Alumna Mei-Mei Lee: Treasured Possession

The testimony below was first shared by alumna Mei-Mei Lee during Faculty Development Days 2025 as a devotional.

A father gave his young daughter a pearl necklace, and she adored it so much that she wore it every single day. Years later, when the girl was older, her father asked her, “Please give the necklace back to me.” And do you know what she said? “No.” She refused, saying, “This is my favorite. I love it.” Sometimes, we are just like that little girl with God. We cling so tightly to things we cherish—a ministry, a relationship, a position, or a dream—that we cannot let go. For me, that thing was my ministry.

I praise God for the 25 years I served as a missionary in Macau and the Asia Pacific. He accomplished wonderful things: we established Child Evangelism Fellowship in Macau, trained workers across the region, and translated four years of Good News Club curriculum into Chinese. But I held on to it too tightly. It became my entire life. I had subtly begun to believe that my value and God’s pleasure in me were tied to my work. My identity became wrapped up in the “doing,” and I suppose I became a workaholic.

Then, as I was preparing to relocate back to the U.S., I had a stroke at the airport. I believe that was God’s way of saying, “Stop. Let it go.” That was six months ago.

I am so thankful for all of you and the many people who prayed for me. I am doing much better now. I can walk and care for myself, with just a slight limp and some tightness. God preserved my life. This was brought home to me when my chiropractor had a stroke just a week after I did and passed away. I was struck by that, and so grateful to the Lord for sparing me. I know my mission is not yet complete.

These past six months have taught me so much. In a way, this stroke was a blessing in disguise. God knew I needed rest, and He gave it to me in that hospital. At first, I was completely immobile. Then, I could move just a finger, and slowly, I regained my strength. It was God’s way of forcing me to be still. In that stillness, I could do nothing to earn His favor—and I discovered I didn’t have to. I couldn’t do anything; my co-worker even confiscated my phone to keep me from working.

During that time, God showered me with His love through the prayers and generosity of so many people from around the world, especially in Macau. Friends, church members, even strangers came to visit, bringing me soup and food. He was demonstrating His unconditional love for me, not because of what I had done, but simply because I am His. God knows all our needs. One day, I quietly thought, “I wish I could have an avocado.” The very next day, someone brought me one. I hadn’t told a soul, yet God met even my simple “want.” This was a powerful lesson: His love is not a reward for service; it is the free gift of a Father.

I have no family in Macau, but the nurses saw how many people visited and cared for me. They witnessed firsthand the love that Christians have for one another.

Through it all, God taught me the vital difference between doing and being. My worth is not in what I do, but in who I am—His beloved child. His love for me is constant and unconditional, completely separate from my accomplishments. Even in a hospital bed, unable to do anything, I found I could still be a witness simply by being His and receiving His love.

That story of the necklace has a deeper meaning. You see, the little girl didn’t know that her father had a real pearl necklace waiting for her. But she never received it because she wouldn’t let go of the imitation one she clung to so tightly.

On my own journey, God has helped me let go of my “pearl necklace”—my ministry. In its place, He has given me new gifts. The gift of this stroke forced me to slow down. I have to do things deliberately now, instead of racing through life like an “Energizer bunny.” I am learning that it is about being in His love, not doing for His love, and for that lesson, I am profoundly thankful.

So I ask you, what is your pearl necklace? What are you holding onto so tightly? Are you willing to let it go? Our Heavenly Father has a more wonderful plan for us, a real pearl necklace waiting, if we will only trust Him with what we have. He is waiting to show you that His love is not something you can earn, but something you only need to receive.

I have to share one last thing. At my farewell in Macau, the Child Evangelism Fellowship gave me a gift. They had no idea of the story God was writing in my life. They presented me with a beautiful, real pearl necklace. It had to be from Him—a tangible reminder of His faithful, unconditional love. Now, every time I wear it, I remember that *His love for me is not based on my work, but on His character.

Thank you, everyone, for your love and your prayers.