Testimonies > > Kelvin Soh
I was a drug
addict before I came to know Jesus Christ and was arrested more than 10 times,
spending almost 20 years in prison. Someone shared the gospel with me again
during my last jail term. My heart was moved by God’s love and I responded to
His call; I received Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour.
Praise the
Lord! My life was changed after I followed Christ. Although I was still in
prison my heart was full of joy and I loved to sing hymns to worship Him. On
the day of my release, God led me to
Breakthrough Missions where I would receive spiritual and work-life discipline.
All thanks to God, after years of nurturing by Breakthrough Missions, I became
a gospel musician although I never had even basic training in music before. It
was God’s gift for me and it enabled me to compose songs of praise and release
several albums. I also had many opportunities to sing and share my testimony in
different places. During those very fulfilling days I met my future wife in one
of the gatherings and, after 11 months of getting to know each other, we got
married in 2004.
My music
ministry brought me recognition, fame and success. I soon forgot myself and
became conceited, robbing God of His glory. I hardly prayed or read the Bible
and I started drifting away from God.
My spiritual
life was barren but I continued to accept church invitations to sing and to
share my testimony, and this went on for a fairly long time. Although it was not apparent to others, I knew this
descent deep in my heart and of course,
God did too. My wife also began to sense that something was not quite
right with me.
Then something
happened. I met a friend who asked me to help him with his drug addiction
problem. I agreed without hesitation as I valued personal loyalty and
friendship. Little did I realise that with my little experience I would soon
succumb to the temptation and become captive. I was once again ensnarled by
drugs and could not extricate myself. My heart was filled with pain and deep
guilt, and my life became one of hiding and evading. When my wife knew of this
she was sad and worried and prayed tearfully for me often. I tried a few times
to go abroad with my wife, hoping that the change of environment might help.
But each time the yearning for drugs became unbearable, I would take the first
flight home, leaving my wife to fend for herself. These are shameful memories
for me for I had sinned against my wife and against God.
Even when I
was deep in the pits the Lord’s grace and mercy never deserted me. He loved me
when I was weak and failed; He continued to be with me despite my rebellion,
disobedience and repeated lapses, and led me back to Him. I did not deserve all
this. Owing to God’s great love for me I am willing to humble myself before His
throne of grace, confess and repent my sins.
Praise the
Lord for His grace and mercy, I am able to return to Breakthrough Missions
again, the spiritual family where I can experience the sense of belonging. The
staff, assistants and all the brothers welcomed me back. They did not look down
on me; instead, they encouraged me. They felt that it was courageous of me to
be willing to face reality and start again, and they would learn from my
example.
I thank God
that when this prodigal son returned to Him it also brought a restoration of
relationship with my wife. I have now completed the Breakthrough Missions course
and she encourages me to stay on and serve in its music ministry. I pray that
the Lord will also restore in me the first love I had for Him. I will continue
to offer myself for His service and be a channel of the Gospel and a blessing
to many. May all glory, honour and praise be to our Father in heaven. Amen!
