Editor's Note: Sister Zhang is a pastor in the eastern China, who witnesses God's grace on her co-workers and believers. This passage tells the testimony of a church choir leader, how God redeems her from gambling addiction.
Zhang was impressed by her warmth and smile when she first met Sister Tao, a choir leader and head of a church cell group. Tao loves greeting visitors and believers with sunny smiles at the church entry door before services.
Before converting to Christianity, Tao was a gambler in casinos. She married her husband, a poker dealer in an underground gambling house, who moved her with care and love. She didn't mind his job but was curious about it.
After marriage, she learned how to play Mahjong from her mother-in-law. She won every time. As a result, she played day and night with the support of her family, addicted in the stimulation and pride the game brought. Furthermore, her husband brought her to the casino, after that she turned to gamble, for gambling was faster done with higher stakes than Mahjong. Continuously addicted in the desires, she kept gambling even in pregnancy and so did the whole family.
Later she had a daughter. When her daughter was months old, she got a constant fever that caused convulsions, consequently the treatment had to be suspended. Tao went out of control, at a loss, realizing her disability although she was so powerful on the table. Then her mother knelt down, inviting her to do like this, saying that God would heal her when they prayed together.
Yet knowing nothing, Tao knelt on the ground with her mother.
Afterwards her daughter's health condition stayed steady. while it was just a coincidence in her eyes. She lived like before after a refusal of her mother's suggestion of going to church. Several months later, the family moved near her mother's house. She contacted Jesus again in a totally different environment and relations. Urged by one of her relatives, she walked into the church the first time, which brought nothing but she found the place some sort of attraction. Therefore, she went to church every week.
Later her curiosity impelled her to join in the worship team for her love for singing. Then God's word touched her heart, making it softer. Naturally there came a desire for God and willingness to stay away from sin and keep holy.
As the time went by, she never appeared in a casino. Her great change brought the converting of her husband and parents-in-law. A lot of her relatives followed Jesus on seeing God's work on her.Now she says that she's gratitude to God for giving her the whole new, meaning life and glory to God.
