Before his conversion, Brother Li was known for his fierce and intimidating demeanor. He was nicknamed "Bull Blood," "Troublemaker," "Too Dangerous to Provoke," and "Headfirst Fury," reflecting his reputation for being violent, unreasonable, and willing to throw himself into fights with recklessness.
He came from a powerful and influential family, which counted sixty to seventy male members. What set this family apart was its tradition of requiring every male to master basic combat skills. Their instructors were prominent, including a professional martial arts coach who had once taught at the Shaolin Temple. As a member of this family, Brother Li began training in martial arts from an early age.
A Helpless Choice in Despair
Faith once seemed entirely irrelevant to Brother Li's life. However, a battle with rheumatic leg pain unexpectedly led to his encounter with Christianity.
When the condition first appeared, Brother Li dismissed it as minor, assuming that regular exercise would bring relief. However, the more he exercised, the more severe the pain became.
To find a cure, his family went so far as to sell their two plowing oxen, leaving them in financial hardship. The situation grew even worse when, during an acupuncture treatment, a doctor mistakenly struck his central nervous system, leaving Brother Li in a state of confusion. With no effective treatment from medical professionals, the family sought help elsewhere, resorting to witchcraft, visiting shrines, and worshiping false gods. Brother Li even drank the ashes of burned incense. The family tried both medical and superstitious means, yet nothing brought relief.
Two female relatives who were Christians urged Brother Li to place his trust in Jesus. Driven by desperation, Li eventually agreed, though he initially mocked their faith.
An Accidental Blessing Led to Healing
Back then, Brother Li's rheumatic leg pain was so severe that he couldn't stand. His parents had no choice but to push him to the church on a cart, unload him, and lay him on the church steps.
Inside were about a dozen elderly women, faithful believers who had endured the Cultural Revolution. One of them, a woman in her seventies or eighties, prayed for Brother Li every day, asking for God's mercy and healing. Over time, Brother Li began to feel better.
Eventually, he stopped returning home and began sleeping in the elderly woman's bed. At the time, Brother Li was in his twenties. Though she had little biblical knowledge, the old woman was full of compassion. Through her care and the support of the other women, Brother Li repented and came to faith in Jesus.
"About two weeks after believing in Jesus," he recalled, "my health had improved—I could walk. Another two weeks later, I was even able to ride a bicycle."
He thought leg pain was totally cured and that everything would go smoothly. But unexpectedly, trouble struck again and soon.
Relapse of Illness—Could My Parents Believe in God for Me?
After Brother Li had fully recovered, his rheumatic leg pain unexpectedly returned. He went to the hospital for a check-up, but the doctor found nothing wrong. Still, the pain was real.
In response, his mother invited a group of Christians to their home, including the elderly woman who had initially guided him in his faith. They were puzzled by the recurrence of his illness and began to question whether Brother Li had committed any sin. He insisted that he had done nothing wrong, but the old woman urged him to confess.
She asked if he had said anything he shouldn't have. It was then that Brother Li recalled an internal struggle he had faced after being healed. He thought, "I still want to get married and enjoy life, and just believing in the Lord won't be enough." So, he came up with what he thought was a clever solution: "Let my parents believe on my behalf while I go on with my life." His plan was for his parents to attend church services in his place and to serve as hosts for believers, offering food, lodging, and hospitality whenever gatherings were held in their village. But not long after this decision, his leg pain returned.
"That's a sin," the elderly woman said firmly. Brother Li muttered, "That's a bit too controlling."
She urged him to repent and fully dedicate his life to the Lord. "Dedicate myself? I don't even know where the Lord is. How can I dedicate anything to Him?" Brother Li replied, skeptical.
Yet the old woman's prayers were answered. God gifted Brother Li with a beautiful singing voice. He began writing and singing spiritual songs, gradually earning the title of "teacher" among believers. He attended various gatherings, led worship, and learned to preach from street evangelists, eventually gaining considerable influence within the church.
Embarking on Ministry Out of a Burden for the Church
In time, whenever Brother Li was unable to attend a gathering, he would become worried, wondering who would lead worship or deliver the sermon. Noticing the needs of the congregation, he gradually developed a burden for them, leading him to commit to full-time ministry.
The very concerns he had once worried about, such as livelihood, marriage, and raising children, did arise after he began his ministry. God did not remove these burdens. Instead, He provided a path forward in each circumstance.
Since that relapse, Brother Li's leg pain has never returned. He declared, "I'm no longer afraid of a relapse, because my faith is firm, and I will be victorious in the Lord."
