Enlightenment

Lest They Return to the World

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Ex 13:17 The Israelites, at the slightest hardship, would grumble and complain, yet God always placed their well-being first. Though there was a shorter route to Canaan, He deliberately led them along a longer path. He knew that if they encountered war, their hearts might waver and they would long to return to Egypt.
 As I reflected on this, I thought of Heavenly Mother. She, too, fears that her fragile children might be swept away by the storms of the world and…

Jo Min-ah from Seongnam, Korea

I’m Looking for My Mom

I stopped in my tracks when I saw a flyer that read, “I’m Looking for My Mom.” I had often seen notices about parents looking for their missing children, but this—an adult searching for their mom—felt unfamiliar. The flyer included a childhood photo of the person alongside a recent one, along with details about the location where she was first found as a child.
 “If you remember me or know anything about my mom, I’m earnestly waiting to hear from you.” Reading that final line, I found myself stunned for a moment. How lonely must her birthdays have been—how desolate her passing days. I could only imagine how often she must have wandered the streets where she was found, desperately…

Byeon A-yeong from Yeosu, Korea

Only Thanksgiving

I once read in a sermon collection that angels gather our prayers in baskets and present them before God. In the story, two angels stood before the throne—one holding a basket of thanks, the other a basket of wishes. The basket of wishes was always overflowing, while the basket of thanks remained nearly empty. The angel holding it looked sorrowful, his face heavy with disappointment. Reading this, I was struck with sudden awareness.
 Lately, my responsibilities at work have increased. At first, I felt burdened by my manager’s growing expectations, and resentment began to build in my heart. Naturally, my prayers began to shift: “Please don’t let me work overtime,” “Please make things as easy as they were before.” These…

Matthew Taillefer from Edmonton, Canada

A Prayer for Sinners

When I first encountered the account of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, I was deeply shaken. I could not comprehend how he could pray for the very people who had gathered to kill him, even to his final breath. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats…

Seong Yu-jin from Daegu, Korea

My Heavenly Family Is With Me

It was during a time of trial in my faith. What had seemed like a minor test gradually tightened its grip on me until it came to dominate every part of my spiritual life. As I failed to overcome the trial and spent my days in anguish, I felt utterly alone in the world. With tears, I prayed to God, asking for the strength to endure; and one day, I came across a verse that felt like an answer to that prayer: “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” 1 Ki 19:18 The prophet Elijah, fleeing from Jezebel, an idol worshiper who sought his life,…

Jeong Ji-seon from Bratislava, Slovakia

Lowering Yourself Makes It Possible

After experiencing a decline in my physical condition and receiving an early diagnosis of diabetes, I began sport climbing a few months ago at my husband’s suggestion. Climbing an artificial wall, gripping colorful holds and adjusting your posture as you ascend, demands constant attention. Even the slightest lapse in focus can throw off your balance and cause a fall. When I keep pushing forward in awkward positions just to reach a hold, my arms soon wear out and give in. Though it may appear to rely mostly on arm strength, climbing actually depends on the legs and core that maintain balance and control through the power of your lower body. One day, I was about to skip a particular hold…

Park Seon-hye from Gimhae, Korea

Feed My Sheep

I often wondered: Who does God consider the one who loves Him most? Is it the person who prays earnestly in all things? The one who diligently studies the Bible? The one who glorifies God through good deeds? As I reflected on these questions and examined myself, I found the answer in a single passage: Jesus said to Simon Peter, “. . . do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” . . . “Take care of my sheep.” . . . “Feed my sheep.” Jn 21:15–17
 Three times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, and each time, He gave the same instruction: If you…

Kim A-yeong from Seongnam, Korea

I Lay Down My Life of My Own Accord

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; . . . The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it…

Bae Su-jin from Daejeon, Korea

Breaking Up the Unplowed Ground of My Heart

The Bible likens our hearts to soil. Now in the third year of my career, I’ve begun to feel as though the soil of my heart is dry and cracked. On the Sabbath, it is watered with God’s word of the living water, but during the workweek, it gradually dries out again. I often wondered why I couldn’t hold on to the water of life throughout the week. While examining my faith, I found the answer in a single verse: Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. Hos 10:12 To soften unplowed ground, it…

Jeong U-hee from Jeonju, Korea

Letting Go of the Past, Toward a Brighter Future

I am a physical therapist. In my effort to become a better healer for my patients, I strive continuously to improve. As the years go by, I gain knowledge not only from textbooks but more meaningfully through the patients themselves. At times, these encounters even offer me profound spiritual insight. One thing I’ve come to notice through consultations is that many patients believe their current pain stems from past illnesses or long-ago injuries. This belief is especially common among those who feel their initial treatment was mishandled or that their suffering was caused by someone else’s mistake. Yet, in most cases, pain in the muscles or joints arises from current lifestyle habits or behavioral patterns. Patients who refuse to acknowledge…

Jeong U-cheol from Wonju, Korea

Writing One Line of Thanks a Day

While on mission in India, I made a quiet resolution with the brothers and sisters there: to write one line of gratitude each day. For one full year devoted to the gospel, we wanted to remain mindful of God’s tireless work on our behalf—His daily love, His constant care—and respond with thanks, one line at a time. In the beginning, it felt almost too easy. In a foreign land, every challenge led us to pray, and every answered prayer stirred immediate gratitude. A safe flight into India, finding a home that suited our needs, meeting a soul with a deep thirst for the Word, blessings poured in abundance . . . my daily line of thanks often spilled into two,…

Park So-yeon from Seongnam, Korea

God’s Power

I recently moved some items. While there were a few light items I could carry with ease, there were others I simply couldn’t move on my own. As several of us joined forces to carry them, I found myself thinking how unexpectedly limited human strength can be. At the same time, I was struck anew by the greatness of God’s power. “He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.” Job 26:7 When I think that God who suspends the Earth in space is our Parents, my heart overflows. I’m filled with the firm conviction that nothing is impossible with God. As I walk the path of the gospel, I continually feel the helping…

Lee Dae-u from Gyeongsan, Korea

How Many Languages Are There in the World?

As I watched brothers and sisters spreading the gospel across the globe, I found myself reflecting on language. How many languages are there in the world? It is said that there are roughly 7,100. But the number I have in mind is about 8 billion—the population of the world. Each person speaks from a unique life shaped by their own experiences, values, and inner world. Even in the same situation, people often arrive at different conclusions. A single word or phrase can be interpreted in countless ways depending on who hears it, just as each person has their own way of expressing thoughts and emotions. Because we all communicate from such diverse perspectives, truly understanding one another is never simple.…

Ju Yeong-ho from Seoul, Korea

When Jesus Saw Their Faith

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:3–5 The reason the paralyzed man was forgiven of his sins was that Jesus was pleased with the faith of those who brought him. While sharing the truth, I sometimes encounter people who respond sharply, unable or unwilling to understand. In such moments, I may feel tempted to give up and walk away. But…

Kim Nam-suk from Changwon, Korea

A Hand Reaching for Salvation

I watched a video of people rescuing fish from a drought-stricken lake. The water had nearly dried up due to a lack of rain, and countless fish had already perished. In the remaining puddles scattered across the lakebed, fish huddled together, barely able to breathe, their mouths gasping at the surface. People used nets to scoop them into large water tanks in order to transport them to a lake with sufficient water. However, if too many fish were placed in one tank, oxygen would quickly run out, making it critical to move them swiftly before they died. In short, it was impossible to save all the fish at once. Once a tank was full, the rescuers had no choice but…

Yu Nam-cheol from Seoul, Korea

First He Must Suffer Many Things

It was a time when I was weighed down by various worries and troubles. I felt so weary and burdened that I wanted to give up—even on the blessings of God. Around that time, during a sermon, a verse was shared that brought to mind the path of suffering our Father walked before us: “But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” Lk 17:25 I reflected that we, who are full of faults, deserve to suffer, but our Father, who is without sin, walked this path of suffering first for our sake. Our Mother, too, walked this path before us and continues to walk it even now. In that moment, the weight of my worries…

Jeong Jae-u from Namyangju, Korea

Created by God for Joy


Though my bank account looked healthier thanks to a new job, my spirit was anything but. The constant disconnect between the work I did and what my heart longed for left me exhausted. Complaints slipped from my lips more easily with each passing day. As the months wore on, a heavy fatigue settled over me, and tears would rise without warning—often for no clear reason. Eventually, the weight became too much to bear. Alarmed, I sought medical help, only to learn that my depression levels were dangerously high. Even time spent with my Zion family no longer lifted my spirits. My smile had faded, and the shadow that clouded my face felt out of place in the bright, joyful atmosphere…

Kim So-jeong from Jeonju, Korea

To Meet the Lord in the Air

“How fast must we travel to overcome gravity and escape Earth?” This was the question posed by our professor during a lecture on gravity. I had no sense of the answer and was stunned to learn that it requires a speed of 11.2 kilometers (6.96 mile) per second, about 50 times faster than the average airplane. Yet even that pales in comparison with the velocity needed to leave the solar system: a staggering 42.5 kilometers (26.4 miles) per second. Such speeds are almost beyond comprehension. And yet, the Bible describes the moment of being caught up from this earth with astonishing simplicity: After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in…

Jo Yeong-seo from Yangsan, Korea

It Is More Blessed to Give Love Than to Receive

While tidying up my bookshelf, I came across a thick stack of papers—language study materials a sister prepared for me when I was getting ready for overseas mission work. At the time, language was the first and most daunting hurdle. Aware of my limitations, I reached out to someone who had already experienced preaching overseas. A few days later, she handed me a neatly compiled packet she had created herself—a set of foreign-language preaching practice materials. Each word was thoughtfully annotated with phonetic transcriptions and accent marks to aid with reading and pronunciation. Whether in person or over the phone, she patiently answered my many questions. Thanks to her tireless support—both emotional and practical—I was able to prepare well and…

Gahng Ji-yeon from Gimje, Korea

What Kind of Place Is the Heaven Prepared by God?

I’ve always been captivated by the cosmos. My bookshelf is lined with shimmering auroras, celestial photographs, essays penned by astronomers, and investigative reports on the latest breakthroughs in astrophysics. As a child, my fascination with the stars once inspired me to dream of becoming an astronomer. But as I delved deeper into the field, I realized that astronomers spend far less time stargazing than I had imagined. True observation happens only under optimal conditions—clear skies, finely tuned telescopes, and scheduled time slots. Most of their work is spent analyzing vast streams of data. Ironically, the more we study the universe, the more elusive its answers seem. Scientific reports are filled with tentative phrases like “It is projected that . .…

Jo Seong-ye from Cuiabá, Brazil