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Comforted by Christ through His Body 2 Corinthians 1:5, 6In 1972, my parents were studying abroad and were saved and began meeting with believers in the local church in Stuttgart, Germany. I was born there in 1973, and soon after, we moved to California where my sister and two brothers were born. We grew up in the rich, joyful environment of the “house-to-house” church life (Acts 2:46). When I was seven years old, a Christian swimming teacher asked our class if we wanted to ask Jesus to come into us. I wanted to know what she was talking about, so I went with her to pray. When I got home, I was so happy that I ran around the house telling my mother and grandmother what had happened to me. That night, I shared my testimony in a home meeting, and in the following weeks the Lord in my enlivened conscience led me to apologize to my sister for being so mean to her and confess to a teacher whom I had lied to. Also, I loved to sing the children's hymns and pray before going to bed. In 1980, right after my youngest brother was born, my mother was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Through the following thirteen years of her suffering, her increasingly sweet and fragrant experience of Christ as her life and eternal hope made a deep impression on us and many other believers and unbelievers. In particular, she received great spiritual supply from Watchman Nee's and Witness Lee's ministry, and enjoyed sharing their rich exposition of the Word with other people. Finally, we saw her live out the reality of this ministry by functioning in her measure as a member of the practical Body of Christ. She persevered in fellowship and prayer and coordinated for the gospel and children's work with other believers in the cities where we lived. My mother went to be with the Lord in November of 1993 as I was completing my first semester in medical school. I could never have prepared for the suffering that comes with such a loss, and my faith in the Lord was tested as never before. Even though I stubbornly hardened my heart to the nourishing and cherishing of the other members of the Body of Christ, their consistent prayer, practical care, and testimony of Christ kept me turning back to Him, Who, though not physically present, was everything that I needed and the best Listener, Counselor, and Friend I could imagine. He softened my heart and opened me to be built together with many dear seeking believers I would have hardly noticed before. Though I'm now married and working as a pharmacist in Austin, Texas, Christ is still my all-inclusive supply. The rich ministry of the Word and participation in the daily church life of the local church save me from the emptiness and corruption in the flesh. Annelesa Vartanian | Back to List |
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