Sunny's Faith Journey

My name is Sunny and here is my testimony. Like many, I came to know Christ and Christianity from a young age. Having moved to Canada from Hong Kong when I was 6, the church was where my family found connection and community.

Growing up, the church was where I met with friends and would be the launching point for sleepovers and weekend hangouts, to my young mind that was church. Of course, I went through the motions, going to church, memorizing bible verses, and reading the bible, but to me, they were all things I did because I was a good Christian boy, there was never really a personal relationship with God.

In high school and university, as I grew older and because I never had that personal relationship, I fell farther and farther away from the church. At one point I stopped going to church altogether. During this period in my life, I was focused on school and doing well in it, I focused on my priorities and my own abilities. I thought that if I wanted to succeed all I needed to do was work hard. Inevitably this led to the lowest point in my life when I failed to get into post-graduate programs I was looking at. I remember having a mental breakdown one night as I preparing to write the MCAT, I was lost and broken as my efforts failed me. Little did I know that God always has a plan and even though I had placed all bets on myself, he wanted me to put faith in him, he had a plan for me all along. During this time as I was about to graduate from university in BC, lost and without a plan for the future, I started applying to nursing schools in BC and Calgary. With rejections from nursing schools in BC and just as I thought I was going to have to stand still in my life, I got an e-mail from a school in Calgary, within months I was packed and flew to Calgary for school.

Being alone in a new place, church was something that looked for again. It was that place for me to find community and connection, but again I fell into the same patterns. I was again just going through the motions.

When I graduated and started working, being a nurse, I worked Sundays, I just saw missing church as part of the job. I think things started to change once I joined a small group with people in the same life stage. Learning about their service in the church, hearing their testimony and seeing how God was present in their life, made me realize that God was also working in my life. At first, I joined the small group to form connections, but as we did bible studies and as the group renewed each other’s focus on prayer, I started seeing God’s place in my life. Thursdays became not just a time to meet but a time to learn about Christ and Christianity with others. Sundays weren’t just another day of the week, but I recognized that it was the Sabbath and that I should take a day out of the week for the Lord and to rest.

As I started to see Christ in my life, I started to count my blessings, and indeed the Lord has always had a plan and always provided. He moved me to a new province, and provided me with a meaningful career, when I was burnt out from bedside nursing he directed me to a new job away from the bedside so that I could rest. The Lord has a plan, and it wasn’t my work that made all this happen, it was him all along.

So why now, why decide to be baptized now when I had known Christ all along? One, my parents have been bugging me about it. In talking with them, they would always remind me that the Lord has blessed me with much and yet I have not done what Christ wants all believers to do and to be baptized and let people know that they are his believers. Second, 2023 was a hard year for my extended family. My uncle was diagnosed with cancer and passed away quite quickly. Despite this, before his death, he believed in Christ and confessed that the Lord was his saviour. If my uncle who only knew Christ for a short time confessed to being a believer of Christ to those around him, why shouldn’t I who has known Christ much longer, what was holding me back? What held me back was always a feeling of inadequacy of knowing that I was a sinner and not being good enough, but that is not what Christ asks of us. It is not perfection he seeks but an acknowledgement of our sins and to confess that we are sinners. It is through him that we are sanctified and saved. Through this public confession of my belief in Christ, I want to tell others that I am a sinner, but through Christ, I am reborn in him, Christ is the master of my life, and I will endeavour to be a Christian, a follower of Christ where first and foremost he leads, and I follow. Though I know that life will have its ups and downs, what I endeavour to always do, even if the times are hard, is to count my blessings and realize that God always has a plan.

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. Jeremiah 29:11

Nathan's Faith Journey

I was born into a Christian family and have been attending SCCEFC my entire life. At a very young age, during Sunday school, the teachers asked if I would accept Jesus into my heart. Obviously I said yes, but not knowing what that meant. I said yes because everyone else said yes as well. At that age, church was just another place to hang out with friends.

As I grew older and my church friends started to get baptized during junior high, people asked me why I didn’t get baptized. I told them I was not ready. I did not think I did anything remotely close in trying to know who Jesus was. I was just attending church and Sunday school because I had to. I attended youth group because it was another place to meet friends. I’ve had quite a comfortable life and I didn’t have to rely on Jesus for anything. I didn’t have to rely on Jesus until I started getting worried about not getting into university. I was less worried about getting into a university as opposed to getting into a university I wanted. It was at this moment when I first really prayed to God. Praying I would get accepted into a university. The first time feeling so powerless because I’ve done what I can and it is out of my hands. God did answer my prayer and I was accepted into a university that I wanted to attend. Unfortunately, during my time in university, I grew apart from Jesus. I was so caught up in school and putting school as my priority over Jesus.

After I graduated, my next top priority was getting a nice job and starting my career, once again not thinking about Jesus whatsoever. At first I wasn’t too worried, since I just graduated and I was still young. As time went on and I still haven’t had a career yet, I started to get worried again. I started to pray again. Asking Jesus to provide me with a job like he a genie in a bottle. However, this time my prayer was not answered. I was getting desperate because I was getting older and still haven’t started my career. I felt like such a failure as a person and as a son. My parents were worried about me. I truly felt helpless and I had to finally turn to Jesus. I realized that I finally I cannot rely on myself and can only rely on Jesus. Even though I started to finally rely on Jesus, what I wanted did not come quickly. I didn’t fully rely on Jesus at this point. I still had the belief that I can do somethings to improve my chances of getting a job. I can rely on Jesus for a little bit, but ultimately it was up to me to provide me with the best chances to get a job. News Flash, I didn’t get a job. Looking back now, Jesus was probably saying that he could wait until I fully submit. I eventually learned to fully submit and trust Jesus. When I did so, Jesus provided for me. I was able to be hired and start my career just a couple months ago. Jesus used something that was important to me and humbled me with it. I was worried, I was anxious about my life, but I did not need to worry. All I had to do was to turn to Jesus, fully submit and wait for his timing and what he wanted from me.

I can say this now, Jesus, use me in whatever means in order to further your kingdom. I end with this bible verse from Matthew 6:25 and verse 33. Therefore I tell you , do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Zechariah Faith Journey

I grew up in a Christian household. My dad served in the church regularly, and my mother worked as part of the children's ministry team at the church. Because of this, I lived most of my life around standard Christian perspectives. I was never challenged in my faith, yet at the same time, I was never close to God.

Because I had grown up in the church, Christianity became a regular chore for me: attending youth group, Sunday school, and other events simply became mundane tasks that were expected of me. I did not dislike these activities, but at the same time I never particularly felt connected by them.

In May 2022, my school was forced into temporary relocation due to a fire that had occurred at the old campus. During this period, my family made the difficult decision to take me out of the high school. This was a decision we had been considering for a long time. However, the fire acted as the tipping point for our final decision. I was withdrawn from the school and enrolled at a school much closer to our home.

This school's reputation was not as well known and offered significantly fewer opportunities in comparison to my old school. I was initially angry. If God loved me why would he allow this to happen to me? Why was I watching as peers around me got to engage in various activities within their school, while I was given nothing? I continued to stay frustrated with the situation throughout the summer.

In August of 2022, I participated in a summer camp at Southern Alberta Bible Camp. The theme of the camp was Saddle Up! The idea was simple: everything we do now is in preparation for the future. Just as a horse rider takes the time to attach a saddle to the horse to make riding the horse easier, the things we do in our current life, in the end, are only part of God's plan. Although they may seem difficult currently, ultimately God has a plan for each one of us. This was a theme that stuck with me throughout the camp, but despite this, I did not take the message seriously at the time.

I entered the new school year angry and pessimistic, and this was reflected in my experience. I was not enjoying school and often felt frustrated with the situation God had left me in. The first semester was extremely difficult, as I got accustomed to the new environment. During this time, my frustrations were often apparent. However, my mom gave me on reminder that will stick with me the rest of my life: my name. The name Zechariah means God remembers. Although currently, I may feel as if I have been abandoned by God, I need to recognize that God has a plan for me. Although I couldn’t see it then, I had to realize that this was the place I was meant to be. I decided to make the most out of my environment. I made new friendships and created opportunities in the form of clubs, events, etc.

By the end of the year, my experience with the school had grown significantly. I realized that although at the time I couldn’t see it, God’s plans had always been right for me.

In 2023, I was given opportunities I would have never been able to receive at nearby schools. These opportunities ultimately aligned with some of my goals for the future. It was then that I realized the significance the decision to enter the school had had on my life. I learned much more about life than I would have ever learned at the previous school, and had simultaneously made new friendships I never would have had before.

”Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”“

John 13:7 NIV

As I embark on this new chapter of my life, transitioning from high school to post-secondary education, I find solace and assurance in the belief that God has a greater purpose for me. My decision to undergo baptism serves as a profound declaration of my unwavering trust in God's guidance and providence as I navigate the path ahead.

Noel's Faith Journey

Hi, I'm Noel. I've been a part of this church my whole life, but at times, I found Christianity to be unrelatable, something for someone else. I became non-attuned to what was happening in the Sunday schools. I didn’t have a good reason to go other than that my parents and brother were going. Now because I was a good kid I would just listen to my parents, and I wouldn’t complain about going to church. However, I would be quite upset on Sunday nights because I “could’ve spent my time on something better...like playing video games”.

I accepted Christ in grade 1 or 2, but looking back, my understanding was limited at that time. For this reason, I went on to accept Christ as my God again in April of 2020, yet I still hadn’t felt any noticeable change or much of any change whatsoever. I kept living a sinful life of lying, greed, and jealousy.

In 2020 COVID struck. My world was shattered and the habits I had built up instantly crumbled. I spent a lot of my time playing video games and by doing so I lost motivation to do anything else other than a bit of homework. When it finally ended in 2021, I felt that everyone asked the question, “What now?” Meanwhile, I simply wanted to go back to school and continue with my sinful life. God granted this wish and I lived a carefree year for the rest of 2021.

In 2022 SCCEFC hosted its first youth camp in over two years. I was reluctant to go because I felt that I didn’t have many friends and the friends I had before the pandemic were not as close to me as before. The reason behind this is that we only met on Zoom calls for Glory. However, my parents got me to go in the end and I ended up learning a lot about Jesus and our faith. I felt my faith strengthen and as I returned home I pondered on the teachings and the fun I had.

Yet, I lost my connection with God. Although I kept doing everything possible to reconnect with God, my efforts seemed futile. One day before I prayed, I remembered how back in my children’s Sunday school class teacher Daniel had taught me the proper prayer format of placing thanksgiving as one of my priorities. So, I began to rethink my prayers and gratefully thanked God for everything he had given me in my life, and I began to feel traces of his presence. Soon after, my brother also introduced me to Christian music, a pivotal role in feeling God's presence. As I started to listen to Christian music, I felt that God had finally reappeared in my life. I started serving in Agapeland because I felt I wanted to spread the good news to more people. Ever since then, I’ve felt a stronger and lingering connection with God, and I’ve been asking God for wisdom on how to improve my teaching and he’s shown me in multiple ways. By teaching in Agapeland I’ve learnt more about Jesus and myself than I had previously.

Finally, I’d like to state my favourite verse from the bible. Jeremiah 29:11 says “‘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.’”

This verse resonated with me because at times when I felt at my lowest and that no one cared for me it would remind me that God had a masterplan for us working out behind the scenes. I simply had to wait for him to put those plans into play.

In closing, I want to thank my old Sunday School teacher, Daniel, for helping me memorize Bible verses with sweet rewards. I’d also like to thank all my current and previous Sunday School teachers, as well as Glory, Shine, and Agapeland teachers who spent portions of their week prepping for their lessons and being there for if I needed help. I want to thank Pastor Adriel for being there for me if I needed help and Pastor Calvin for teaching my baptism classes and helping me explore deeper into my faith. I want to also thank my parents, and friends at church for giving me motivation to go to church.

Alex's Faith Journey

My name is Alex Lee. I was born in a non-Christian family in Hong Kong, so growing up I didn’t have much exposure to Christianity other than learning about some biblical stories in school. In 1995 my family moved to Calgary. My first exposure to Christianity was at VBS here at SCCEFC because a parent from my sister’s class, Auntie Cindy, invited me. And after that I began going to fellowship on Saturdays and eventually Sunday School and service. It was in the Glory fellowship that I decided to accept Jesus. After accepting Jesus into my life didn’t change much, I continued to go to church and attend fellowship like before. I remember back in high school Pastor Allan, our pastor at the time, asked if I wanted to be baptized. At that time, I thought I wasn’t ready because I don’t have anything special to say or a story to tell, so I said I wasn’t ready and continued on. After graduating high school I stopped going to fellowship and started drifting away from God.

After graduating University I didn’t have a job lined up and I didn’t know what to do. I ended up going to an employment agency for help and they found me an admin job at an accounting firm. This was a perfect scenario for me since I graduated with an accounting degree, so it would be a good opportunity for me to get some working experience and network with the people there. After a year or so I was able to transfer over to the accounting side of things. And according to one of the manager there I was the first person to make that transition from an admin staff to a staff accountant since he did it a long time ago. So this showed me that I was only able to do this because God was leading and guiding me the whole time. However, I think it was around this time that I started drifting further away from God. I started prioritizing work ahead of God. I started putting more time on working and making sure I am doing a good job and meeting the expectations at work. And all of this got me to think that it was all these things that I am doing that got me to where I am. And things were going well, my hard work and efforts were being recognized by my coworkers and superiors. I was promoted and progressing through the company and things were good. So fast forward to the end of last year I was planning to leave my job and was looking for something outside of public accounting, but God had other plans for me. I was let go by the company before I was able to find anything.

I believe this was God’s way of telling me that what I believed I have achieved through my hard work was really God being at work and guiding me. And it was shortly after being let go Pastor Calvin invited me out for Coffee and chat and catch up. A little backstory for this coffee chat is that we were talking about going to meetup and get coffee before the COVID lockdown and somehow it’s happening right after losing my job. So I knew there was something that God wanted to talk to me about. And during our conversation the topic of baptism came up and I knew that this is what God is trying to tell me. At the time I said that I will think and pray about it. And now I am here today getting baptized.

The verse “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) really resonates with me over the past year. It reminds me that God sees so much further than we can and he has a plan for each one of us and all we have to do is trust in him and follow him no matter how hard things are currently.

Hazel's Faith Journey

Hi my name is Hazel, and I’m currently in grade 11. I have been part of SCCEFC all my life, and have accepted Jesus Christ as my lord and savior since Dec 2016. I remember that day pretty vividly, I was in Faith Knights on a regular Saturday, and that day's topic was specifically about the ABC’s and what it meant to be a Christian. And in our small groups, each one of us was asked if we believed, one by one. Some already believed & for some of us that journey started that day. That was me, and my journey hasn’t always been a stairway up, there’s been ups and downs, and there will continue to be, because the job God has for me on earth is not finished.

Growing up in the church, Sunday mornings were always spent at church, along with fellowships whether that be Agapeland on Saturdays or Glory/Shine on Fridays. For a long time church was seen as a chore, a place I was forced to go to because my parents went. For the majority of my life as a Christian, my relationship with God has always been distant, he wasn’t someone that I would look to when I needed guidance, or someone I would thank when good things would come my way. I would only live out being a Christian in the church, around my church community, but would never carry that behavior into my monday to thursday routine.

In the beginning of grade 10, I started to see a shift in my perspective of my faith. I started building meaningful relationships with people at church, such as the student group on the cantonese side. And through them, through the many nights we spent sharing our own stories, and praying over each other, I was able to see how God worked in them, and how much they valued and prioritized God in their lives, and it made me want to see how present God can be in my life. I started attending Emmaus every other Saturday. At the beginning, it was because that would be the only time for me to see those friends. But overtime I found myself wanting to worship God, to be serious about my faith and to grow my relationship with him. And it changed my church life overall. Since then, I have invested more of my life to God. I started prioritizing God, whether that be doing regular devotionals, praying prayers that I actually put aside time for, serving within the church, and longing for worship and fellowship.

There are a few people I want to thank, firstly my parents, the people who introduced me to God, made sure I knew how important Christianity was to them since I could remember. I also want to thank them for taking on the role of being student group councillors, which made it easy to have those moments to connect and build relationships with them. If it wasn’t for them, I have no idea where I would be in my faith. Secondly, I wanna thank Pastor Adriel, for guiding and walking with me through the past 5 years in my relationship with God and for always being there and open to having a conversation even in the busiest of times. Thirdly, I wanna thank Pastor Calvin for the support he’s given me, and the time he spent leading and teaching baptism class. And last but not least the people who have walked through my journey with me, even those who I just met this past year.

To end it off I want to share my favorite scripture and that is found in Isaiah 43:18-19 I chose this verse when I heard it preached at Tehillah two months ago as it really spoke to me and what I was dealing with at that time. When I didn’t know what God had in store for me going forward, and when I couldn’t see how what I was going through could possibly get better. The verse goes like this: “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”