A Love That Has Lifted Me Up from the Lowliest of Places
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December 9, 2007 |
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 ~ Deacon Jong-kwon Kim
(President, O & S International; 4-13 Mission)
"I am sorry, Byul-nim..."
"It's okay, Mom. I'm okay. When things get better, I can always learn to play again."
My heart rent upon overhearing the conversation between my wife and my daughter. Byul-nim had uncommon talent in playing piano so my wife and I wanted to keep her at it. Because of her incompetent father, however, Byul-nim was forced to quit learning piano.
Despair from strings of business failures
Working as a captain at Jochiwon, Chungcheongnam-do, in 1985, I attended a nearby church. Leading a diligent life in Christ at the time and vowing to be of monetary strength to God's Kingdom, I put an end to my life in the military after 8 years.
With the retirement pay, I set up a rice store but without any real-world experience, the business soon failed. I also had to close the jewelry shop I set up before long after enduring all sorts of hardships. On top of that, when the investment in stocks also failed miserably and my family and I were forced to live on the streets, we moved into my in-laws'.
Everything, from the education of our children to the very livelihood, was in the fog. As I failed at everything I tried, I was tormented every moment by an overwhelming sense of shame. My parents-in-law treated us well but the idea of living off them was unbearable and watching my wife, who had always been weak physically, working long hours at restaurants and other stores was excruciatingly agonizing.
Led to Manmin after reading Dr. Jaerock Lee's testimonial memoir
One day in 1992, I came across at a bookstore Tasting Eternal Life Before Death, Dr. Jaerock Lee's testimonial memoir at a bookstore and purchased it. As I read the book, I wanted to find more about the man who met God at the threshold of death, received God's healing of all diseases, and since has become God's servant giving strength and hope to countless others.
Then one night, Dr. Jaerock Lee appeared in my wife's dream. Dressed in holy garments and with a Bible in his hand, he told my wife, "Follow me," and led her to a very vast church. After having the identical dream twice after that night, my wife became convinced that it was God's guidance.
In January 1996, she visited Manmin Central Church, participated in the Sunday Morning Service, and, captivated by the message she'd just heard, she was unable to leave the sanctuary.
"Honey, I went to Manmin Central Church today! The message there is really good. Let's go together next time."
Poor in the spirit, I readily agreed to it and attended the Friday All-night Service with my wife in April 1996. By the message titled "Why Is Jesus Our Only Savior?" I was shocked. I had gone to church for 15 years as a worker but this message alone did more to solve all the questions I had had than all the 15 years of my life in church combined.
  
 Discovering and humbling myself with the Word
The messages of life proclaimed from the pulpit every week more than sufficed to give me the strength and hope to someone who constantly found himself in despair and setbacks.
'I can stand up on my feet again as long as I live by the Word!'
One thing for which I was grateful above all else was the fact that with the Word, I began discovering all the sins and faults I did not even know I had. As a career soldier, I was always confident that I always lived by principles and rules and for that reason I was always direct, pressuring, telling my family what to do. When I reflected myself against the Word, I realized how I had made things difficult for my family and naturally came to repent.
After two rounds of trials in the form of two failures in business and discovering the wrong within me, I strove to humble myself and this was such a great blessing for me.
Participating in all worship services, receiving grace from the messages, and praying, my faith began to grow little by little. As I became faithful to my wife and my children and carried out my duty as a member of the Shalom Choir, the fullness only increased.
My wife, as a prayer devotee, diligently carried out her duty, praying day and night for God's kingdom and righteousness. Our family coalesced in faith and although we were not affluent, praising never ceased at our home.
God has raised me to the highest
At the time, I was working at a company that specialized in outsourcing (an arrangement in which one company provides services more effectively and economically for another company that could also be or usually have been provided in-house), and I learned from the experts, read related materials, and strove to learn on the field with the earnest desire to magnify God in my area. When I also concentrated on earning the trust of the clients, having taken God's Word to my heart, I was able to close deals here and there.
The busier I became, however, the more resolutely I vowed to not be lazy in doing God's work. At work, I tried to be in accordance with God's will and when I was unable to attend the nightly "Daniel Prayer Meeting," I came to church early next morning to seek God's wisdom through prayer. At times, I went before Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee to receive prayer from him.
Then in 2003, I received an offer as a department head at a small company, whose annual sales were only about 50,000,000 Won (50 thousand US Dollars). With the vision of becoming an outsourcing expert and with great goals for the company, I began working faithfully and prayerfully. By the end of 2006, the company had the annual sales of 1,000,000,000 Won (10 million US Dollars). This year, I have become the Chief Executive Officer and am striving to take new leaps.
I give all thanks and glory to Father God and would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Jaerock Lee for nurturing me in love.
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