Tracy’s Baptism Testimony

Our church celebrated Tracy’s baptism on September 3rd, 2023.

Tracy moved here from China, and quickly fell in love with our church. She always looks for ways to help even if it means stacking chairs after the service in her high heels! After a few weeks of her asking really thoughtful questions about communion or the sermon, members of the church prompted me to share the gospel with her. We talked about the Biblical story of forgiveness, and she responded by giving her life to Jesus. On September 3rd she got baptized, and shared her testimony, which I asked permission to share with you below (or you can watch it online in English or Mandarin by clicking here).

Hello everyone!

I’m Tracy. I am from China. I came to Seattle for the first time in November last year, and I came to Anthem Church for the first time in December. I have spent 9 months in Seattle.

I was born in a very devout Christian family. This kind of family is rare in China, and even though China is very open now, Christian families are still rare, let alone in China more than 50 years ago. This is because China is an atheist country. Unfortunately, I have been educated in atheism since I was a child. I never believed in God from the time I was born until I came to Seattle last year, and of course I didn’t even recognize the existence of God! I still remember when I was in elementary school, my grandma gave me a Bible for me to read. Under pressure, I just flipped through a few pages and put it on the shelf.

I have made various plans for my life, but I never thought in all my plans that I would receive Jesus, and that I would be baptized, but here I am being baptized today! Looking back on the road I traveled, it was bumpy with many setbacks and many failures. During the time when I came to Seattle, I experienced the darkest and lowest days in my life. I began to doubt myself, and even thought of ending my life. Fortunately, it was God who pulled me back! Even now, whenever I mention this experience, it’s like it happened yesterday. The memory is still vivid, and it has cast an indelible shadow in my heart.

However, even through all the difficulties of life, there was always the hope of new life waiting for me. Now that I think about it, it was God who stretched out his hand to me when I needed it the most. It’s just that I didn’t know at the time this was the grace of God upon me. However, I finally went to Seattle and to Anthem Church!

I met Grace, Gary, Phil, Amy, and many others. Here I feel the warmth of a big family; here I feel everyone’s genuine love; here, I feel people’s selflessness. This was so different from my experience in China. I was deeply touched, which made me seriously think and learn about God and Christ.

Now I try my best to read the Bible every day, to go to church every week, and listen carefully to the Christians, who share their stories of growing in the Lord. I also started to pray, although I always forgot how to begin. I started and learned little by little. Since my father has died 8 years ago, I prefer to think of God as my heavenly Father every time I pray. Gradually, I got used to turning off the light every night before going to bed and talking with my heavenly Father in a quiet environment. I would tell him about my curiosity and joy at coming to Seattle for the first time; my nervousness and awkwardness when looking for a job; my sadness and despair in times of difficulty; my confusion and anxiety in learning the language; my loneliness in life; and I prayed to God about my plans and expectations about the future.

Nightly prayers are now part of my life. Of course, these alone are not enough to make me want to get baptized, but in the past few months, the Holy Spirit inspired me, and showed me his miracles. I think this event is something that can’t be explained by science. This is the Lord’s plan for me to be his child when I’ve come to Anthem Church this year. Therefore, it’s God’s will that I decided to be baptized!

I hope that after being baptized, I will be brand new. I will grow in the Lord, and spread the good news that the Lord has given me a new life, that more people can see and feel the goodness and power of the Lord! September 3rd is a day to be remembered in my heart. It’s the beginning of my new life. I will never forget the day I was baptized, the place where I was baptized and the people who witnessed my baptism.

Thanks be to God!