Enlightenment

Even While Sleeping

Early in the morning, I woke up with a stomachache and went to the bathroom. As I sat there for a long time, I suddenly heard my mom’s voice, “Are you okay?” I was startled. It was the middle of the night when everyone was fast asleep, and I hadn’t made any noise loud enough to wake anyone. Yet somehow, my mom knew that I had been in the bathroom for a long time. Realizing that even while she was sleeping, her entire attention and concern were focused on me filled my heart with emotion. In the same way, our Heavenly Mother watches over our souls without rest or sleep. Even in the time when everyone else is peacefully asleep,…

Jahng Dong-geon From the 2nd Puebla, Mexico

Sorting Beans

Late at night, my mother quietly asked if I could help her sort beans. She explained that my grandmother’s bean harvest had been so successful that they were planning to sell the beans at the market—all two large sacks of them. Since it was well past bedtime, I answered a bit curtly and flopped down in the living room. I had expected the beans to all look the same, but to my surprise, each one was different. Mother explained that only firm and beautiful beans could be sold and showed me how to sort them. Rolling up my sleeves, I began to carefully pick through the pile. As it turned out, truly good-looking beans were rare. If one looked fine…

Yang Seung-hun From Chuncheon, Korea

Cleaning the Wardrobe

“Whew! This wardrobe really needs sorting.” I had opened the wardrobe to pick out clothes for the next day, only to find everything tangled in a chaotic heap. With moving day fast approaching, I had put off organizing, and now my wardrobe looked like a battlefield. “All right. Let’s do this.” I took a deep breath and began pulling out every piece of clothing. I had often complained that I had nothing to wear, yet here was a mountain of clothes spilling out before me. Staring at the pile, jaw slack, I began sorting through the mess of spring, summer, fall, and winter—all jumbled together. “So this is where this ended up.” As I uncovered items I hadn’t worn in…

Seo Jin-hee From Busan, Korea

Until I Experienced Pain Myself

I grew up healthy from a young age. Perhaps because of that, whenever I heard that someone was absent from school or missed work because they were sick, I simply thought they were making excuses. But one day, I suddenly began experiencing abdominal pain. Whenever I focused intensely on something or felt stressed, the pain would inevitably start. Although it was uncomfortable while working, it was bearable, so I didn’t think much of it. One day, however, I was struck by severe abdominal pain. I couldn’t sit, stand, or even lie down. I couldn’t eat, and even the medicine I forced down came right back up. There was nothing I could do but endure the pain. At that moment, a…

Han So-hee From Moscow, Russia

The Weight of the Name Dad

We went to my maternal grandfather’s farm to help with the sweet potato planting. Every year, he planted a small field of sweet potatoes, saying he wanted to share the fruits of his own hands with his children. He was a man who had never once asked his children for help, but this year, after undergoing back surgery, he called to ask for it. My mother placed the seedlings into the soil, and I followed behind her, watering each one. It sounded like a simple task, but it turned out to be far more grueling than I had expected. Bent over in an awkward position, trying to direct water into the small holes of plastic mulch, I felt my back…

Lee Eun-bi From Yeongju, Korea

What It Likes and What It Dislikes

It is said that COVID-19 has things it likes, so-called, three Cs: closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact. Being in a closed environment with poor ventilation, making close contact within one meter, or gathering in crowded spaces all help the virus spread. On the other hand, frequently washing hands, wearing a mask, and maintaining social distance make it much harder for the virus to spread. That is why COVID-19 dislikes handwashing, mask-wearing, and distancing. To prevent infection, we must avoid what the virus likes and practice what it dislikes. If we grow complacent, thinking, “It won’t happen to me,” and ignore the warnings from the government and the news, we could easily become the virus’s next target. In our life…

Go Su-jeong From Gunsan, Korea

Obedience

But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” 1 Sa 15:22–23 When I worked in the interior design industry, my boss often preferred assigning tasks to another employee rather than to me. It wasn’t because that employee had more experience or performed better than I did, so at the time, I felt hurt by it. However, after receiving guidance through the word of…

Yu Nam-cheol From Incheon, Korea

Haenyeo (Female Divers)

I made a trip to Jeju Island with my family. The blue sea, the clear sky, and the gentle sea breeze lifted my spirits. While admiring the deep blue ocean, I noticed bright orange floats bobbing on the water. They were flotation devices used by haenyeo during their dives. As someone who doesn’t know how to swim, I was deeply fascinated by these women diving and harvesting seafood in the vast, deep sea. At our next stop, the aquarium, I was able to learn more about the lives of haenyeo. A haenyeo is a woman who dives into the sea to gather seafood such as sea cucumbers, abalone, and seaweed, using only simple equipment like a wetsuit, goggles, and fins—without…

Kim Seo-yeon From Incheon, Korea

My Son’s Confession

Raising children has deepened my understanding of the love of our Heavenly Parents. Through my teenage son—who would grumble and rebel, only to seek out his parents in times of trial—I often found myself reflecting on my own attitude toward Heavenly Father and Mother. As my son grew taller and more mature, the day came for him to enlist in the military. My heart was anxious—could he keep his faith on his own in that environment? I prayed earnestly to God, hoping at the very least that he would hold fast to worship, even if he didn’t yet shine with the fragrance of Zion like the graceful soldiers I had read about in 《Elohist》. After completing basic training, he was…

Song Se-hee from Andong, Korea

A Steadfast Helper

It was during my first job after college that I encountered a humbling misstep. I had designed a promotional leaflet for our company and sent it off for printing, only to discover upon delivery that the final size didn’t match my original specifications. Somewhere between planning and production, something had gone awry. Flustered and unsure how to fix the situation, I stood frozen until my team leader approached with a calm smile. “Another lesson learned today,” he said. “This is how we grow. Every mistake is a step forward as long as we take what we’ve learned and do better next time.” His words brought to mind a memory from another first: the first time I drove a car after…

Song Yeon-ju from Seongnam, Korea

The Thornbush of My Soul

I was on my way to meet someone, wearing a sweater I cherished. The air was fragrant with the scent of spring, and I strolled along, lost in the charm of the day—when I suddenly felt a tug on my arm. I turned and saw that a thorny vine, stretching from a dense bramble, had caught the yarn of my sweater and refused to let go. “No, please, no!” I hurriedly freed myself from its grasp, but the damage was done. My sweater was snagged, its threads pulled and torn, the delicate fabric left in tatters. I muttered a complaint to the city office, never once admitting that the fault had been mine, for failing to notice the bramble while…

Gahng Min-seo From Seongnam, Korea

Mature Faith

Today, we live in an age shaped by instant reactions and immediate rewards. With a single click, we earn money, complete purchases, or launch games. What once took three or four days to arrive now appears on our doorstep overnight. Many jobs offer wages the same day or shortly after. According to a psychiatrist specializing in mental health, one key reason people so easily fall into addiction—whether to gambling, shopping, gaming, or alcohol—is the immediacy of the reward. When gratification is instant, dopamine—a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of pleasure and happiness—is rapidly released to the brain’s frontal lobe, reinforcing the behavior and making it powerfully addictive. This expert defined maturity as the capacity to wait for delayed rewards rather than…

Lee Ji-won From Gimhae, Korea

The Reason I Can Keep My Faith

At our Zion, we held a media exhibition. Each day, people streamed in—curious, eager to learn about the Church of God—and witnessing their realization and joy brought me quiet happiness. I had been assigned to help manage the exhibit, a task I initially assumed would be simple. After all, the materials weren’t going anywhere. As summer unfolded, things grew more complicated. The rainy season brought thick humidity, which began to affect the books and items on display. The brothers and sisters overseeing the exhibition became increasingly busy checking the lighting, adjusting dehumidifiers, tending to each detail with quiet diligence. Watching their care stirred a reflection in me: perhaps faith, too—though it may appear firm and unshakable on the surface—is quietly…

Baek Hwa-rang From Suwan, Korea

My Longed-for Hometown

In my childhood, our home was a bustling household of nineteen family members. The house stood on a broad plot of land, filled with memories as expansive as the space itself. One corner of the yard held a small greenhouse overflowing with plants, and beside the well we raised chickens, ducks, and rabbits. Fruit trees surrounded the entrance gate—pomegranates, cherries, mulberries, persimmons, apricots, and chestnuts—marking the passage of seasons throughout my youth. Beyond the gate, an old zelkova tree welcomed me, beside a pond bordered by an earthen embankment. A quiet stream meandered into a nearby reservoir. The hills surrounding the village, front and back, were my playground. If I followed the back path long enough, I’d reach the mountain,…

Choi Han-mi From Icheon, Korea

God, the Light of My Heart

Scientists have discovered that when mice are placed in threatening situations, a particular set of cells activates to signal anxiety—cells they named “anxiety cells.” If such cells exist in humans, I am certain I must have twice the average. I tend to worry excessively about everything, earning the nickname “chronic worrier.” I fret over the smallest details, wondering if a completed task contains hidden errors, or whether a minor prick from a sewing needle might lead to tetanus. Concerns that others might dismiss as absurd often weigh heavily on my mind. Whenever my heart is overwhelmed and sleep evades me, I reach for the Bible. Strangely, but consistently, when I open the Scriptures, my anxiety fades, and peace washes over…

Lee Seon-mi From Yongin, Korea

Heaven’s Way of Calculation

I visited the bank with my son, who had recently been discharged from the military, to take care of a savings account he had contributed to during his service. While we were waiting for our turn, a memory—a precious one I have cherished in my heart for about fifteen years—suddenly came to mind. My son was about seven or eight years old at the time. We had gone to the bank together, and after a long wait in a crowded lobby, it was finally my turn. My son, having grown restless from waiting so long, was already getting fidgety. I worried whether he would stay calm while I spoke with the bank clerk. Sure enough, he began wandering around, looking…

Yun Eun-ju From Goyang, Korea

True Love

At my mother’s request, I set out on an errand with my younger sister. We’re five years apart, and though she is now in high school, she still seems like a little child to me. Maybe that’s why I often say, “I love you,” without thinking twice.
 Today, however, I was unusually tired, and the heat pressed heavily on me. Wanting to make things easier for myself, I handed off the heavier bags and kept only the light ones. That’s when my sister turned to me and said: “You say you love me, but it doesn’t feel like it. It’s all talk—your actions don’t show love.”
 Her words stopped me in my tracks. Ashamed, I looked inward and asked myself,…

Son Yun-gyeong From Gyeongsan, Korea

Important Matters Require a Personal Touch

I work as a chauffeur, taking on driving assignments as requests come in. Today, I was tasked with escorting the branch manager of a bank to a factory in a rural area. The branch manager remained silent and visibly tense during the drive. Upon our arrival, he stepped out and said, “I’ll only be a few minutes. Please be ready to leave as soon as I return.” True to his word, he was back in the car within moments. This time, his face was beaming with relief. He made call after call, cheerfully telling each person that everything had gone smoothly. As it turned out, the matter had already been arranged—he only needed to obtain a signature. I found myself…

Oh Dae-yeop from Seoul, Korea

Even to This Extent

When spring arrives and the first green sprouts emerge from the earth, my mom’s steps grow hurried. It is the season of wild herbs, and she moves busily—gathering, preparing, and sharing them with her children. Among the many seasonal delights, her homemade green onion kimchi is a cherished favorite for all six of us siblings. She makes it faithfully, year after year.
 As long as I can remember, I’ve only received this gift—never once helping her make it. But this year, after cataract surgery, she finally confessed that her strength wasn’t what it used to be. She asked if we could make it together. So my two sisters and I set out early in the morning to her house. When…

Baek Jeong-hwa From Jeonju, Korea

Once a Stranger

“At that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. . . . Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.” Eph 2:12–19 As I read through a sermon in Elohist, these words caught my eye. For so long, I had lived with no memory of my Heavenly Father and Mother. I had forgotten the home I came from—the eternal kingdom where I once belonged—and the brothers and sisters…

Park Ji-won From Toronto, Canada