Faith & Life

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

Warmhearted Charisma

When John Thompson II became the head coach of the Georgetown University basketball team, he would often say, “Someday, we’re going to be national champions.” In the 1982 college basketball championship game, that dream seemed within reach; Georgetown was leading the University of North Carolina 62 to 61. But with just 17 seconds left, everything changed. Michael Jordan, playing for North Carolina, made a clutch shot to take the lead. Georgetown had one last chance to score and reclaim the win, but a critical mistake—a misdirected pass from Fred Brown—cost them the game. After the final buzzer, Coach Thompson embraced the tearful Brown and gently said, “Don’t worry, Brown. Thanks to you, we’ve won far more games than we’ve lost.”…

The Company That Shared Its Recipe

“It's the only food my son can eat. Is there anyone who might be willing to sell this waffle?” This heartfelt message appeared on an online forum. It was written by the mother of a nine-year-old boy. Her son has autism and struggles with chewing and swallowing, which makes it hard for him to eat regular meals. But there was one exception—a cinnamon waffle made by a particular food company. It was the only thing he could eat, and since it was made with organic ingredients, his mother felt safe giving it to him as a meal replacement. Then one day, the waffle was discontinued. Shortly after she posted her plea, something unexpected happened. The food company saw her message…

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

Being a Helpful Person

The Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) once said, “You cannot teach a person anything; you can only help them discover it within themselves.” There are many ways to help others. You can directly share the knowledge and lessons you've learned, or you can support and encourage them as a guide. Whatever the method, what truly helps someone in need of advice is not forcing your views on them, but speaking and acting with humility and respect.

Why the Gazelles on the East Bank Were Stronger

Many gazelles lived along the riverbanks of the African savanna. Although the environments on both sides of the river were similar, the gazelles on the east bank had greater reproductive ability and ran faster than those on the west bank. A zoologist who noticed this caught ten gazelles from each side and moved them to the opposite bank. A year later, the gazelles that had been moved to the west had multiplied to fourteen. In contrast, the gazelles moved to the east were mostly eaten by wolves—only three survived. The reason the gazelles on the east bank were stronger was because a pack of wolves lived nearby. Without natural predators, the gazelles on the west bank had grown weak.

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

Death Valley

North of Los Angeles in the United States lies a valley called Death Valley, one of the hottest and driest places in North America. With an average annual rainfall of only about 40 mm, it's a place where life seemingly cannot survive—literally a valley of death. But in 2005, after a record-breaking rainstorm, something amazing happened. Wildflowers began to bloom all across Death Valley. Now, if it receives a decent amount of rain, wildflowers will bloom in the spring. Death Valley has become home to a new ecological environment. There is no such thing as truly dead land in this world.

How Trees Beat the Heat

Tree leaves don’t wither or burn, even under the blazing summer sun. In fact, trees provide cool, refreshing shade to people and animals alike with their thick, leafy branches. But what’s the secret behind their ability to stay so green and fresh in such intense heat? Trees absorb water through their roots and send it upward through tiny tubes called xylem. The water travels through the trunk and branches until it reaches the leaves. Once there, it evaporates through small pores on the underside of the leaves in a process called transpiration. This not only helps pull more water up from the roots, but also cools the tree down by releasing moisture and heat into the air. That’s why it…

The Power of Effort

Khadijah Williams was born to a single mother in a poor neighborhood of New York City. She grew up moving between homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and the streets with her mom. Using the streets as her study space, she read five books a month and carefully read every newspaper published in New York. She dreamed of going to college. Even when people laughed at her, saying, “What kind of college accepts a homeless girl?” Khadijah never stopped chasing her dream. Because her family had no stable place to live, she had to move more than ten times during her school years. In her final year, she would wake up at 4 a.m. and wouldn’t return home until 11 p.m., but…

Tempering

Iron is used to make all kinds of tools: farming equipment, hand tools, weapons, and more. But for iron to be useful, it must first be made strong. The process starts by heating the iron until it glows red-hot, then hammering it and plunging it into cold water. This removes impurities and reshapes its internal structure, making it tougher and more durable. This process is called tempering. The more the iron is tempered, the stronger it becomes. In fact, the famous Seven-Branched Sword from the ancient Baekje Kingdom in Korea was reportedly tempered 100 times. Tempering is the essential transformation that turns rough metal into a strong, valuable tool. People often say we truly mature only after going through hardship.…

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

Tears

Tears are made up of 98.5% water, along with small amounts of protein, salt, minerals, and fat. There are three types of tears. The first is basal tears, which are released about every five seconds when we blink. These keep our eyes moist and protect them from viruses. On average, a person produces about 1 gram of basal tears per day. The second type is reflex tears, which are triggered by physical irritants like dust, wind, strong smells, or smoke. These tears help flush out harmful substances and protect the eyes. The third type is emotional tears, which flow in response to feelings such as joy, sorrow, gratitude, or deep emotion. Unlike the first two, these tears are controlled by…

Looking From a Different Perspective

During a high school class, a teacher handed out blank sheets of paper and asked the students to write down their own flaws. Afterward, they were told to exchange papers with a classmate and rewrite those flaws in a more positive light. Here's how some of the students’ weaknesses were reimagined: “I sleep too much.” → “That’s why your skin looks so great!” “I never clean my room.” → “It must be fun like a treasure hunt every day!” “I always lose things.” → “You're helping keep the economy running!” “I procrastinate everything.” → “Let’s try postponing death, too!” Just like you cannot separate the front and back of a coin, a person’s strengths and weaknesses are not truly separate,…

Because We Cannot See It

People who felt like they had failed in life once visited a counselor. One said, "My biggest mistake was not dreaming big enough. If I had, I might have lived a completely different life." Another confessed, "I was always too busy with work to care for my family, and now I live alone. I deeply regret never showing them love while I had the chance." A third said, "I used to be the CEO of a company, but now I don’t even have a single employee left. I didn’t listen to them or trust them, and that’s what led to this outcome." After hearing their stories, the counselor asked with a puzzled look, "If you knew all this, why didn’t…