongues because I was weeping so much.
我的禱告一開始像其他任時間禱告的情況一樣。
不久後，當我將注意力轉移到為自己的未來祈禱，
我回想到最近與梁傳道的對話。
突然，聖靈大大的感動我。
之前或那次以後，我從未有這樣的經歷。
禱告到了一種程度，因為痛哭流涕而沒法繼續靈言禱告。
In my spirit, I knew that Jesus was telling me, “Serve me as a preacher.”
在我的靈裡，知道是耶穌在告訴我，“來當傳道來為主服務”。
However, my immediate reaction was, “No, it can’t be me, it can’t be me!”
I felt unworthy, and did not think my personality or my gifts were suited to this ministry.
There was a struggle within my heart.
After five to ten minutes of internal wrestling, I finally realized that I could not deny God.
In my heart, I finally said, “Okay.”
At that moment, God’s tremendous love poured into my heart.
I could resume praying in tongues, and I concluded my prayer about ten minutes later.
As I was walking upstairs to bed, I realized that God had not answered my specific questions about my future.
But He had given me a clear direction to work towards.
但是，我的立即反應是：“不，不能是我，不是我！”
我覺得自己不配，也不認為我的個性或天賦適合這個事工。
我內心深處掙扎不斷。
經過五到十分鐘的內心掙扎，我終於意識到我無法違背神。
我內心終於說：“好吧。”
在那一刻，神用極大的愛澆灌入了我的心。
我可以繼續用舌頭靈言祈禱，大約十分鐘後我結束了祈禱。
當我上樓去睡覺時，我明白了，神沒有具體回答關於我的未來的問題。
但是祂給了我一個明確的工作方向。
In the weeks that followed, I came to understand
that God was not telling me to apply for theological training immediately.
Besides, I was only twenty-one years old,
and the minimum age requirement set by the United States General Assembly (USGA) was twenty-three.
God was telling me that, while this was the path I would tread, I needed to prepare myself first.
接下來幾周，我開始了解
神並沒有告訴我，要立即申請神學訓練班。
而且我只有二十一歲，
而美總（USGA）設定的最低年齡要求為23歲。
神告訴我，雖然這是我要走的路，但我需要先自已做好準備。
Growing up, I had always attended churches with large congregations,
so my faith was bolstered by a stable spiritual environment.
But this made me question my motivations for serving God.
Was I doing it because of reputation—because it was expected? To impress people?
Therefore, I decided to take up graduate studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
which was two-and-a-half hours’ drive from the nearest True Jesus Church.
As I prayed, God seemed to be telling me that it would be good spiritual training:
an opportunity for me to examine the substance of my faith and my service.
長大後，我一直有參加大教會的聚會，
因此，我的信仰得到了穩定屬靈環境的支撐。
但是，這因此使我質疑我服事神的動機。
我會這樣做是因為名聲？ 因為得到名聲是可以預期的，要讓別人有好印象？
因此，我決定在伊利諾伊大學，厄巴納-香檳分校，攻讀研究所，
學校離最近的真耶穌教會，要兩個半小時的車程。
當我祈禱，神似乎在告訴我，這將是一次很好的屬靈訓練：
我有機會檢視自己信仰和服事神的本質。
My Second Calling 第二次呼喚
After I moved to Illinois in August 2004, the initial period was fresh and exciting.
It was the first time I had lived away from my home state.
But after one month, I realized I was not as strong as I had thought.
My faith was declining, as were my academic grades.
I started to doubt: Does God really want to use me?
If I change, does God’s will change?
Doubts crept into my mind over the next year or so.
I was unsure of where I stood in God’s presence.
2004年8月搬到伊利諾伊州後，最初的時期一切都很新鮮，而且令人興奮。
這是我第一次離開家鄉的州。
一個月後，我意識到，自己沒有想像中那麼堅強。
我的信仰開始下降，學業成績也走下坡。
我開始懷疑：神真的想用我嗎？
如果我改變了，神的旨意會改變嗎？
接下來的一年左右時間裡，我開始有了懷疑。
我不確定在神面前，自已要處於怎樣的位置。
In January 2006, during the winter break,
I attended a church seminar for Africa ministry volunteers.
During the first evening prayer, encouraged by the preceding message, I prayed diligently.
I told God, “God, I do not know where I stand before You.”
I realized how unworthy I was in His presence.
I continued, “God, You knew me even before I was in my mother’s womb.
All of my ugliness, You know.
But if You are willing to use me, I will serve You.”
2006年1月的寒假期間，
我參加了教會的非洲宣教志工研討會。
在第一個晚上的祈禱中，在上述信息的鼓勵下，我迫切禱告。
我對神說：“神啊，在你面前，我不知道自已該處於什麼位置。”
我意識到，自已在祂面前是多麼不配。
我繼續說：“神啊，甚至在我進入母親子宮之前，您就認識我。
我所有醜陋的一面，你是清楚的。
但是，如果您願意使用我，我會為您服務。”
I was so moved during that prayer that I continued to fast and pray during dinnertime.
In prayer, it seemed like I had entered into a spiritual dimension, where I spoke directly to God.
I asked Him many questions, expressing my doubts and worries about full-time service.
“What about my introverted personality?
What about my lack of eloquence?
Will a sister be willing to marry me?
What about finances?
I have not been able to convert any of my friends—would I be any good as a preacher?”
在那次祈禱期間，我非常的感動，以至於我在晚餐時間繼續禁食祈禱。
在禱告中，我似乎進入了屬靈的領域，直接與神對話。
我問了他許多問題，表達了我對全職事奉的懷疑和擔憂。
“我是性格內向的人，該怎麼辨呢？
那我沒有口才，該怎麼辨呢？
會有姐妹願意嫁給我嗎？
財務的問題該怎麼安排呢？
我一直都無法勸任何一位我的朋友來信主-我會有什麼優點，可以作為傳道人呢？”
Yet, to every question I asked, it seemed God simply responded, “Don’t worry about it.”
After that prayer, I sensed God’s gracious affirmation.
It was a second calling.
然而，對於我提出的每個問題，神似乎只是回答說：“不要去擔心。”
經過那次禱告之後，我感覺到了神那奇妙的肯定証實。
這是第二次呼喚。
My Third Calling 第三次呼喚
I graduated with a master’s degree in May 2006.
Thank God, I promptly secured a job in Texas.
Before starting work, I attended the National Youth Theological Seminar (NYTS).
Within the first two days, Preacher Vuthy Nol-Mantia,
who was a theological student and NYTS counsellor at the time, approached me.
Knowing that I had graduated and found a job, he was interested in my next steps,
since I had previously shared with him my first calling.
我於2006年5月畢業，獲得碩士學位。
感謝神，我很快在德州找到一份工作。
在開始去工作之前，我參加了全國青年神訓班（NYTS）。
在頭兩天內，傳道 Vuthy Nol-Mantia，
當時他已經是神學院的學生，同時也是那時全國青年神訓班的輔導員，跑來找我。
知道我已經畢業並找到了工作，他對我接下來的步驟很感興趣，
因為我以前曾與他分享我第一次神的呼喚。
Preacher Vuthy asked, “Have you been thinking about marriage?”
Without disclosing her name, I told Preacher Vuthy that I had a sister in mind,
but did not know if it was God’s time for me to approach her.
He advised me to tell the sister so that,
if she accepts the possibility of being a preacher’s wife, she could prepare herself.
I kept this matter in prayer for the rest of the seminar.
傳道 Vuthy 問我：“你有考慮結婚嗎？”
在沒有透露女方的名字之前，我告訴傳道 Vuthy ，自已心中有一個姐妹的人選，
但是卻不知道，這是不是神給我的適當時機，來接近她。
他建議我要告訴這位姐妹，這樣，
如果她接受成為傳道妻子的可能性，那麼她可以事先做好準備。
在接下來神訓班的時間裡，我一直為這件事情禱告。
For many years, I had thought Joyce was a good sister.
She was also Preacher Liang’s daughter,
and I was not sure how he would react to his daughter entering a relationship,
since she was only twenty-one.
At that time, Joyce and I were just friends.
We did not really talk much and I had not made an effort to stay in touch while I was at graduate school.
I was also very shy around her.
I was worried about making things awkward between us
if I approached her and the timing turned out to be wrong.
很多年過來了，我一直認為 Joyce 是一個很優秀的姐妹。
她也是梁傳道的女兒，
而且我不確定他，會對他女兒進入戀愛關係，有什麼反應，
因為那時她才 21 歲
那時，Joyce 和我只是朋友。
在研究生院時，我們並沒有真正深入交談，也沒有盡力去保持聯繫。
我對她也很害羞。
我擔心，會讓我們之間變得有點尷尬
若我去靠近她，而那時的時間點是錯誤的。
Therefore, I decided to speak with Preacher Liang, who was an instructor at the NYTS.
If he said, “No, we cannot accept you,” then I would just let it go.
If he said, “Wait,” then I would wait.
To avoid making her feel uncomfortable, Joyce did not even have to know about this conversation.
During the chat, I plucked up the courage and confessed, “I like your daughter,
and I wondered what your thoughts are about me starting a relationship with her.”
因此，我決定與梁傳道討論，而他也是全國神訓班的講師。
如果他說：“不，我們不能接受您。”那麼我就放手了。
如果他說“等等”，那麼我會等待。
為了避免讓她感到不自在，Joyce 甚至不必了解這次的對話。
在聊天過程中，我鼓起勇氣承認：“我喜歡你的女兒，
我很想知道您對我與她建立感情關係，有什麼想法。”
Honestly, I thought he would say, “It’s too early.”
Thankfully, he said, “Why don’t you sit down with Joyce and talk to her before she goes to Taiwan?”
She was going to Taiwan a few weeks later to study Chinese for a year.
“We’d be happy to see what God’s will is.”
I was very surprised that he gave me the green light.
I immediately called my parents and spoke with them too.
老實說，我認為他會說：“為時過早。”
謝天謝地，他說：“你為什麼不和 Joyce 一起坐下來，在她去台灣之前和她聊一聊？”
幾週後，她將會去台灣學習國語一年。
“我們會很高興，看看神的旨意到底是什麼。”
我感到非常驚訝，因為他並不反對這件事。
我立即打電話給我的父母，並與他們討論。
One week later, straight after the NYTS, Joyce and I were attending another seminar.
I was distracted the whole time.
Finally, on the last day, I found an opportunity to have a private conversation with her.
After sharing with her about my calling, I asked her if she could pray about two matters:
first was my future ministry,
and second, whether she would be willing to join me on this journey.
一個星期後，接著就在全國神訓班之後，Joyce 和我參加了另一場研討會。
我一直無法專心。
最後，在最後一天，我發現有機會與她進行私人對談。
與她分享了我的呼召後，我問她是否可以為以下兩件事禱告：
首先是我未來的事工，
其次，她是否願意伴隨我走接下去的旅程。
I expected her to ask for a couple of weeks to pray before giving me her answer,
as becoming a minister’s wife is no small decision.
Yet, she gave an immediate response: “My answer is yes.”
我期待她會在給我答案之前，會先要求禱告幾個星期，
因為要成為傳道工人的妻子，並不是一個很小的決定。
但是，她立即做出了回應：“我的回答是，好的。”
I was surprised. “Wow, how come you are so certain?”
我很驚訝的說。 “哇，你怎麼這麼確定？”
She told me that two years earlier, in April and May of 2004,
she felt that God was repeatedly telling her the same message in her prayers:
“You will serve Me all your life. You will be a preacher’s wife.”
So, with me approaching her two years later, it seemed a perfect match.
It was something she had been quietly anticipating.
I did not realize that God would even call a preacher’s wife!
她告訴我，兩年前，即2004年4月和5月的時候，
她感到神在禱告中，不斷地告訴她同樣的信息：
“您將一生為我服務。 您將成為傳道的妻子。”
因此，我在兩年後來接觸她，這似乎是一個完美吻合。
她一直在靜靜地期待著這件事。
我沒有意識到，神甚至會呼召傳道的妻子！
Later that day, I flew to Texas to start my new job.
Throughout that entire flight, I was in a state of awe; I felt so humbled.
I could not understand why God would do this for someone like me.
那天稍晚的時候，我飛往德州開始新工作。
在整個飛行過程中，我都處於敬畏狀態。 我感到很卑微。
我不明白，為什麼神會為像我這樣的人，這麼做。
To me, it was a third calling.
The first two were during my personal prayers with God,
but this third calling was confirmed through a third party.
All my lingering doubts dissolved and I completely surrendered to Jesus.
I just told God, “You’ve convinced me.
Although I do not know what will happen in the future, I trust You.”
對我來說，這是第三次呼召。
前兩個是在我與神的私人禱告中，
但是第三次呼召，是通過第三者而得到確認的。
我所有揮之不去的疑惑都消散了，我徹底俯伏在耶穌面前。
我只是告訴神，“你讓我相信了。
儘管我不知道將來會發生什麼，但我相信您。”
After her stint in Taiwan, Joyce returned to the States and completed her master’s program.
A week after her graduation, we were married.
Later that same year, I was accepted into the theological training program.
In November 2014, I was ordained as a full-time preacher.
在完成台灣事情後，Joyce 回到了美國，並完成了碩士課程。
她畢業一周後，我們結婚了。
之後同一年，我被接納而參加神學訓練班。
2014年11月，我被任命為全職傳道。
Looking back, I cannot but humbly thank God for His mercy and guidance every step of the way.
Things were often unclear.
However, God is my Creator, and He graciously revealed His purpose for me—
a purpose that I shall continually strive to fulfill.
回顧過去，我不得不謙卑地感謝神，對他的憐憫和帶領我一路走的每一步。
事情常常不清晰。
但是，神是我的創造者，他奇妙地向我揭露了祂對我安排的旨意-
是一個我將不斷努力實現的目標。
Society’s definition of success typically revolves around
fulfilling dreams, self-actualization, attaining wealth, or some variation of these.
Unfortunately, we Christians often become engrossed in pursuing this definition of success too.
While worldly success is not forbidden, our primary concern should be to fulfill the intents of our Maker.
The call to full-time ministry does not happen to everyone, but the principle remains.
We are His workmanship, created to accomplish good works.
社會對成功的定義通常是圍繞著
實現夢想，自我實現，獲得財富或其中的一些延伸。
不幸的是，我們基督徒，也常常全神貫注於追求這些成功的定義。
雖然世界上有所成就並不是被禁止的，但我們的主要焦點，應該要完成造物主的目的。
全職工作的呼召，並不會發生在每個人身上，但同樣原則仍然適用。
我們是祂手所造之物，是為了成就善工而創造。
Are you fulfilling your Creator’s purpose?
您是否正在實現造物者祂想要的目標？
Feed My Sheep 餵養我的羊
En-Ping Liu—Tamsui, Taiwan 台灣淡水 劉恩平
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. (Jn 21:17)
17第三次對他說：約翰的兒子西門﹐你愛我麼？
彼得因為耶穌第三次對他說你愛我麼，就憂愁，對耶穌說：
主阿，你是無所不知的；你知道我愛你。耶穌說：你餵養我的羊。
(約 21：17)
As believers in the true church of God, we have been purchased by the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28),
and were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4).
Have you ever wondered why God chose you?
The answer is simply that He loves you.
If we can see how tirelessly God calls us back when we start to stray,
we would never leave His church.
For me, this redeeming love has compelled me to present my body as a living sacrifice to God.
This is my story.
作為信奉神的真教會信徒，我們已被耶穌的寶血所贖（徒 20:28），
並且在世界建立之前，就在基督裡被揀選（弗 1：4）。
您是否曾經想過，為什麼神會揀選了你？
答案很簡單，就是祂愛你。
如果我們看到自已在流浪時，神毫不疲倦地呼喚著我們，
我們永遠不會想離開祂的教會。
對我來說，這種救贖的愛，逼使我把自己的身體獻上，作為對神的活祭。
這是我的故事。
TURNING AWAY FROM GOD 離開神
I grew up as a True Jesus Church member in Tamsui, northern Taiwan.
My childhood was carefree, and attending church services was a normal part of my routine—
this, to me, was how simple it was to live a faithful life.
When I was in senior year of high school, my carefree days were suddenly cut short—
my family met with a financial crisis and almost went bankrupt.
At the time, my family members began to lose their pure faith in God.
We no longer had time for church, and any money-related discussions would lead to arguments.
Experiencing such pressure at home, I prayed to God that I could enroll at a college far away.
我在台灣北部淡水長大，就成為的真耶穌教會信徒。
我的童年是無憂無慮的，參加教堂聚會，是我正常的日常活動-
對我而言，這就是過一個有信仰的生活，那麼的單純。
當我在高中的時候，我無憂無慮的日子突然縮短了-
我的家人遇到了金融危機，幾乎破產了。
那時，我的家人開始對神失去純粹的信仰。
我們再也沒有時間去教會了，任何與金錢有關的討論都會引起爭論。
我在家中承受著如此巨大的壓力，向神祈禱，希望我可以在遠方的大學就讀。
God indeed answered my prayer:
I ended up at a college in Kaohsiung, in southern Taiwan, about five hour’s drive from Tamsui.
This provided the perfect excuse for not visiting my family so often.
Deep down, I just wanted to escape.
神確實回答了我的祈禱：
我最終去了台灣南部高雄的一所大學，距淡水約5小時車程。
這為我不經常回家，提供了完美的藉口。
內心深處，我只是想逃脫。
In an attempt to put family troubles behind me,
I dedicated most of my time to extra-curricular activities at college.
Although I knew that church was important, I only attended when I had spare time;
college activities always came first.
As I indulged in these worldly pursuits, my values gradually changed,
and I even had a non-believing girlfriend for a time.
為了將家庭的麻煩拋諸腦後，
我在大學裡大部分時間，都在進行課外活動。
儘管我知道教會很重要，但是我只有在有空的時候才參加。
大學活動始終是第一位的。
當我沉迷於這些世俗的追求時，我的價值觀逐漸改變，
我甚至有一段時間，有一個未信主的女朋友。
By the mercy of God, the members of my church varsity fellowship never gave up on me.
They prayed that I would return to the love of God and to church, and endeavoured to keep in touch.
On one occasion, I met three of them for dinner.
I thought they would scold me for not attending church services,
but instead, they just asked about my studies.
Even though they did not mention church,
I knew deep in my heart that they wanted me to return,
and I knew that God had sent them to me.
Because of their sincere love, I broke up with my girlfriend
and started attending church services again.
靠著神的憐憫，我教會大學團契的成員，從未放棄過我。
他們祈禱，我回到神的愛和教堂，並努力保持聯繫。
有一次，我遇到了他們三個人共進晚餐。
我以為他們會責罵我，不參加教堂禮拜，
但是，他們只是問了問我學業情況。
即使他們沒有提到教會，
我內心深處知道他們要我回去，
我知道神已經叫他們來找我。
因為他們的真誠愛，我和女友分手了
並再次開始參加教堂聚會。
God’s mercy was like a rope that kept drawing me back.
Time and again, different brethren conveyed the same message to me:
God is more important than anything in this world.
Whenever my faith was low, their care lifted me up.
In the end, God’s love compelled me to devote myself to attending church services and to studying His words.
神的憐憫就像一條繩索，不斷拉著我回去。
一次又一次，不同的弟兄，向我傳達了同樣的信息：
神比這個世界上的任何事物都重要。
每當我的信心低落時，他們的關心使我振作起來。
最後，神的愛迫使我全神貫注地參加教會聚會和研讀聖經。
THE LORD HAS NEED OF YOU 神需要你
In 2012, during my third year of college, I attended a student spiritual convocation.
Listening to the many teachings, I realized it was God’s mercy
that I was able to attend the event and study His words.
I was inspired to dedicate the rest of my life to God.
A thought formed in my mind: I want to be a preacher.
In one class, a deacon shared an English hymn with us,
and asked if anyone could provide Mandarin interpretation for the class.
“Is there anyone who majors in English?”
he asked. “The Lord has need of you!”
2012年，在我大學三年級的時候，我參加了一次學生靈恩會。
聽了很多教導，我意識到這是神的憐憫
我能夠參加活動，研讀聖經。
我受到啟發，要將餘生奉獻給神。
我腦海中浮現出一個想法：我想當一名傳道。
在一堂課中，一位執事與我們分享了英文讚美詩，
並詢問，是否有人可以為該班提供國語翻譯。
“有人主修英語嗎？”
他問。 “主需要你！”
I was shocked. I was an English student—was the Lord calling me so soon?
My fellow students pointed me out to the deacon, so I had no choice but to stand up to interpret.
However, I buckled under the pressure—I could not translate a single word.
Sitting down, I told myself, God has need of me, but I am not yet prepared.
我感到震驚。 我是一名英語學生，主這麼快就來召喚我嗎？
我的同學們向執事指出我來，所以我別無選擇，只能站起來翻譯。
但是，我在壓力下屈服—我無法翻譯一個字。
坐下來，我告訴自己，神需要我，但我還沒有準備好。
FEED MY SHEEP 餵養我的羊
Half a year later, I attended the Youth Theological Training Program (YTTP).
I was so moved by the words of God
that I decided to return over the next two years to complete the three-year-program,
to cultivate myself spiritually.
I also began to wake up early to pray before lessons started.
半年後，我參加了青年神訓班（YTTP）。
我被神的話所感動，
就決定在未來兩年內，要回轉以完成三年的學習規劃，
在靈性上好好培養自己。
在上課之前，我也開始很早醒來祈禱。
In my third year of YTTP, I was elected to be class leader, much to my surprise.
I asked God why He would choose me—how could I lead the whole class when I had once strayed so far in my faith?
But the phrase “the Lord has need of you” kept coming to mind.
I felt that God wanted to train me so that I could stand firm before Him.
Therefore, I prayed earnestly to prepare myself before the event started,
but I did not foresee the challenges that I would face.
在青年神訓班的第三年，我當選為班長，這令我很驚訝。
我問神為什麼他會選擇我-我曾經信仰偏離的很遠，我該如何帶領整個班級？
但是，“主需要你”這句話一直浮在腦海。
我覺得神想訓練我，使我能夠堅固地站在祂面前。
因此，在活動開始之前，我認真祈禱為自己做準備，
但是我沒有預見到我將面臨的挑戰。
There was one particular incident during my time
as class leader where God exposed my shortcomings and spoke to me.
I was informed that some students had been blatantly sleeping during lessons,
so during one of my sharing sessions I spoke sternly to the class.
As anger rose within me, I rebuked them:
“If you don’t want to learn the words of God, just get out of here!”
Afterwards, I was upset with myself for speaking so harshly,
so I went to the prayer room to pray, repenting before God for scolding His sheep.
我那段時間發生了一件特別的事,
作為班長，神暴露了我的缺點，並向我講話。
我獲悉，有些學生在上課時，公然入睡，
因此，在我的一次分享會上，我嚴正地對全班講話。
當我內心的憤怒上升時，我斥責了他們：
“如果您不想學習神的話，那就走吧！”
之後，我為自己這麼苛刻而感到很沮喪，
所以我去祈禱室祈禱，在神面前悔改責罵祂的羊。
To my astonishment, a gentle thought—not quite a voice—
came from the depths of my heart.
It said, “En-Ping, do you love Me?”
令我驚訝的是，一個溫柔的想法-並不是一個聲音-
來自我內心深處。
它說：“恩平，你愛我嗎？”
I knew in my spirit that this was God’s voice, so I shouted from my heart,
“Lord, of course I love You! That’s why I’m here!”
在靈裡，我知道這是神的聲音，所以我發自內心地大喊，
“神啊，我當然愛你！ 這就是為什麼我在這裡！”
Then the gentle voice spoke three words: “Feed My sheep.”
然後溫柔的聲音說出三個字：“餵我的羊”。(英文三字，中文四字)
On hearing this, I started to cry.
I finally realized that the action of loving God is to feed His sheep.
Once again, the idea of becoming a preacher came into my mind.
I knew I was not worthy of taking up His ministry, but I told God, “If You need me, I am willing.”
聽到此消息，我開始哭泣。
我終於意識到，愛神的舉動是要餵養祂的羊。
我再次想到了要成為傳道的想法。
我知道，我不配擔任神職，但我告訴神：“如果您需要我，我願意。”
GOD CONFIRMS HIS CALLING 神證實了祂的召喚
I felt that I had received God’s calling to become a preacher,
but I could not be completely sure.
If it was indeed God’s will,
I would apply for the theological training program (TTP) as soon as possible.
The minimum age for TTP applicants in Taiwan is twenty-five years old, so I had to wait.
In the meantime, I asked God to confirm His will to me.
我覺得，自已是經接受了神的召喚，而成為傳道，
但我不能完全確定。
如果這件事確實是神的旨意，
我會盡快去申請神學院（TTP）就讀。
台灣神學院申請者的最低年齡為25歲，因此我不得不等待。
同時，我要求神向我確認祂的意願。
1. My Family Returns 全家回歸
I could have stayed near my college after graduation,
but I chose to move back home instead.
Since my family had departed from church,
I thought it would be difficult for me to become a preacher.
Therefore, before I spoke to my family about God
or any faith-related matter, I would pray earnestly, sometimes with fasting.
I would then share with my family what I had learned at church,
and encourage them to have faith in God.
I prayed to God:
“If it is indeed Your will for me to apply for the theological seminary,
please bring my family back to church.”
畢業後，我本可以住在大學附近
但我反而選擇搬回了家。
既然，我全家離開了教堂，
所以我認為，這很難讓我成為傳道。
因此，在我和家人談論神的話題之前
或任何與信仰有關的事情，我會認真祈禱，有時會禁食。
然後，我將與家人分享，我在教會學到的東西，
並鼓勵他們對神要有信心。
我向神祈禱：
“如果確實是你對我的旨意，要讓我去申請神學院，
請把我的家人帶回教會。”
It was a long process but God answered my prayers.
At first, my family refused to take my advice,
but as they listened to my encouragements, God gradually changed their hearts.
One summer night in 2014, I caught sight of my family praying together.
I knew that this was the green light for me to apply for the TTP.
這是一個漫長的過程，但神回應了我的祈禱。
起初，我的家人拒絕接受我的建議，
但是當他們聽從我的鼓勵時，神逐漸改變了他們的心意。
2014年的一個夏日之夜，我發現家人在一起祈禱。
我知道，這是我申請神學院的綠燈訊號。
2. His Servant Prays for Me 祂的僕人為我祈禱
In September 2014, I was conscripted into military service.
At the beginning, I had to attend training for three months straight.
But luckily, I could still take weekends off.
Many spiritual convocations were happening around that time,
so I looked for one taking place nearby.
There was a prayer house holding convocation on a day that I was free—
I believe that this was God’s arrangement for me.
2014年9月，我入伍從軍。
一開始，我必需連續三個月，參加基本訓練。
但幸運的是，我仍然可以周末休假。
大約在那時，剛好有許多靈恩會舉開，
所以我在附近，找一個有舉行的教會參加。
在我有空的那天，有一個祈禱室舉行佈道會，
我相信這是神給我的安排。
During the services, I listened carefully to the preacher’s message.
When it was time to pray, I walked to the front for the laying of hands.
I earnestly prayed for confirmation that I should become a preacher and for guidance in my preparations.
After we finished praying, the preacher began to introduce the members of the congregation.
When he reached me, the preacher said,
“I saw this brother praying very hard, so when I laid hands on him, I prayed for him—
that he could become a preacher one day.”
在服兵役期間，我認真聽了傳道講道。
當祈禱的時候，我走到前面，接受傳道的幫助按手。
我逼切地禱告，希望可以得到神的確認，自己應該成為傳道人，並為我以後的準備工作求神帶領。
我們祈禱結束後，傳道開始介紹聚會的會眾。
輪到我這裡的時候，傳道說：
“我看到這個兄弟非常努力地祈禱，所以當我把手放在他身上時，我為他祈禱-
他有一天可以成為傳道。”
I was shocked and excited by his words.
Afterwards, I eagerly asked how he knew what I was praying for,
even though I had never met him before.
He just smiled and said,
“Thank God, it was the movement of the Spirit. Keep praying! He will lead you.”
他的話，讓我感到震驚和興奮。
之後，我急切地問他，如何知道我在祈禱什麼，
即使我以前從未見過他。
他只是笑著說，
“感謝神，這是聖靈的感動。 一直禱告！ 神會帶領你。”
3. A Message on a Card 卡片上的訊息
By God’s grace, in October 2014, I was given an alternative option in the military service.
Instead of training at the barracks,
I only needed to teach at a school for high school dropouts.
Near this school was the small church at Beipu,
so I could attend church services and even undertake holy work.
My relationship with the church brethren gradually deepened,
to the extent that some members treated me like a son.
藉著神的恩典，2014年10月，我服兵役時，有了多的選項。
不用在兵營接受訓練，
我只需要在學校裡，教那些高中輟學的學生。
這所學校附近，是北埔的一間小教會，
這樣我就可以參加教堂聚會，甚至參與聖工。
我與教會弟兄的關係，逐漸加深，
在某種程度上，有些信徒，會像兒子一樣對待我。
In September 2015, after a year of military service, it was time for me to leave.
Two days before I departed,
the church held a farewell gathering for me.
This touched me deeply.
They gave me an MRT railcard with a message written on the back:
在服兵役一年之後的2015年9月，是時候離開了。
我離開當地的兩天前，
教會為我舉行了歡送會。
這深深地打動了我。
他們給了我一張捷運鐵路卡，背面寫著一條信息：
Jesus said to En-Ping, “En-Ping, do you love Me?”
耶穌向恩平說，"恩平，你愛我嗎？"
En-Ping said, “Lord, yes, You know I love You.”
恩平說，"主啊，是的，你是知道我愛你的"
Jesus said to En-Ping, “Feed My sheep.”
耶穌回答恩平說，"餵養我的羊"
These words were based on John 21:17— 這些內容來自於約翰福音 21 章 17 節 -
the same passage that had come to me in prayer during my final year of YTTP.
I had not shared that experience, or what I had been praying for, with anyone.
I was so moved that God had called me a third time.
這是我在青年神訓班，最後一年禱告時，忽然想到的那段經文。
我沒有與任何人分享這種經歷，或者與人分享我為何一直在祈禱。
我非常感動，終於神在第三次呼喚了我。
4. Blessings in Marriage 婚姻的祝福
Although I had felt God’s calling,
I was not confident enough to proceed with my application.
When I first aspired to become a preacher,
I prayed that God would provide me a prayerful spouse who would be willing to be a preacher’s wife.
Indeed, God granted my prayer and, on November 1, 2015,
He blessed me and my wife in holy matrimony.
雖然我感覺到神的呼召，
我沒有足夠的信心，繼續進行申請的行動。
當我第一次渴望成為傳道時，
我祈求神會給我一個虔誠的配偶，她願意成為傳道的妻子。
確實，神同意了我的祈禱，並且在2015年11月1日，
他祝福我和妻子在教會結婚。
Before the marriage, I still had my doubts about the way ahead.
One sister who was married to a preacher told me,
“God has given you clear evidence of His will: your fiancee’s willingness.
Not many sisters would want to be a preacher’s wife.”
At that moment, I realized how God had led me through this whole process.
Since my wife and I had agreed that I would apply for the TTP
when I turned twenty-five the following year,
I had no reason to hesitate any longer.
By God’s grace, I passed the TTP entrance exam in August 2016.
God chose me, an unworthy man, to be His full-time servant.
婚前，我仍然對前進的道路，仍感到懷疑。
一個跟傳道結婚的姐妹，跟我說，
“神已向你明確表明了祂的旨意：你的未婚妻的同意。
並沒有多少姐妹，願意成為傳道的配偶。”
那一刻，我意識到，神是如何引導我，走完成這整個過程的。
由於我和妻子，已經同意我將申請神學院，
第二年，我25歲的時候，
我不再有理由會猶豫。
靠著神的恩典，我於2016年8月通過了神學院的入學考試。
神揀選了我，一個不配的人，成為祂全職的僕人。
REFLECTIONS 反思
Now, as a TTP student, I still have much to improve.
This verse is a source of strength for me whenever my faith is low:
現在，作為一名神學生，我還有很多地方需要改進。
每當我的信仰低落時，這節經文便成為我力量的源泉：
“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail;
and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
(Lk 22:32)
32但我已經為你祈求，叫你不至於失了信心，你回頭以後，要堅固你的弟兄。
(路 22：32)
I was once a lost son who pursued worldly pleasure, but God called me to return.
In my heart, I know that I am undeserving of such amazing grace.
God’s love has compelled me to dedicate my life to strengthen my brothers and sisters,
and to serve God with all my heart, all my mind, and all my soul.
May all glory be given to Him.
Amen.
我曾經是一個迷失的兒子，只知追求世俗享樂，但神的呼召讓我回歸。
內心深處，我知道自已不配得到如此奇妙的恩典。
神的愛，驅使我來奉獻自己的生命，堅固教會的眾兄弟姐妹，
盡心、盡性、盡意來服事神。
願一切榮耀歸於祂的聖名。
阿們。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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