Break the Shackles
“I am a church pianist, yet had been harboring envy towards another fellow pianist. Fear griped my heart whenever she played better than me. Aiming to outdo her, I practiced at home day and night. The sense of jealousy robbed me of sleep and left me feeling physically unwell. I knew my attitude was wrong. My being of a church pianist aims at God, rather than a competition with her. I was eager to free from the pressures of competition and prayed earnestly. Experiencing God’s mercy, I felt peace in my heart. The pain and desire to surpass her vanished. I have appreciated her abilities and efforts that I wish to emulate. I have also learned to give all glory to the Lord.”
(Sister Tianli)
- God has helped Sister Tianli break the shackles of envy, freeing her completely from sin. Thank God for Sister Tianli and pray that God will continue to guide her on her ministry.
Middle-age Employment
Recently, an airline has announced new openings for flight attendants and priority would be given to married women who are between 25 and 40 years old and with children. This follows the news that the government has raised the age limit for civil service exams to 38, which has become a social media trend. In the job market, the “mid-life crisis and age anxiety” is always a stressful reality troubling labor workers. The easing of age restrictions by this airline and civil service recruitment is undoubtedly positive signal. However, significant hidden discrimination still persists in the current job market, such as companies using algorithms to automatically filter out older candidates’ CVs, or rejecting older applicants during interviews on grounds of ‘unsuitable conditions.
(“Workers’ Daily”, November 12, 2025)
- May the government take the lead in setting new standards, and further clarifying pertinent laws and regulations. Where individuals possess equivalent work capabilities, age must not be used as a restrictive factor.
Back on Track
“A post-90s vocational college teacher, I have deep personal commitment to university students. Able to guard the students’ spiritual growth, stable fellowship gatherings and spiritual companions are the protection from God. Nowadays, universities impose strict regulations on religion-based fellowships intensifying ideological oversight of students and young lecturers. This has led many people to gradually withdraw from fellowship groups, and intensified the task of “searching for lost sheep”. Through radio programs and written exchanges, we have grown closer to our faith and more connected. Thank you for helping so many lost sheep. Thank you for your faithful dedication.”
(Brother Zhang)
- Brother Zhang has been entrusted with the meaningful task of nurturing university students. May God shield him as he interacts with people on campus to influence more young people.
Increase then Decrease
Double 11 was originally a shopping festival. This year, however, it has morphed into a “brain-teasing examination”. After “calculating” the overlapping rules such as “minimum spend discounts”, “deposits” and “flash sales”, many shoppers found that the product prices had actually risen rather than fallen. With advances in algorithmic technology, consumers have become increasingly disadvantaged. Platforms adjust prices based on assessments of users’ purchasing power. The newly revised Anti-Unfair Competition Law explicitly prohibits practices such as “false reviews, price wars, and data-driven price discrimination”. However, gathering evidence remains challenging and platforms may refuse to cooperate on various grounds.
(“Legal Daily”, November 10, 2025)
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May the authorities strengthen oversight of online shopping platforms and impose stricter penalties for violations to curb price irregularities. May the authorities raise awareness of common promotion tactics to prevent consumers from falling into traps.
Gospel Broadcasting
- Festival Specials: Various program teams are working hard to produce Christmas and New Year’s specials. Ask the Lord to empower our colleagues so that they still have the wisdom and creativity to complete the productions despite their busy schedules. May the wonderful messages be widely spread on the day of Christ’s birth. May the Holy Spirit move people’s hearts and lead more people to Jesus Christ.
- Church Calendar Devotion: We are grateful for the accumulation of over 90 churches or organizations which have registered to use the “Church Calendar Devotion”. It is hoped that the Lord will guide more churches and pastors in supporting the program. Please pray that they will encourage the brothers and sisters in Christ to use the materials, build a life of spiritual devotion centered on Christ and establish a closer relationship with the Lord Jesus together.
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