About 3000 years ago, the poet David witnessed the grace of God like this: ''Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me."(Psalm 23:4) It is only the personal experience of David, but also the common experience of everyone who follows God over thousands of years.
In early November, Hong Kong OneCircle Worship Platform, joining with actress Deng Cuiwen, held the evangelistic rally, "Walk through the Valley and Welcome the Blessings". During the rally Deng Cuiwen shared her"vallies of the shadow of death" she has walked through in her life.
Her first valley
Deng Cuiwen's parents divorced when she was young and she lived a inferior and lonely childhood. Deng, nearly 50 years old, says that unlike now, she regarded leaving her family as her only dream when she was eighteen for there was noboday she could rely on in her inner heart so she worked really hard.
In 1995, the role Yao Xiaodie Deng played in the TV series I have a date with spring walked into the heart of audiences. Her dream came true. She became famous and bought a house. But the problem appeared, "I have everything but I feel empty and hopeless. I have all and there is nothing I can seek. I'm unhappy.", Deng says. When she was thinking about the meaning of life, financial crisis attacked the world and she lost everything overnight. This is the first valley of shaow of death in her life.
However, this valley was just the turning point she returned to God. Deng shared, she remembered God, recalling the past when she was seeking the substances which couldn't fill the heart, and realized only by trusting in God, God's talking with her can satisfy her spirit, mind and body. In fact, she studied in a Christian school and knew God through this since she was little. That time when she was in the deep valley, she felt God's help around her again.
The second valley
For a period, Deng made several boyfriends and hoped to find the sense of being love since she lived a life of little love and longed for being loved. But, this wrong love made her fall into the deep valley of shadow of death again. Through this valley, Deng said she finally knew that she didn't know what love was. It was God's love which told her how God used her experience to shape her and make her a woman worth of being love. She began to mend the relationship with her parents, certained she was able to love and tried to care others.
The third valley
After these, Deng said she couldn't put down something, among it was her work. She declared her as a perfectionist and hoped she could acted best in all her plays. But too much pressure brought negative impact on her and frightened her even she suffered emotional illness and was stuck in the valley once again.
Deng returned to God again and put down gain and loss, came to realize that God wants us to listen to His word and walk in His will all the life but not do her own will.
Deng was baptised in 2004. Deng confessed life must be ups and downs, but if you let it go and trust in God, God will denifitely reward you. She said she was chosen in the dirt by God and received peace and freedom she would never find in the world and only God can give.
