Faith & Life

Preparing Myself

The first time someone called me “mister,” it felt a little strange. Until then, people had only ever called out, “Young man!” or “Excuse me!” And now, suddenly, I was “mister.” As I grew older and began visiting the hospital for various health issues, I found myself thinking, “I really am getting old.” Then one day, a nurse addressed me as “Father”—a respectful Korean form of address for an older man. Being called that for the first time felt strange. I had clearly grown older, so why was it so difficult for me to accept being addressed that way? People around me have begun suggesting that I dye my hair. As I write this, I am wearing reading glasses for…

Oh Dae-yeop from Seoul, Korea

Hoping for What Is Unseen

Throughout my walk of faith, there have been times when I have forgotten God’s love and felt weary or discouraged. To an imperfect sinner like me, God gave a verse from the Bible that brought me strength. “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Ro 8:24–25 Although I received salvation through the hope God gave me, I sometimes became so focused on the visible world rather than the unseen kingdom of heaven that I forgot God’s love. I give thanks to God, who has guided me with…

Yoo Jeong-su from Las Piñas, Philippines

I Saw Myself in Those Roots

I set out to pull the weeds that had grown thick in the parking lot at Zion. It was my first time, so I was not very skilled, but I worked hard digging them up with a hand hoe. About 30 minutes after I started, I began to wonder if I really needed a tool to pull weeds. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than I put down the hand hoe and began pulling the weeds by hand. The person next to me told me that I should not simply pull the weeds by hand. I needed to dig into the soil with the hand hoe and pull them out by the roots. Otherwise, the weeds would grow…

Ahn Ji-yeong from Gwangju, Korea

In Zion, Filled With Joy and Gladness

I spoke with a member who devotes herself to the gospel while working. She said that although work can be tiring, Fridays fill her with energy and excitement as she thinks, “I wish tomorrow would come soon.” But during the Sabbath evening worship, she feels a sense of sadness as the day draws to a close, thinking, “I wish this happiness could continue.” She said that on the Sabbath, her heart, weary from life in the world, finds comfort in God’s love, and she spends joyful and happy hours with the members in Zion. Hearing her heartfelt wish that such a happy Sabbath could last forever brought a verse from the Bible to mind. “The LORD will surely comfort Zion…

Lee Chae-suk from Gwangju, Korea

Everything in My Life

Not long ago, a coworker’s mother passed away. Just three days later, I heard that my coworker’s maternal grandmother had also passed away. Perhaps the grief of losing her daughter had been too much for her to bear. As I thought about how deeply she must have grieved, Heavenly Mother came to mind. She said, “You are My only concern and everything in My life.” Heavenly Mother came to this earth because Her children, who are everything in Her life, are here. Until now, I have thought only of myself and cared only about my own life. Only now do I realize that Heavenly Mother is everything in my life. What could I do without God’s love? What could I…

Maxwell Stephan Rothstein from Philadelphia, PA, U.S.

Finding the Lost Heavenly Children

One day, while I was on my way to work just as usual, a man came to me and handed me a piece of paper. It was a flyer for finding his daughter, who was thirty nine then. The flyer had her picture when she was eleven, along with the description of how she looked and what she was wearing. The father, who had been looking for his lost daughter for about 30 years, was handing out the flyers to passersby, with his back bent and his hands wrinkled. Suddenly, a verse crossed my mind. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Lk 19:10 Heavenly Father, too, could not take care of Himself…

Kim Min-seong from Suwon, Korea

Happy Workplace

One of my acquaintances helped me search for a job. I liked my new job because I already knew someone there and colleagues seemed nice. Since I was there to work, I thought I might as well do my best, and paid attention to even the things I didn’t have to. But strangely enough, I felt happier than tired though the work was not easy. While working until late at night, my eyes hurt and I felt tired, but I was excited while cleaning and was just happy even when someone said something not so pleasant to hear. Soon after, one of our Zion members started working here as well, and the atmosphere of my workplace became much brighter. I…

Baek Seon-mi from Jeonju, Korea

The Opportunity to Restore Love

“Is God coming down?” When I was a child, I mumbled to myself, looking at the sunlight emerge from the gray clouds and shine straight down on the ground. Though nobody taught me, I was convinced that God exists for sure. So I went to a Protestant church since I was in elementary school. After becoming a university student, I was eager in my religious life; I even played the guitar on the street to preach. However, as time passed by, the sermons which were like cloud drifts in the air didn’t touch my heart at all. Whenever I did something for the church, I felt empty in the end. When I saw the secular life of the church members…

Shin Se-hee from Seoul, Korea

Patience Is Bitter, but Its Fruit Is Sweet

Bread fermented over a long period develops a richer flavor and is easier to digest. The same is true of foods like kimchi, soybean paste, and cheese. When the right environment is created and enough time is allowed for fermentation, the original ingredients deepen in flavor and become rich in nutrients beneficial to the body. The most essential ingredient in fermentation is patience. Without waiting, we can never expect the deep, savory flavor of soybean paste or the rich, complex flavor of cheese. This principle applies far beyond fermentation. Any process that leads to growth and maturity requires endurance and patience. Most things of true value are gained in this way. The same holds true within the family, where the…

Those Who Absolutely Obey God’s Word

I often thought, ‘Ah! This is what I should do,’ or, ‘I should get rid of my sinful nature,’ after listening to a sermon or watching an educational video. Within a few days, however, I would soon find myself leading the same lifestyle as before and feel a great deal of shame. Yet I would justify my action, thinking that I was at least keeping worship services. But I came back to my senses when I read this verse: “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” 1 Jn 3:4 I thought that lawlessness referred only to disobeying God’s commands such as the Passover or the Sabbath day. Since I kept God’s commands, I thought I was…

Jo Gyeong-jun from Yangsan, Korea

Mom Never Yields with the Power of Love for Her Children

My phone rang while I was washing dishes. It was Mom. I could guess why she was calling me. Mom must have called me to give me some side dishes. At the thought, ‘I should’ve called her first,’ I was sorry to her. I have four older sisters and one younger brother. Although I’m over forty, in the eyes of Mom I’m still a little girl who causes anxiety to her. The youngest child is my brother, but maybe because he’s a reliable son, Mom treats me like the youngest one. I answered the phone like a kid, “Mommy.” I guessed right. Mom asked me to come and take some fruit and meat because she had too many things left…

Lee Su-ja from Gumi, Korea

With Beautiful Hearts Together

Members from the Cape Town Church and the Bellville Church gathered together for a blood drive. Through previous meetings, we made a thorough preparation for pickets, refreshments, and recreation for the blood donors who would be waiting for their turns. When the event day came, we got even busier getting ready to welcome people. At 3 p.m., the blood drive started with the words of appreciation given by the officials of the blood bank. Thanks to the Zion members and the invited guests, the waiting room was crowded without an empty seat. The process of checking the health status of each person before the blood donation took longer than expected, but no one complained, because we took care of even…

Churches in Cape Town and Bellville, Rep. of South Africa

Give a Glass of Water with Love

Water has a great influence on health that people even say, “If you drink water properly, you can have good health and longevity.” Water releases toxins out of the body, helps blood circulation, and promotes metabolism. In addition, it plays a variety of roles, such as increasing the level of immunity and improving the skin condition. The American Institute for Cancer Research reported that people who drink more than four glasses of water a day have a fifty percent or less chance of developing colorectal cancer and cystitis than those who drink less than two glasses of water a day. If you do not drink enough water, waste accumulates in your cells and you easily get tired. This month, give…

The Wage of Overcoming Pain

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, a French artist in the impressionist style, did not put down the painting brush in his hand even on the day when his fingers were in extreme pain. His friend saw him barely painting with his sore fingers and asked, “Do you have any reason for painting even in the pain?” Renoir replied with a smile, “The pain passes, but the beauty remains.”

Through the Time of Refinement

Diamond is a mineral made when carbon has endured high pressure and high temperature in the depths of the earth for a long time. However, a rough diamond itself doesn’t look like a jewel at all. Besides, not all diamonds are treated as precious. Some of them are beautifully recreated through the hands of jewelers to attract the world’s attention, while others are processed and are used for industrial purposes. The value varies, depending on what kind of process it goes through. “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.” Job 23:10, NLT God likened the process of the refinement of faith to the process of obtaining gold.…

Yu Min-jeong from Busan, Korea

Woodpecker’s Brood Patch

Feathers are light and have very good thermal stability. So in winter, down jackets are popular among people. However, woodpeckers pluck out the feathers that cover their bodies and keep them warm. It’s only for their young. Woodpeckers willingly pluck the feathers off their bellies that directly contact the eggs during incubation. This bare area is fluid-filled and highly vascularized, making it possible for the birds to transfer heat directly to their eggs when incubating. This featherless area on their chest that they press against the eggs to keep them warm is called a brood patch. In most birds, a brood patch on the abdomen is automatically developed, but woodpeckers pluck their feathers from their own bodies. Moreover, their beaks…

Lost Shoes Back

My grandma always wants to give me more. When I was in elementary school, she bought me a desk for hard study. She paid for school uniforms in my middle and high school days. When I became a college student and lived alone, she sent me various side dishes. She always asked me if I needed anything. During the Korean national holiday Chuseok a few years ago, my grandma gave me a gift of shoes. She had even asked my aunt and cousin to choose my shoes with a fashionable design that suited me well. When I returned to my place after the holiday, she followed me to the bus terminal to see me off though I tried to dissuade…

Oh Jin-hui from Anyang, South Korea

Squeaky Clean, Feeling Sweet!

That satisfying squeak, squeak you hear when washing with soap—there’s something wonderfully refreshing about it. After lathering up and rinsing clean, even the fatigue that has built up in your heart seems to gently melt away. Why not turn this simple, soothing moment into a special Squeaky Clean Day and enjoy it with your family? As you gently wash and care for the hands and feet of your hardworking parents, your supportive spouse, or your beloved children, you may find your hearts growing closer. This month, try setting aside a Squeaky Clean Day. Love will rise like soap bubbles, and a quiet sense of pride will softly bloom. Tip Ask your family what water temperature they prefer Lather up with…

Coming Close to God

When I was in my first year of middle school, I learned the Bible deeply at Zion. Actually, I started to go to church with my family when I was a child, but that was my first time to study the words of God seriously. I had been always proud of myself, thinking I knew the Bible to some degree even though I was young. However, the prophecies of the Bible and their fulfillment made me feel as if I had never experienced the Bible before; the Bible was full of testimonies that I couldn’t deny, and God truly existed. I was so happy to be able to completely believe both in God and the Bible that I wrote a…

Lee Pyung-hwa from Seoul, South Korea

Saying “Wow!” Makes You Happier

After struggling breathlessly up a mountain on legs that feel as heavy as lead, we finally reach the summit, and a cry rises spontaneously from our lips: “Wow!” The magnificent view unfolding below is breathtaking, and the sense of accomplishment that comes from not giving up halfway and overcoming our own limits bursts out in that single exclamation. To marvel is to be deeply moved by a sense of wonder and admiration—a distinctly human capacity. We all have a natural desire both to express admiration and to receive it. Why do people spend so much time and money visiting famous attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and Niagara Falls? Would they make the journey at all if those places did…