Being hard-pressed since young made me fear living a poor life. In order to live a rich life, I devoted myself to making money. I had four jobs, working all day and all night. When my elder brother’s wife preached God’s gospel to me, I declined. I knew it was good to believe in God, but I had no mind to do that at all because all I thought of was to make money. However, in an accident, I did realize what was the most important.

On a fall night, it was already one o’clock in the early morning when I ended my shift. In order not to delay another job in the next day, I made an appointment with my colleague to go home together. After she got home, I had to go through a cornfield before I got home as my house was a little farther. When I rode near the cornfield, suddenly I heard someone riding behind me. In no time, some anxiety came to my mind and I started to ride forward faster. But surprisingly, when I rode fast, he rode fast; while I slowed down, he slowed down, too. When I turned my head to have a glance at him, he pretended to stop to light a cigarette. So I made sure that the man was really following me. At this moment, it suddenly hit me that my neighbor had said that a few days before, a female body had been found in this cornfield. The victim died a miserable death, with her hair all pulled out. Thinking of that, I was frightened with my hair almost standing on end, and my body breaking out in a cold sweat and trembling. I wanted to call my husband to help me but I was afraid the man would be nearer to me if I stopped to make the call. I looked around—It was as black as pitch, every door was tightly closed, and I only heard the cornstalks rustling in the wind. I was so worried that I almost cried. Then I heard the sound of the electric scooter behind me being nearer and nearer. I said to myself: Finished! My life is in danger.

I foreboded the ruffian would attack me, so I tilted my head subconsciously. Instantly, my back was hit so fiercely by an iron bar that I fell to the field, together with my electric scooter. Next, the ruffian punched me in the face several times so that I was struck blind, blood flowing out of my nose and filling my mouth. He kept on beating me. I could only cry and protect my head with my hands. Just at this moment, the insane ruffian pulled my hair and slapped me violently, but I had no chance to hit back. And because of scare and fear, I was out of strength all over, only crying: “Help! Mom, help me! Dad, help me! … ” The ruffian said fiercely, “It is no use whoever you call.” I was absolutely disappointed.

At this very moment, it suddenly occurred to me that when she preached to me the gospel, my sister-in-law said that only God was our reliance, that only God could save us and that whenever we had troubles, we should pray to God. It seemed as if I grasped a life-saving straw, so I shouted like anything, “Oh God! Help me! …” Then something marvelous happened. Two beams of strong light suddenly shot from the road opposite far away. On the very dark night it looked very, very bright as if it were daybreak. The unexpected light let me see the hope of survival. I looked up to watch that ruffian—He was of fierce countenance, ugly-looking, ferocious and horrible. Because the bright light directly pierced his eyes, he had to let go of me to cover his face with his hands. At the moment, a clear idea came upon my mind: Run! He isn’t looking! Without looking for my shoes, I rose up and ran as fast as I could. In my mind was only one word, “Run! Run! …” At one blast, I ran to my colleague’s home. Hardly had I gotten to her house when I sank to the ground. My colleague asked me anxiously what had happened as she was supporting me. Trembling on the sofa, I had a clear head but could not say a word, only crying. When she saw that I was dusty all over, my hair was a mess, my nose and mouth were still bleeding, there was blood on my clothes and that my feet were also bleeding, she hurried to call her husband. When they got to the spot, the ruffian had already gone. Left on the ground was only my electric scooter and an iron bar as thick as a wrist in diameter.

This matter caused a great shadow in my mind. Since then, I couldn’t sleep all night long. Even if I could sleep for a short time, I often found myself waking up. Thus the conditions of my body and spirit were terribly poor, and I also could not work. My families took me to see doctors here and there, spending much money, but my illness lasted for more than a year and didn’t turn any better. By then, I began to have a think: Since young, I had thought everything would be achieved and every problem could be solved as long as I had money, but what about now? I do have money, but when I’m in pain and tortured with illness, it can’t solve any of my troubles. I sighed a long sign, feeling sad for myself.

Just as I lost hope for the future, God’s salvation again came upon me.

It was pouring that day. My sister-in-law came to see me in the heavy rain, who lived more than 15 kilometers away. I complained tearfully to her about my pain. She played a hymn of God’s words, God Is Seeking Your Heart and Your Spirit: “The Almighty has mercy on these people who have suffered deeply; at the same time, He is fed up with these people who lack consciousness, as He has had to wait too long for an answer from humanity. He wishes to seek, to seek your heart and your spirit, to bring you water and food and to awaken you, that you may no longer be thirsty and hungry. When you are weary and when you begin to feel something of the bleak desolation of this world, do not be lost, do not cry. Almighty God, the Watcher, will embrace your arrival at any time. He is keeping watch by your side, waiting for you to turn back around. He is waiting for the day you suddenly recover your memory: when you realize that you came from God, that, at some unknown time you lost your direction, at some unknown time you lost consciousness on the road, and at some unknown time acquired a ‘father’; when you realize, furthermore, that the Almighty has always been keeping watch, waiting there a very, very long time for your return. He has been watching with desperate longing, waiting for a response without an answer. His standing watch is beyond any price, and it is for the sake of the human heart and the human spirit. Perhaps this standing watch is indefinite, and perhaps it is at an end. But you should know exactly where your heart and your spirit are right now.” Hearing God’s kind words, I experienced God’s love for me and I was moved to tears. At the same time, I felt quite ashamed and guilty for I had known that God had come to save us, but because I put money above all else so that I shut the door against Him. However, God has never given me up owing to my rebelliousness and He has always kept watch on me. When I was faced with the attack of the ruffian and asked God for help, it was because of His wonderful arrangement that the bright light shone suddenly from the road, which gave me a chance to escape from the ruffian. By now, I have the opportunity of hearing God’s gospel. This is an exception of exaltation God made for me! I don’t know how to repay God for His grace for me. Moved to tears, I happily accepted God’s kingdom gospel.

After I came to God’s house, I began to attend meetings with brothers and sisters, to worship and to praise God together. I felt very relaxed in my heart. I read God’s words every day, and I felt at ease and illuminated inside my heart. Out of my expectation, provided, shepherded and watered by God’s words, I could sleep better without having medicine or seeing doctors and two months later, my insomnia was cured without treatment! At that time, I cried happily, very grateful to God. Just as God’s words say: “Sweet indeed is the word of God! God’s word is potent medicine! It puts to shame the devils and Satan! Grasping God’s word gives us support. His word acts fast to save our hearts! It dispels all things and sets all at peace.” Having experienced His wondrousness and great power, I had more confidence in God.

Later, at a gathering, I read these words of God, “As people grow up, Satan’s gaze is fixed on every one of them, like a tiger eyeing its prey. But in doing His work, God has never been subject to any limitations arising from people, events or things, of space or time; He does what He should and what He must. In the process of growing up, you may encounter many things that are not to your liking, such as illness and frustration. But as you walk this path, your life and your future are strictly under God’s care. God gives you a genuine guarantee to last all your life, for He is right there beside you, guarding you and looking after you.” Comparing God’s words and measuring my own experiences against them, I truly realized His love and protection of me. Thinking back, in my adventure, when the insane ruffian attacked me cruelly, neither my parents nor my husband could save me, and the money I gained could not save me, but when I asked for God’s help, He made a marvelous arrangement and saved me from the hand of the ruffian by the strong light. When I was tortured with the shadow of terror and could not free myself, God gave me mercy and grace once more, sending my sister-in-law to spread His gospel to me a second time, so that I had the fortune to come back to His home and receive the watering and feeding of His words. Unknowingly, my illness was cured, which let me have new hopes for life. In my inner heart I feel God’s love and salvation for me is so great. Only God is my true reliance and only He can save me from danger. To believe in God and pursue the truth is the most valuable and meaningful life!

Thanks be to God! Having walked this path, though it is full of hardships, I have seen the salvation work God has done upon me. As a result of the calamity, I have the fortune to return to God’s house. So, there is good mixed in with the bad. Meanwhile, I have realized God’s authority is everywhere. He masters everything. No matter whether it is alive or dead, all is orchestrated by God. My practical experiences make me have more knowledge of God. I am determined to pursue the truth, perform the duty of a creature to repay God’s love and live out a meaningful life!