Hello, friends, and welcome back to Global Reachout.  Last week, we began a new series called The Grace of Redemption.  In this series, we will hear the testimonies of people whose lives were dramatically changed by their encounters with Jesus.  Our first story is entitled “The Mark of Love,” and is the testimony of Sunny Tee Huk Guan.  Earlier, we heard about how Sunny’s life was miserable because of his addiction to drugs.  Despite going to jail repeatedly and finding help with his addiction from Christians such as Pastor Simon at Breakthrough, Sunny was still tempted many times to go back to his old ways.

Fortunately, Sunny’s story isn’t over yet.  Let’s continue to listen to Sunny’s testimony and see how God changed him.

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In 2005, Sunny began returning to society, but he encountered many challenges during this transition.  

“The major challenges I had in returning to society were from my heart and my family.”  This was how Sunny felt as an ex-drug addict.  “I went through a few jobs, but I always felt inferior, and could not hold my head up for lack of schooling, my slow learning, and inability to speak English.  I knew this was a problem I had to overcome continually with the Lord’s help.”

Sunny also had other challenges.  Had he already overcome his many bad habits?  How would he depend on the Lord to deal with the temptations that came his way?  He would have to keep reflecting on his life.

“I quit smoking after I followed Jesus.  Once while I was queueing in my taxi at the airport for my fare, I was tempted to ask for a stick of cigarette from my fellow cabbies since no one there knew my background.  But I was immediately reminded by the Holy Spirit not to return to my old ways.  I stopped myself that instant and filled myself with hymns and the Lord’s Word instead.”

He also experienced sexual temptations in the course of his work.  “Once, I picked up a female passenger at the Geylang red light district.  She deliberately took the front passenger seat, and when I started talking with her, she handed me her name card.  If my faith had not been strong, I would have succumbed to those temptations, and my marriage and family would have been ruined.”

Since returning to society, Sunny’s perspectives have broadened as he became more accommodating and adaptable, but the biggest challenge that confronted him was his marital relationship.

“I had much personal time and space when I was at Breakthrough.  After I got married, my wife and I were together every day, and that was when I realized we were very different in our thinking, values, and level of spirituality.  The problem got so serious that I needed to check into the Institute of Mental Health.  I wanted to end my life because I did not know how to handle my marital problems.”

Sunny first met his wife when he was a brother at Breakthrough.  The Breakthrough team was serving as ushers at an evangelistic meeting where he got to know his wife, who was helping out at a drink stall.  He led her to Jesus later.  After they were married, they had 3 children, but they often quarreled because of their different views and ways of thinking.

“Each time we had our disagreements, I simply had to win.  That was when I became irrational and vindictive, and I wanted to do things to spite her.  But I paid a heavy price.  We had endless problems and setbacks.  It was often during these times when God would remind me of the lessons I had learnt at Breakthrough.  He led me to reflect and help me to get off my high horse, humble myself, and seek reconciliation with my wife.  The consequences would have been disastrous otherwise.”

“All things will prosper if there is harmony in the home and unity between husband and wife.”  Compared to the very painful price he paid for his drug addiction – loss of dignity and freedom – the lessons he learned in marriage were bittersweet.  Through the conflicts they understood each other better, learned to be more tolerant, grew closer, and together became more resilient.

“Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.”  (Matthew 5:15)

The love Sunny showed and his transformed life as a Christian after he was freed from drugs led his father to Jesus.  His father had always loved him, and each time he visited Sunny in jail he would cry and persuade him to turn back.  But man’s words would never have moved this prodigal son’s heart were it not for the work of the Holy Spirit.

With his heart filled with God’s love, Sunny shared his testimony enthusiastically with others, including his fellow prisoners.  In fact, the prison was one of his harvest fields.  “Those brothers in prison were like a mirror that reflected my past shadows.  I had assumed I would have a lot of time and second chances, but the road of drugs was one of no return.  It is only through trusting God that we can have salvation in this life and for eternity.”

Sunny is full of gratitude as he reflects on his life.  He learned that the way of the world may start sweet, but it often leads to bitterness.  The opposite is true about the way of the Lord.  Sunny chose to end his life once, but was saved by God.  The grace of the Lord was a constant reminder that he needed to count his days, value every opportunity to serve the Lord, and be worthy of the grace God has bestowed upon him.

We hope you enjoyed listening to Sunny’s testimony.  If you would like to learn more about how you can have new life in Jesus Christ, we invite you to contact us.  Please join us again next time as we listen to the testimony of another person whose life was changed by an encounter with Jesus.