Mark 6:37
My family came to Chicago in February 2007. At that time I thought that 3 years would be very long time. But I see it is really short
time. It was just like yesterday when I shared my life testimony at
the united prayer meeting soon after I came to Chicago. I am now here
to share my testimony of what I have learned and experienced for the
last three years.
I cannot but thank God for abundant grace upon me and my family. God
blessed my family to live happily in Chicago. I will not forget life
in Chicago. Most of all God prepared the best trainer for me. He was
Ms. Dr. Jose Ahn. I heard about him many times even when I was a
college student. My shepherd was his sheep and he many times
recommended me to become a diplomat like Ms. Dr. Jose Ahn, saying the
job will be very useful for the world mission. Seemingly Ms. Dr. Jose
Ahn seemed to be much more softer than Shepherd Abraham Jeong. But it
was not long before I realized these two servants were all the same in
terms of their zeals and hearts for God's ministry. He was very
patient with me and served me in various ways.
He especially helped me to be trained as an independent messenger. I
was privileged to deliver Daily Bread messages every other Monday for
several months. In addition to this, I receive a grace in which I
delivered 5-min message at every Friday meeting of NE. To me even it
was not easy to attend the Friday meeting faithfully. So to deliver
5-min message was a great struggle to me. Sometimes messages were very
poor. But anyway I delivered messages without fail. When I had to be
out of Chicago on Friday for my business trips, I was relieved
thinking that I didn't need deliver messages. But in such occasions he
told me to prepare messages and let my wife Susie deliver them instead
of me. Through this training I could learn two things.
One was an absolute attitude as God's servant. I lacked in absolute
attitude before God, which revealed in many occasions. But through
this message training I could learn about what is absolute attitude
before God and I realized that I need it most in my life to be used
God as his servant preciously. If I become absolute in God's ministry
it will have good effect on others. But more importantly it will shape
me into a man of faith. I pray I may become an absolute servant before
God more and more.
The other thing I learned is practically how to be an independent
messenger. I still need more training and grace to be a good
messenger. However, through this message training I learned one very
important thing. It is that I should reveal the word of God as it is.
May God bless me to grow as independent and powerful messenger.
Ms. Jose Ahn also helped me to become a man of awakening the dawn.
Actually it had been my long prayer topic to awaken the dawn. I wanted
to become a man of early dawn. I struggled to wake up 3 A.M, and go to
my office, where I prayed and wrote daily bread testimony. Many times
I failed, but now I see I will make it a habit to do so in this year.
While participating in NE ministry, I could see many hopeful young
students grow in Jesus. Through this I could witness how powerful the
word of God was and realize only the word of God make people change
fundamentally. It was really beautiful to see young disciples grow in
Jesus and work together for Jesus.
From many servants of God I learned of how to serve God. Ms. Jose Ahn
and Maria Ahn showed me good example of how I should live to be a good
shepherd. Dr. Joseph Jeong who went to Uganda as a silver missionary
let me think again of how I should live after retirement. There is no
retirement as shepherd. Also his humbleness and humor was great trait
I should imitate to be a good shepherd. I also thank God for my
precious NE coworkers like Ms. Daniel Kim, Moody Kim, Yoshiba,
Gustavo, Pastor Moses and our young coworkers. They listen patiently
to my poor 5-min messages every Friday and prayed for me. I also thank
God for my precious fellowship coworkers who worked together.
It was my great honor to see and learn from great servants of God like
Mother Barry, Dr John Jun and Pastor Ron. One thing I clearly learned
was their zeal and heart for Jesus.
When I came to Chicago in 2007, my prayer topic was to feed one sheep.
For this I was eager to go to campus to fish sheep for the first
several months. But later my eagerness went down and put off going
fishing again and again. Yet God did not forget my prayer topic of
feeding one sheep, though I forgot it. God sent Jeff to me through Ms.
Jose Ahn. I thank God for helping me to have Bible studies with Jeff
faithfully. I could see him grow in the word of God steadily. He will
deliver a message at this coming Easter conference. I pray God may
bless him in every way and use him preciously as his servant.
When I retrospect last three years in Chicago, I see how sinful and
weak I have been. Nevertheless merciful God helped me to learn Jesus
through many precious servants of God during my stay in Chicago.
Soon my family will go to Romania. For this I have mixed feelings. It
is sad that my family have to leave Chicago soon. I will miss all of
you. However it is exciting to go to a country where I have never
been. There is just one UBF house church. Thinking of going to Romania
I chose my key verse as Mark 6:37, "You give them something to eat." I
pray I may be a good shepherd for Romanian students based upon this
key verse.
My prayer topics are as follows:
1. My family may adapt well in Romania
2. My family may cowork beautifully with Ms. John Jung's family in Romania
3. I may feed two sheep in Romania
4. I may make it a rule to wake up at 3 am.
5. I may speak well Romanian.
