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Jiao-jie’s journey to faith

Jiao-jie was full of questions. Was there a God? And, if so, what did that mean for her? Why did people who called themselves Christians seem to have a real relationship with God? What was it they had that she didn’t?
Having been taught her whole life that such questions were useless – there was no God, after all – Jiao-jie struggled to know the truth. She sometimes had suicidal thoughts. But she felt a tug on her heart; there was something real, something eternal and she wanted to find it.

Jiao-jie didn’t meet a Christian until she went to a university in Beijing. She’d heard about Christianity – ‘it was a foolish and superstitious Western religion’ – but she’d never seen it lived out, until a young woman in her French class asked Jiao-jie if she’d read the Bible. Something about the question piqued Jiao-jie’s interest.

‘No, but I want to,’ she replied, surprising herself.
And so the journey began. Jiao-jie was given a Bible and began to ask questions. Her classmate seemed very wise and talked about God in a personal way. It was a completely new concept to Jiao-jie!

‘I wondered why God spoke to her, but not to me,’ she says.

Jiao-jie soon met other Christians. One was an American who became a close friend. The two often discussed history, politics and the meaning of life. Once, while talking about the philosophers who had influenced them most, Jiao-jie’s friend gave a surprising answer: Jesus!

The response shocked Jiao-jie and spurred her on to continue seeking the truth.

‘He was very smart and intellectual,’ Jiao-jie recalls. ‘I never thought he’d be a Christian. That was a great encouragement to me and really pushed me towards God.’

Not long after, Jiao-jie reached her breaking point one night while visiting a foreigner’s home. A group had gathered to pray and sing to God. Jiao-jie was moved by the believers’ obvious sincerity but, although she wanted to be part of the group, it was obvious she still didn’t believe. But she wanted to!

After she’d discussed her dilemma with the group, one of them said, ‘How about praying that God would make himself known to you?’

Although it was a simple prayer, God used it to transform Jiao-jie’s life. Jiao-jie finally knew the God she had longed for, and tears welled up her eyes.

The next morning, Jiao-jie opened her Bible, read it and felt totally different. ‘God started talking to me through his word, answering my questions.’ Things that hadn’t originally been clear now made sense.

Later, encouraged by some Christians working in China, Jiao-jie shared the gospel with her roommate, who became a believer, and then spread the good news to her classmates.

Today, Jiao-jie is a contagious Christian who buys Bibles for anyone who is interested in Christ. Seven people in her college department now believe.

Although Jiao-jie isn’t sure of her future plans, whatever does, she wants to live a life dedicated to her Saviour.

‘I don’t mind whether I produce films, become a writer or work as a teacher,’ she says, ‘as long as God keeps using me.’

Names changed to protect identities