Splended local church
I grew up in the church in San Antonio. My parents grew up as believers in the island of Taiwan. In fact, my great-grandmother on my mother’s side was one of the early believers in mainland China, so there is a strong spiritual heritage in my family.
Like most believers who grow up in a Christian family, I heard about the Lord Jesus all my life. I remember going to children’s meetings and singing about how father Abraham had many sons, and how I was one of them. Of course, I really had no idea who Abraham was, let alone how I was his son! I had the definite realization that I received the Lord when I was eleven years old, and was baptized when I was twelve. Looking back now, after I have graduated from college, the overwhelming sense I have of growing up in the local church was how normal it was to be with other lovers of the Lord Jesus.
Growing up, I was surrounded by people who loved the Lord Jesus. Many times it seemed that the only thing my family had in common with the people in the church was that we all loved the Lord Jesus. We were all from different backgrounds, different cultures, all with different experiences, and yet somehow, we all met together to pursue the Lord, in a very sweet and loving way. Even at a young age this testified to me of the oneness in Spirit that all believers share.
It was also my experience growing up to have many people who cared for me, not just spiritually but also practically. One brother in Christ in particular was always there to spend time with us young people. Whether it was inviting us over to his house for a meal and meeting, or driving us to Christian young people’s conferences, he contributed a lot to my continual pursuing of the Lord.
After graduating from high school, I had a hard time deciding where to go for college. Part of me wanted to get as far away from home as possible. I suppose that is just human nature. However, due to the Lord’s leading, I decided to go to a school where I knew there were other believers who were pursuing the Lord in a serious way. I ended up going to the University of Texas, only an hour north of my home town.
If it were not for the brothers and sisters in Christ that I met and spent time with during my college years, I know I wouldn’t be where I am right now. Through various members of the Body I was really taken care of during my college years. A poor college student away from home appreciates nothing more than a good home-cooked meal, and there were many families who always welcomed me with open arms. Physically and spiritually, all my needs were met through the various members of the Body.
Samuel Yu
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