Faith & Life

Focus on Good Points of Your Family

“He’s too distracted and lacking in concentration.” “I’m worried that my child is indecisive.” “My wife is perfect in everything, but too strongly insists on her own way.” “I wish my husband will change his hot temper,” “My younger brother is so greedy.” . . . When we talk about our family, we might often point out their shortcomings or what we are dissatisfied with rather than their strong points. In the world, there is not a single person who has merits or demerits alone. All people are imperfect with advantages and disadvantages. However, the human brain tends to look at negative qualities more than positive ones, so that you may make the error of clinging to one disadvantage more…

The Love of the Passover, the Love of Life

Not everybody can donate blood just because they want to. It requires careful consideration of factors such as age, weight, blood pressure, recent trip/travel abroad, illness, and medical records. You should also be in good condition on the day of donation. The brothers and sisters of the Seosan Church showed a commitment to participating in blood donation and started taking good care of their health as soon as they heard that the “Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life through the Love of the Passover” was going to be held in Gongju. Over 580 brothers and sisters of Zion, along with some citizens who came to join the good event, gathered together in the Church of God, Gongju. All the seats…

Shin Seon-hwa from Seosan, Korea

Father’s Shoes

It was when I visited my parents for my mother’s birthday after a long time. On the way to the market to buy my mother a birthday gift, I met my father who was returning home. Then I noticed his shoes were worn-out tennis shoes, tied so tightly that no air could go through. “Father! Why do you wear tennis shoes on this hot day? Don’t you have sandals?” He just smiled and entered the house without saying anything. I bought a pair of shoes for my mother in the market. However, on the way out of the store, my father’s worn-out shoes came across my mind. I went inside the store again and picked a pair of sandals for…

Jeon Eun-ok from Seongnam, Korea

Use “Cushion Words”

When you see a cushion, you want to lean on it. And when you do, it feels soft and comfortable. In words too, there are “cushion words” that make listeners pleased and comfortable. Before you ask someone to do something, if you say words like “Excuse me,” “I am sorry to bother you,” “I am afraid but,” or “If you don’t mind,” you will get rid of objectionable feelings and make them feel respected. Try not to forget to use these cushion words because they can even turn hard words into soft words. Reference Examples of Cushion Words “Sorry, but would you please help me?” “Honey, I know you are busy, but would you do me a favor?” “I’m sorry,…

A Way to Convey Love

When I was about to go on a short-term mission trip to Mumbai in India, I was half excited and half worried because I felt pressure to learn Hindi. Wondering if I really had to learn Hindi, I asked some members if it would be okay for me to speak only English. However, they all replied that I might have a problem or difficulty if I didn’t understand Hindi. I decided to learn Hindi after all, but I was confused because all letters looked alike to me. Hindi has many difficult grammatical elements to learn, such as masculine nouns, feminine nouns, and singular and plural distinctions. Hindi has a complex grammatical structure; there is a distinction between masculine and feminine…

Choi Hui-won from Namyangju, Korea

Confession in Thirty-Seven Years

My mother got married at the age of twenty-four when she was young and beautiful, and lived in a remote countryside where even buses did not operate, taking care of her parents-in-law, brother-in-law, husband, and three kids. As she was so devoted to her family, she didn’t have any time to look after herself. On her sixty-first birthday, all our family gathered. Around the time when her cute grandchildren’s congratulation almost finished, my father came out of his room, holding a piece of paper in his hand. Though he seemed a little bashful, he began to read his handwritten letter that began with “Darling”: “Happy 61st birthday to you! Ever since you married me, you’ve worked hard for thirty-seven years,…

Park Yeong-gyeong from Gumi, Korea

Difference Between “Interest” and “Interference”

“Honey, which one do you think is better for my homecoming?” “Let’s see. The dress looks a little gorgeous and the suit looks too formal.” “There is nothing to wear except these.” “What about this jacket? Neither distinctive nor heavy. This looks perfect!” “But I have no suitable skirt for it.” “You have this checkered skirt!” “Oh, the color doesn’t match.” “What about these pants, then?” “I don’t like it.” “You say, ‘I don’t like this, I don’t like that.’ What should I do?” “Just forget it. I’ll take care of it.” “You were sorry for me not to have interest in you last time, but now are you troubled by my interest?” Both husband and wife became displeased. This…

Safety and Happiness to Our Neighbors

One day, the members from the Baltimore Church gathered at the Fraternal Order of Police Hall in Crownsville. Some of them had arrived earlier than the appointment time, unpacked the things they had brought there, and started to work in earnest. We were there to serve an appreciation dinner to local police officers who were working hard day and night. The dull and empty space turned into a beautiful place like an elegant wedding hall when the members’ hands touched it. When the time of the event was near, the hall was crowded with police officers. Some of them came with their families, and some came during a break from work. Then suddenly a siren rang and seven to eight…

Baltimore Church, MD, U.S.

Discover Hidden Merits of Your Family

While living with your loving family, you may see each other’s weaknesses. If you just look at weak points of others, you might unwittingly grumble against them. But if you consider their strengths bigger than their weaknesses, thanksgiving will come out of your mouth naturally. This month, find out 50 merits from each and every one of your family members with your eyes wide opened. If you look at others with a beautiful mind, you will be able to discover their hidden merits you haven’t recognized before and realize you’re living with such good people. Tip Tips for discovering family members’ hidden merits Have interest in them. Think positively even for their weak points. Note down whenever you find a…

God’s Gift to My Dull Heart

Recently, I didn’t have as much time as before to preach the gospel because of many other things. I knew that serving Zion and doing everything else in God would bring us blessings, but I was eager to bear fruit by preaching God's word to others. One day, I was able to make some time to go out preach the truth with a sister. I was excited at the thought that I would sow the seeds of the gospel diligently though we didn’t have much time. However, I felt somewhat hesitant probably because I hadn’t preached for long time. To say nothing of preaching whether they would listen or not, I only looked for someone who seemed to listen to…

Kim Yun-ah from Seongnam, Korea

Son Who Looks Just Like Dad

“Your son resembles you a lot.” When my dad hears someone say that, he smiles from ear to ear. Sometimes I wonder if it is such a joyful thing to him that he smiles so big. In fact, when I was a child, I heard so many times that I was a carbon copy of my mom, and I just thought that I resembled her. Then one day, someone said to my dad that I resembled him. He bragged about it to my mom as soon as he came home. Since then, I started to hear more often that I resembled my dad, and I was often asked, “You look like him. Is he your dad?” My dad was pleased…

Kim Seung-hyeok from Madrid, Spain

Book of Acts of the Female Pastoral Staff

I am a pastoral staff wife. Before coming here, I carried out the gospel ministry in El Salvador. I’d like to share what happened while I was visiting a doctor’s office in El Salvador. When I finished talking with the overseer’s wife of the main church in El Salvador on the phone in Korean at the waiting room, a nurse came up to me. “I’m learning Korean because I’m very interested in Korea. I heard you speaking in Korean, and I just came to say hello,” said the nurse shyly. She then kindly asked me when I came to El Salvador, and if I was adapting well to the lifestyle here. It was an unexpected situation, but we continued a…

Seo Ha-neul from Puebla, Mexico

Mother’s Love

Recently, I visited my mother in my hometown. She was overjoyed to see me, and through her facial expression I felt her love beyond words. When I was about to leave after I spent some time chatting with her, my mother turned her head and wiped her tears. In my childhood, I never knew what she felt in her heart. I used to walk under streetlights with resentment toward my mother who always arrived home late at night because of her work. However, I came to realize the love of my mother through my wife. When I come home from work, my wife warmly welcomes me and my sons run into my arms with bright smiles. While I rest my…

Kim Guk-hwa from Seoul, Korea

God’s Daily Gifts

“God always gives us a new day and new strength. What if God did not give us a new day and new strength? Just thinking about it makes me so thankful to God. If God didn’t, I would be struggling with accumulated fatigue.” Listening to a sister who was busy living a life of faith, working in the office, and taking care of her household, I was thankful and sorry at the same time. It’s because I took the time given to me every day and the power of the Holy Spirit for granted. I will receive God’s daily gifts with thankfulness and put my time and passion into what pleases God.

Han Min-ji from Montevideo, Uruguay

I Have Engraved You on the Palms of My Hands

I’d like to share a story about a sister who shed many tears during worship on the Sabbath day. One day while preaching God's word with a sister, I met a Vietnamese who was not fluent in Japanese. Since she had been in Japan for only a few months, she could hardly understand what we were saying, but she seemed interested in the Bible. When we showed her Galatians 4:26 that says, “But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother,” she was very surprised to see the word “Jerusalem.” We also showed her a video about God the Mother, translated in Vietnamese. Then she shouted with joy in Japanese, “That's it!” We thought that she…

Matsuno Reiko from Osaka, Japan

Practice

In our Zion, we have a cute and lovely child who has just turned one. It seems like it was only yesterday that he was wriggling in his mom’s arms, but he soon learned to hold his head up and sit up on his own, and now he even pulls himself up to stand and walk. He looks so cute when he struggles to balance but soon falls that I cannot take my eyes off him. As he doesn’t have enough strength in his legs yet, he often falls on his bottom. But he does not stop trying to walk. Although there is a soft mat on the floor, it must be hurting when he falls, but he smiles as…

Goh Su-jeong from Jeonju, Korea

My Husband’s Prayer

Before I received the truth, I had little conversation with my husband. But, after meeting God, my family has changed a lot. Since Heavenly Father and Mother changed my gloomy life, my husband saw my change and came to believe that God exists as Father and Mother. He is now growing in his faith though slow. One day, my husband came to me with a happy smile and said he had something to say. “These days, I pray hard to God.” “Really? What do you pray for?” “I pray, ‘God, please protect my wife from any car accident. Please let her drive safely. I believe that You will help her.’ ” My husband used to say that he trusted in…

Oh Hye-in from Uijeongbu, Korea

That’s Something Everyone Can Do

At the start of the autumn feast, I set a goal to preach the Gospel to as many people as possible, being united with the members in my church. As the head of a household, I felt it would be difficult to make time to preach. However, I wanted to be of help to Zion even a little bit, and I went to Zion after work. I went out to preach the Gospel with some members, but I couldn’t open my mouth. For a few days, I just stood beside the members when they were preaching. As I diligently participated in preaching while cheering myself up, I came to have courage to tell God’s word to people. At that moment,…

Jang Seong-min from Seongnam, Korea

Memories of My Mother

Last winter, my mother came to see me in the U.S. I met her in seven years. I was very happy to do everything with her from morning till night. Three months passed quickly and the day came for us to part. I felt like crying at the airport, and I just waved goodbye to her. When I came back home and saw the empty room without her, I burst into tears. I remembered that she gave me warm water, tomatoes, bananas, and eggs every morning, and that we walked together around the neighborhood for exercise in the evenings. “Look at the buds on the tree that’s seemingly remained dead.” “That house is almost finished.” Even now, when I’m walking,…

Lee So-yeong from Hwaseong, Korea

Happy Play for Both Parents and Child

Dr. Garry L. Landreth, a master of play therapy and neuroscientist, said: “Birds fly, fish swim, and children play.” For growing children, play is their everyday life and everything. The reason they do not stay still even for a moment but move constantly is because they want to play. However, experts say that children’s happiness depends on who they play with rather than what they do. In 2014, according to a study by the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education, Korean children pointed out their parents most when asked, “Who was with you at the happiest moment?” Parents were also at the top for the question who they want to play with. Thus, playtime with parents is more valuable…