Going from a Businesswoman to Pastor

Carried Away by Business

　　I came to Christ in form seven at an evangelistic meeting, and in 2003 I was baptized at Quarry Bay Baptist Church. During the twelve years after I graduated from university, I was mainly engaged in retail management. My primary duty was to manage the front-line workers and to help them meet their sales targets. In 2009, I left that company to set up a business with one of my most trusted friends, and our company became the sole distributor of a brand name product in Hong Kong and Macau. At that time, I was so caught up in my success as a businesswoman that I was preoccupied with social activities, setting up a chain of retail stores, spending money on brand name clothing and goods, and even beginning to engage in property speculation.

　　Over just two years, four stores were set up quickly one by one. In my heart, I took pride in thinking that by my own strength and experience I had put my expertise to good use. I had not anticipated that because the business had expanded so quickly, the expenditures began to exceed the revenue, creating a deficit in the finances of the business. My partner and I had to pump money into the company. I even went so far as to sell my property in order to allow the company to have operating funds. This went on up until the second half of 2011 when I talked with my partner about finding an investor for our company as I found it hard to sustain the business on our own.

　　Then, a terrible thing happened. To my utter surprise, my partner whom I had trusted sought to claim my stock right. I was shocked and broken-hearted. In the following eight months, I began a difficult battle to seek investors and spared no effort to save the company while maintaining its daily business.

　　At that time, I was not only suffering from depression but also felt so heavy-hearted that I did not want to meet anyone. I did not want my parents, who were so near and dear to me, to worry. I also felt that other people could not understand my situation. However, these lonely and helpless days brought me closer to God, enabling me to experience His deep love and mercy.

God Forgave My Former Pride and Arrogance

　　In the past, I did not consult God’s will in my career decisions, but when I confessed my sins to God, He not only forgave my former pride and arrogance, but also gave me comfort and admonishment through the Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. When I was extremely heavy hearted, God led a Christian sister, whom I did not have that much contact with, to call me to encourage me during that difficult time. She even sent me some hymns and an ornament engraved with a scripture verse to help console me. When I felt frightened and helpless, I was supported by the prayers of the church’s pastors and brothers and sisters, enabling me to have the power to trust the Lord and take a step forward.

　　Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” In the following meetings with shareholders, I was not fighting a lonely battle, but with peace and courage granted from God, I fought for my own rights. Praise the Lord for He led me to leave the company peacefully in the beginning of 2012.

A Prayer in Response to God’s Love

　　God did not forsake me because of my willfulness and arrogance, but rather in order to sustain and lead me through adversity. God’s unconditional love touched me deeply. During a camp retreat, I prayed to God, “O Lord, what can I offer up to you as a token of thanks? What can I do to let me know you better and love you more? … Lord, I am willing to take theological courses in order to know you better and love you more.”

　　At that time, in order to calm my emotions, heal the spiritual trauma, and probe the way ahead, I often kept praying and going on retreats, asking for God’s will to help me on the road ahead. By the year’s end, I knew that I should walk forward and pursue a career in children’s education. So I decided to quit my job in retail management and apply for jobs involving children’s education. Although in the previous nine years I had been teaching children’s Sunday School at church, such experience has its limitations and I was not given any job interview opportunity. I felt lost and wanted to give up. God encouraged me to persist through the church’s prayer meetings and Sunday worship sermons. Soon after that, I joined a lecture given by Dr. Chan Siu-cheuk, Principal of Christian Zheng Sheng College, entitled “Teenagers’ Addictive Behavior.” At the end of the meeting, a pastor appealed to the Christian attendees to commit themselves to ministry for children and teenagers. At that moment God touched my heart deeply and I raised my hand in a positive response to firmly follow God’s will and to be unyielding to difficulties.

An Opportunity for Service

　　Two days later, I did not expect to receive a phone call from my church pastor inviting me to be a part-time Gospel Officer whose main responsibility was children’s ministry. God’s arrangement was so fortuitous for me that I wholeheartedly praised and thanked God for His grace and the gift of this opportunity. My prior defeat made me lose my self-confidence, however, God was willing to offer me an opportunity for service which enabled me, an insignificant person, to fulfill His work and to become empowered with renewed strength through His grace.

　　In May the following year, I formally became a part-time Gospel Officer at my church. Later, under God’s will, I took the Hong Kong Baptist University Postgraduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education while serving at church. While taking the program, I realized that even in education, spiritual upbringing is more important than the simple transferring of knowledge. The calling I received from God was to teach the younger generation to know God at an early age and to take root and grow in God’s word and truth. While acting as a Gospel Officer, I came to understand certain passages of the Bible more deeply: “He told them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” (Lk 10:2) I could also see how hard the pastor and other ministers worked in their daily routine and in shepherding the flock. They are busy visiting their flock, joining committee meetings, preparing for the Sunday worship sermons or the Sunday School lessons and so on. Facing the needs of God’s house, I asked myself, “God loves you so much and has helped you to stand up again and even given you the opportunity to serve, what can I offer in return to the Lord?”

God’s Persistent Call

　　In 2014, because I was taking intensive courses in preschool education, I had to resign from the Gospel Officer position. However, I still hoped to finish the program and become a full-time Gospel Officer in the future. Moreover, I would then respond to my own prayer in 2012 by enrolling in a part-time theological studies program, such as the Master of Christian Studies. When I asked my pastor about such a program, she replied, “Why don’t you take a full-time M.Div. Program?” Her question and her positive affirmation gave me a lot to think about. It was a difficult decision to make so I prayed to God and had many conversations with Him. I was worried because if I took a full-time M.Div. Program, it implied that I would go into a theological seminary and receive training to become a full-time minister later. But I was afraid. I was bad at public speaking and afraid of preaching. I was more than willing to commit myself to the ministry for children and teenagers. Because I regard myself as being incapable of being a preacher on the front lines of ministry, I would rather stay at the back and serve God in that way.

　　However, God persistently asked me three times through scripture in my devotionals, prayers, and the Sunday Worship Services, “Are you willing to help me?” I struggled to respond and felt that deep inside my heart, I did not want to face God’s call. It was not until I was having a devotional that God’s words finally touched my heart: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Co 12:9) The promise from scripture gave me clarity and reminded me to take a leap of faith and trust in God’s grace and power.

May the Lord Use Me according to His Will

　　Through prayers and scripture readings, I kept looking for God’s will. Finally in the Experiencing Seminary Life Camp organized by HKBTS, I consecrated myself to be a full-time preacher and prepared to take the 3-year M.Div. program. After responding to God’s call, my heart was filled with joy. Thank God for using an ordinary person like me. I was pleased to respond to God’s great love by entering into the seminary to receive training. I offered up to God the following prayer: “Lord, I am willing to be your usable vessel, to be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”

　　I have a special commitment to children and teenagers. I recalled my own practicum days in kindergarten—how every time when I heard young children talk about and showed me with hand gestures how they went with their grandma to give adoration to a deity—I became very sad. I hope small children can be led to know our Lord Jesus Christ at a young age and also that their parents can hear the gospel of Christ. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Pr 22:6) After being theologically equipped, I hope to be of use to God to shepherd children and teenagers in this crooked and depraved generation. Pray that God will use me according to His will!