A Blessed Life, Jesse English

I grew up mainly in Kansas in a loving home with very caring and supportive parents. My mom would always read to us. She volunteered at school and played piano at home. This stirred up in me a love for books, music, and helping others. My dad would read the Bible to us after breakfast and at dinner and would captivate us with his speaking about God and His eternal purpose. Both of my parents loved the Lord and wanted to instill this same love into us.

My parents began to meet with the local churches before I was born. Growing up in such an environment, I developed a love for the Lord early on. As I picked up the habits of reading the Bible and spending time with the Lord in prayer, I gained an even deeper appreciation for Him and my love for Him grew.

When I went off to college I met with a Christian campus group called Christians on Campus. Many of the members met with the local church. This association gave me the opportunity to spend some time during the day to read the Bible with other students or to preach the gospel. That made a big difference in my four years in college. It's really good to have some companions with whom to pursue the Lord.

Through my experiences in my family life, in the local church, and on campus, I have had a chance to grow in my Christian life and to let the Lord grow in me. I would like to give my whole life to the Lord Jesus Christ, to serve Him and to take every opportunity to tell others about this wonderful One.

Stirred Up to Pursue Christ

The ministries of two men, Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, have been a source of particular blessing to me. Watchman Nee was a servant of the Lord in China during the early to middle part of this century. In 1952 he was thrown into prison by the communists where he died twenty years later. He remained faithful to the Lord until the end, even telling others about Christ while in prison. Witness Lee, a co-worker of Watchman Nee, was sent to the island of Taiwan during the persecution in China in order to continue the ministry of Watchman Nee. Here he spent about a decade before moving to the United States, where he lived most of the last 35 years of his life. He went to be with the Lord in the summer of 1997.

A striking point in the ministries of both of these men is their focus on Christ. They never exalted themselves, but always the Lord. They stressed the importance of experiencing Christ and enjoying Christ in all His unsearchable riches (Eph. 3:8). Whenever I read a book by either of them, I am stirred up to love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37) and to pursue after Him with my whole being. My life has surely been blessed through their faithful service to the Lord.