Hello there. Thank you for stopping by at my blog.
My name is Ruth Zhou. I was born in China and spent first 6 years of my life there. Then my family moved to Japan and I spent the next 12 years there. After that, I came to the U.S.A. to go to college, and have been here for 15 years and counting. You do the math, and can easily tell that I am a fierce tiger in Chinese zodiac.
From a young age I had so many existential questions, often triggered by identity crises and philosophical confusion.
In my irreligious Chinese household, I could not get my questions answered. I was even struggling to communicate with my parents sufficiently because their Japanese was poor and I refused to learn Chinese.
My thought life was filled with philosophical questions of old -“Who am I?” “Where is this world going?” “How am I supposed to live?” “Is there any meaning to life?” Knowing no means but to pursue educational higher grounds, I took my parents’ suggestion to pursue college education in the United States, thinking that liberal arts education could perhaps broaden my horizon and help me discover a clear direction for the rest of my life. After all, life in Japan was a rather suffocating one with a dead end in view – a boring stereotypical life in a homogeneous society that suppressed uniqueness.
Boy was I wrong. But in some way, the choice did turn out to be a right one, only because of the mysterious but marvelous providence of God.
The “liberal” aspect of my college life didn’t help. I had to swim in the ocean of choices and opinions – from political affiliations to sexual orientations, and religious syncretism of my friends only added to the confusion.
But God always places someone (or some people) in our lives who offers a ladder to come to Him. Fortunately I met my first Bible teacher, who had also been freshly touched by the deep truths of the Bible at that time.
When God came to me, I was actually at the lowest point of loneliness and lostness. He stooped down. He picked me up. I still imagine two warm hands scooping up a little bird tired from flying. The warmth and comfort. I was rescued.
From then I was reintroduced to the Bible in such a fresh way. It was not the first time I read the Bible. In hindsight, I can see many times God has touched my life and moved my heart even back in the atheistic nation of Japan. Back when I was about 3rd grade, an elementary school friend had brought me to some kids Bible studies where I seriously wondered why this man (Jesus) would foolishly choose such a miserable death. Perhaps it was that strong impression which led me to aim for a private junior high and high school which was established by Presbyterian missionaries some 200 years ago. In those formative adolescent years, my life was filled with morning devotional service and hymn singing. Almost no student was Christian, but later I learned that half of our teachers were indeed Christians by the school’s bylaws or so. I loved my school and went there even on the days I didn’t have to. God used teachers and guest speakers to tend my heart and grow in me a deep curiosity about Him and His will.
Those seeds sown long ago were still alive and working as my college friend taught me the Bible.
I can still remember the feeling of amazement. The Biblical truth was so true, so alive to me. My soul was totally parched, and the living water of the Truth and the Spirit was profoundly refreshing and satisfying. My thirst was quenched. God’s grace filled me and overflew.
Every story had a new meaning. Every word in the scripture spoke to me personally. It was a rather magical experience. Finally, in a life that felt like an endless maze with no exit, there was a guiding light and a gracious company.
Back then when I started, the map of the Bible (and everything else that comes with it) was rather massive and intimidating, but it was gradually decoded and explained on a level I could understand. It all led to the person of Jesus Christ, in whom were all the answers. In Him was truly life, and life abundant.
It was then that I could finally put a period to the identity crisis that plagued my life for years.
Though biologically Chinese and culturally Japanese with a bite of American, I learned that I was spiritually and fundamentally rooted in Christ. The very core and essential identity in me was found in my Redeemer and Lord, and my future and dreams were driven for the Kingdom of God, headed heavenward. Seriously, does anyone need anything else than that?
Finding my belonging to Christ meant everything to me, and gave me a deep sense of security and peace. Grasping the dream of God’s kingdom only added fuel to the flame of Christ’s love, giving me a lasting dream and hope.
Every believer’s journey is worth being made into a film, and we will indeed have infinite time to enjoy every film when we reach the other side of eternity. For now, we do have a task unfinished. Our God-given commission is to reach out to those who are still lost in the maze of life, parched and starving for the life-giving love of Christ and the passion-fueling dream for His Kingdom.
For that end, my prayer is that this blog will be a divine instrument for God to sow the seed of truth into your heart.
Thank you for joining my journey.