Sarah’s Journey of Faith
Original price was: $14.99.$10.49Current price is: $10.49.
Persecution in China did not end with Sarah’s escape, but Sarah’s escape lends another strong voice for the world to hear. Grace be with you as you read these pages. – Bob Fu
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Sarah’s devotional trilogy takes you back to a rural, impoverished China and the rise of the Christian faith (Vol. I), through an explosion of the gospel and the high price Sarah paid for spreading that message (Vol. II), and now, to her covert escape from China, to her final destination in a free America to continue to tell her story to the world.
Sarah’s story, I confess, is not unique, in that it happens a thousand times over. Persecution in China did not end with Sarah’s escape, but Sarah’s escape lends another strong voice for the world to hear. Grace be with you as you read these pages.
– Bob Fu, Founder and President of China Aid Association
Sarah and I worked together on a conference in 2015. It was a pleasure to meet Sarah, this little giant in the faith! Her coming to America reads like an adventure novel. The biggest temptation will be to read through, non stop, all 30 days of this devotional. Try to resist and digest slowly. Learn from Sarah the childlike faith that saw her through the darkest nights and brought her to us, to lift us into the daylight of God’s grace. Blue skies indeed.
– Judge Ken Starr, Formerly, US Solicitor General, Federal Judge, US Independent Counsel, Chancellor, Baylor University
About the Author
After her conversion, Sarah Liu became a traveling evangelist to the villages of South China; she was arrested three times and served time in the notorious Laojiao labor camps. Following her release, she was sent by her house church to the U.S. to be a voice for the persecuted Christians in China.
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2 reviews for Sarah’s Journey of Faith
Recently I was given the opportunity to review the book, Sarah’s Journey of Faith, From the Dark Clouds of China To the Blue Skies of America, Volume 3 by Sarah Liu. I knew before I even started to read this book that it would be special to me. China has had a soft place in my heart since 2005 when I traveled there for the very first time as a short term missionary. I had never been out of the country but knew God was calling me to be obedient to Him. My team of missionaries went to China under the guise of teaching English as a Second Language. That was the best way to get our Visas approved so we could enter the country. I went through specialized training so I could teach English but knew in my heart that wasn’t the main purpose for my journey.
When I entered the country, I was astounded. In the airport, there were armed guards at every corner. In full uniform, they looked very ominous. Our sponsors warned us to remember we were entering a Communist country. We would need to abide by the Chinese government rules and regulations at all times. There was a feeling of being constantly watched as we proceeded through the airport and it had us on pins and needles.
After checking in to our hotel and meeting with our sponsors, we were able to connect with high school and college age students. They were interested in learning English but knew we were missionaries. We had many opportunities to share Christ with them and I didn’t realize the real danger until one afternoon when I stepped out into the common area to meet with a young Chinese girl. I had my Bible under my arm and was ready to sit down and talk to her about how much Jesus loved her. There were guards surrounding the courtyard and they were moving toward me. My sponsor must have felt something was amiss. I was dumbfounded when he quickly approached me, took my Bible, and whispered, ” You can’t have this out in the open.” At that moment, I was fearful. The reality that I could have been imprisoned slapped me in the face. Later that day, when our team reassembled to pray, the sponsor explained how dangerous my mistake had been. I could have jeopardized the entire team’s work. God’s hand was on me because He prompted the sponsor to come over to me and help at the very moment I needed it. I was humbled and grateful.
As I read the book, Sarah’s Journey of Faith, I felt like I was back in China. As Sarah shared her story of being smuggled out of China, I clearly understood the danger. Her faith and bravery were so apparent as she trusted others to help her in dire circumstances. God’s providential hand was upon her at every turn and when complete strangers stepped up to aid her, Sarah’s faith was strengthened.
Despite being tortured and beaten, Sarah remained steadfast in her beliefs. During one particular instance of torture, Sarah said she felt like giving up. She silently prayed, “Lord, take my life, I can’t endure this anymore.” Sarah says, “In that case, God gave me a vision of Jesus on the cross, suffering for me. Enduring all that wrath of man, for me. In my darkest moment, Christ became my noonday sun in all its brilliance for me. I saw perfectly clearly what I was to do. I repented for wanting Jesus without the cross. In torture and in pain, I took up the cross and was taken to the edge of the abyss, and He was there!” Her statement, wanting Jesus without the cross, was so powerful. How many times do we long for Jesus but forget the immense amount of suffering He endured on our behalf?
Sarah also talked about the underground churches in China. When I was there, I was able to see some of these churches. They were well hidden and our sponsor explained we could not go closer for fear of jeopardizing the lives of the believers who worshiped there. Understanding their willingness to worship despite the possibility of torture, imprisonment, or death was heart wrenching and made me realize how very blessed we are to live in a country where we can worship freely.
Sarah’s Journey of Faith, Volume 3, is a continuation of her testimony woven into 3 devotional books. As each chapter shares a little of her journey from China to America, she shares a verse of Scripture and provides some provoking questions to help the reader journal and reflect.
This book is a true story of sacrifice, faith, hope, and love. It will touch readers in a profound way. I recommend it especially for those interested in missions to Communist countries.
In closing, I want to mention one more instance of Sarah’s book that struck me personally. Sarah shared the following, “At 9:30 a.m. on August 2, 2005, while two American tourists were preparing to have Christian fellowship with 41 Chinese House church pastors and believers in Zaoyang City, Hubei Province, approximately 30 Chinese plain clothed police officers rushed into the house. The same day, the 41 Chinese pastors and believers from evangelical South China Church were taken to No. 2 Zaoyang Prison.” This incident happened exactly one month after I left China. I had been in the city of Xiamen on the Fujian Province, Zaoyang City was only a day away. The dangers there are very real and even today Christians in China are persecuted. Please remember to pray for those willing to risk their lives to take the gospel overseas. Chinese people need to learn about Christ’s love and Sarah is just one of those who risked her live to obey Christ at any cost.
I would like to thank Aneko Press for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I was not encouraged to give a positive review although it is my honor to do so.
*I have not read Volume 1 or Volume 2
Sarah’s Journey of Faith: From the Dark Clouds of China To The Blue Skies of America A Thirty-Day Devotional is the third Volume in a series of devotional’s by Sarah Liu. The Founder and President of China Aid Association, Bob Fu, has written the forward to Volume 3.
Sarah includes a Scripture verse or two with each day’s portion of her life testimony. At the end of each day she asks “What Do You Think?” with pointed questions focused on that days reading, and offers space to write “Today’s Reflection” and “Today’s Prayer”.
With the book’s cover reading “Devotional” I was expecting Sarah’s insights into the Scripture she chose. Instead, the devotion reads like a memoir with each day including a portion of Sarah’s testimony regarding her life as a persecuted Chinese evangelist and her refugee status in America.
I was more intellectually and emotionally challenged as a Christian than spiritually challenged. Sarah’s culture and way of life is so different than my American culture and way of life. For example, Sarah notes that in China the care socially was the younger serving the elder while in America the socially acceptable behavior is men catering to women.
Sarah makes note that in China her prayers were for clothing, meals, and shelter and in America her prayers grew bigger-a car. Sarah was trained to focus on the Kingdom of God. In America, in many churches, women are trained to focus on marriage and ministering to her biological children and husband.
It was interesting to note that many of the Christians aiding Sarah in America were themselves foreign born Americans. To hear about churches that welcomed and comforted Sarah was an encouragement to me.
Sarah’s joy in learning to do different tasks for her benefactors was challenging to me. Her culture places high regard on duty and servitude to others, no matter how one is treated. Her love for her family despite being physically and emotionally abused by them was something of a shock to me.
What could be a little misleading is the idea that America provides rent-free apartments, seminary tuition, vehicles, and salary for refugees desiring to do Christ’s work.