Ms Zhao, 43, is a passionate and focused third year Bible seminary student who loves to share about God’s goodness. She took 300 copies of a Gospel booklet entitled My Cup Overflows, to give out in her church in Henan province. Since then, she has seen people coming to know Christ through reading the booklet.
My Cup Overflows
My Cup Overflows is produced by the United Bible Societies and printed and distributed by Henan Christian Council/Three-Self Patriotic Movement. It has the Gospel of Matthew in Today’s Chinese Version and includes a testimony of a young lady named Shiloh.
Like many young and educated Chinese, Shiloh was brought up to be an atheist. Currently a graduate student, she shares how she had once been confused by different world views, but later found the message of love in the Bible so compelling that she prayed to receive Jesus as her Lord and Saviour.
Many recipients of the booklet said that they could identify with Shiloh’s journey. Many were touched by the powerful testimony and later even approached church members to ask how they could receive Jesus into their lives.
Zhao shares the booklets
During the Christmas season in 2011, Henan CC/TSPM printed and distributed 150,000 copies of the booklet My Cup Overflows. The booklets were meant for churches in Henan and the Henan Bible School. Church members and Bible school students were allowed to take as many copies as they like to give out to their pre-believing family and friends. Since Christmas is a time of giving, many church members were delighted that they could ride on this season’s spirit to give out the booklet as Christmas gifts.
Zhao was one of the church members who took many copies to be distributed to her own church, as well as her sister’s church. Her efforts were not in vain, on the contrary, it yielded much fruit – we know of at least six men and women who prayed to receive Christ after they had received and read the booklet.
“I am excited to see God working through this Gospel booklet and touching many lives!” Zhao exclaimed beaming with joy, as she too has been a recipient of God’s bountiful blessing.
Zhao’s healing
Having survived two life-threatening illnesses, her trust in God enabled her to plant herself steadfastly in Him. Widowed for 15 years at a young age of 27, she has singlehandedly brought up her two children. At that time, when she first learnt about God, she made a promise to Him: that if God was able to provide for her children’s basic needs, she would devote her time to serving him when they were grown up.
And God was faithful and has been since. Zhao’s hunger to learn more about God eventually prompted her to enroll in a two-year lay preacher training program in 2007 and a Bible seminary in Henan in 2010.
Zhao testified that God’s blessing and love propelled her to go the extra mile to share with others about Him. For this reason, carrying as many as hundreds of copies of the booklet to her own and other churches was her act of love and service to the Lord.
Salvation from reading the portion
And God rewarded Zhao’s efforts! Sometime later, three ladies in her church came to share with Zhao that they had found the Gospel portions very insightful. When they asked Zhao if Jesus can really give peace, joy and happiness, Zhao replied, “Yes, if you receive him into your life.” The three ladies prayed and received Jesus into their lives.
On another occasion, Zhao brought another 500 copies to two other churches in Henan. Three men saw her and asked her, “If we were to take one of these booklets, will my life be like a cup that overflows with blessings?”
“Owning the booklet is like having an empty cup. If you want to be filled, read the Gospel booklet,” Zhao replied.
Another asked, “Is Jesus really a savior?” Zhao shared, “Jesus is not only a savior, He is also the greatest physician on this earth!” The next day, the same three men returned to pray and accept Christ into their lives.
Li Qiang’s healing
One of three men who accepted Christ after reading My Cup Overflows was Li Qiang. He was a hard man who used to beat his wife, a volunteer pianist at the church. When he was given the booklet, he wondered to himself skeptically, “Can God be really so good?”
While he read the Gospel of Matthew, he felt the weight of his sin and knew he was wrong to beat his wife. He broke down and repented. The next morning, Li Qiang went back to church and asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior.
Li’s home life which was one inflicted with violence, is now a haven. Now Li Qiang knows that he is given a new life through Christ Jesus.
The Power of a Gospel Portion
Zhao’s single act of distributing the Gospel booklets to the churches around her can create a ripple effect with divine help. We may be aware of the conversions of six people as a result of Zhao’s efforts. Who knows how many more stories of salvation, through Zhao’s distribution or others like her, were out there left untold that we were unaware of?
One never knows how a small Gospel booklet can make such an impact — an eternal effect — on the lives of many people.
Written by Pamela Choo and Jenise Lee
2013 © United Bible Societies China Partnership
