My Spiritual Journey by Allan Mao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h An immigrant story: “there are mixed parts of escape and adventure: the escape from an unpleasant situation, the adventure of a far better way of life, free for new things, open for growth and creativity. Every Christian has some variation on this immigrant plot to tell.” - Eugene Peterson “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction” en-us 2019-02-15 10:52:15 UTC 2026-03-10 14:59:35 UTC hello@padlet.com YOUTH: I was born in 1967, the second year of the Cultural Revolution. And I went through the whole communist education system. There was no God. allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331948576 "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." - Romans 1:20]]> 2019-02-16 01:56:48 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331948576 6.4.: My world was turned up side down when June 4th happened. It was in 1989 - the last year of my Uni. allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331948697 2019-02-16 01:58:28 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331948697 A DARK PERIOD: for a few years after 6.4. I had been chasing money, but it was very empty allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331948877 "Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek" - Ps. 120:5]]> 2019-02-16 02:01:27 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331948877 ENCOUNTERING GOD: In 1997, I moved to the States to study. That July, I went to visit my friends, the Bottimore family who were living in Albuquerque New Mexico. When I was driving through the rolling hills in Kansas, I was stuck by the mighty creation and thought: "I am so small ... there must be God who created all these..." allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331950051 "... that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." - Ps. 27:4]]> 2019-02-16 02:18:23 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331950051 SAVED! Then on the very next day I went with John and Kim to their bible study group, that afternoon I prayed the prayer!! allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331950484 "he was lost and is found" - Luke 15:32]]> 2019-02-16 02:24:05 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331950484 BAPTISM: the following year, I was baptised at a Presbyterian church in Omaha, Nebraska, where I was studying a Masters degree in IT Management. allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331951442 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." - 1 John 1:7]]> 2019-02-16 02:35:20 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331951442 ROLE MODELS: I joined a homegroup. These American families welcomed me. I got to see their marriage and family life. That experience had a great impact on me and even my ministry. allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331951820 "Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken." - Micah 4:4

]]> 2019-02-16 02:40:41 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331951820 SEPTEMBER 11: being a young nominal Christian, I was still chasing my American dream in the first few years after I became a Christian. Then 911 happened, my dream was broken. I knew only Christ could overcome the evil and bring people back together, yet I wasn't doing anything about my faith. The idea of mission started to grow in my heart.(I guess I was pretty idealistic) allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331952221 2019-02-16 02:46:54 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331952221 SPIRITUAL HOME: In 2001 I moved to Australia. In 2003 - 2005 I started to study at SMBC, then PTC (now Christ College) for another two years!! allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331953356 "Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:14]]> 2019-02-16 03:04:28 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331953356 LEARNING TO BE A SHEPHERD: from 2008-2018, we worked in Hurstville area, serving in two churches and trying to reach out to the migrant communities, in particular to the Chinese migrants. allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331953777 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." - John 10:11

(hope you enjoy this Hamilton quote! :-)]]> 2019-02-16 03:08:35 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331953777 TRIALS AND GRACE: Last year I had to resign after our new church plant was launched a month earlier. Then Interserve Australia invited us to join the team. We are still in the process of healing, lots of pain, lots of suffering, but at the same time, we are joyful, contented, and free. allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331954329 "... I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content." -Ps. 131:2]]> 2019-02-16 03:17:19 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331954329 FAMILY: during these 10 years, we have been gifted with these two precious boys. Learning to be a husband and a father has definitely been part of my spiritual formation if you are talking about resilience !! allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331956757 "they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them" - Hebrews 11:16]]> 2019-02-16 03:52:10 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331956757 MARRIAGE: On 9th Dec 2006, Chris and I got married at Chinese Presbyterian Church Surry Hills. In these 12 years, we have gone through a lot, learnt a lot about myself and each other. It has also been a cross-cultural experience in our marriage even though Chris is an ABC. (Chinese people are different, believe it or not!!) allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331957772 2019-02-16 04:07:41 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331957772 CYCLING: After the birth of our second boy Benjy and finishing my first job at Hurstville Presbyterian Church, I felt so burnt. I picked up cycling just to get fit. It ended up becoming one of the best things I could've ever done. I've gained so much understanding about life through cycling!! allanrmmao https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331958670 2019-02-16 04:20:57 UTC https://padlet.com/allanrmmao/he7nck09nd8h/wish/331958670