A Story of Healing, Redemption, and New Life in Christ

My name is Chen Wanxian, and this is my journey of God’s redeeming grace.

I first entered prison at the age of 21, and by the time I was finally released for good, I was 30. During those years, my life had fallen apart. My family relationships were strained, trust was broken, and many who once cared for me had already given up hope. Relatives and friends even told my mother: “She won’t change. Don’t expect her to stay out for long.”

At one point, all three of us siblings ended up in prison — each at different times, each trapped in our own struggles, each walking in darkness.

Inside, I felt completely defeated. Drugs controlled my life, shame consumed my heart, and hopelessness became my identity. I no longer believed there was any possibility of change. But it was in that lowest, darkest place that Jesus met me.

One day in prison, I heard a simple song with these words:

“Lord, Lord, I love You… I give my whole life to You.”

I didn’t know what worship was. I didn’t understand anything about Christianity. Yet those words pierced through years of pain and numbness. Tears flowed uncontrollably, though I could not explain why. Only later did I learn the song was a Christian hymn — and that moment opened the door for me to join the Christian counseling group in prison. It was there that I encountered Jesus for the very first time.

When I invited Him into my heart, I felt a love so real, so gentle, and so embracing. It was as though Jesus Himself wrapped His arms around me. For the first time, I felt true peace. For the first time, I experienced joy that did not fade. And I wept again — not because of despair, but because Jesus was healing the wounds and shame I had carried for so long. In that encounter, I felt Jesus whisper to my heart: “I have given you a new life. You are no longer bound by your past.”

I was released in 2008.

Eighteen years have passed since that day.

The road has not always been smooth, but through every trial and every season, Jesus has never left me. He healed my broken heart, restored my family relationships, provided stable and dignified work, and placed me in a church community that became my spiritual home — a place where I grew, healed, and learned to walk in my new identity.

God didn’t just rebuild my life. He rebuilt my entire family.

My two siblings and I — once incorrigible addicts, once regular inmates — now walk in freedom through the mercy and power of God. Our home, once filled with pain and disappointment, is now filled with love, joy, and faith.

Every transformation, every restored relationship, every step forward — all of it is the work of God’s grace.

Today, at 46, I no longer live under the weight of guilt or regret. I walk in hope, in gratitude, and in the freedom Christ has given me. My heart’s desire now is to serve — especially in prison ministry. I want to stand beside those who feel defeated, trapped, or forgotten. I want them to know:

Jesus can set you free. What He did for me, He can also do for you.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17 All glory to God, the One who restores and makes all things new.