As I Showed God My Faith Even in Times of Economic Depression, He Gave Me Blessings at My Business
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Manmin News
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 11640 |
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November 27, 2005 |
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 Deacon Hee-suk Suh
(President, Suhgun Industries; Assistant Cell Leader, 7-28th Parish)
I have always enjoyed reading and one day in 1994, from my wife Deaconess Keumsoon Lee, I received a book as a gift. It was Tasting Eternal Life before Death written by Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee. With this book, I came to know about Manmin Joong-ang Church and its Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee, and at the advice of my wife in May, I attended "The Two-week Special Revival Meeting with Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee" and became a registered member.
Without possessing true faith but just for the peace at home, I went home only after the Morning Services on Sundays. At the time I had a steady job, and was sure that I had created a happy family environment, so I did not feel like I was lacking in anything.
Growing Faith with the Attention and Love of My Wife
Then in December 2002, male members of the 7-28th Parish had a regional worship service with Rev. Soojin Lee at my home. Her message poured out overflowing grace over me and my life in Christ took a new turn. I began faithfully obeying the Lord's Day, giving the whole tithes, and participating in the nightly Daniel Prayer Meeting.
My wife also helped me in every way she could to help my faith grow. As a district leader in the Yong-in, Kyungki Province region, she is faithfully carrying out her duties of nurturing members to whom she has been assigned and for the revival of her parish. Whenever I see her caring for the needy and neglected families and patients in the love of Christ, I am deeply touched.
Then one day in May 2003, my wife told me that she was going to visit the Senior Pastor with the members of her parish and asked me if I could give them a ride. As I got to meet with the Senior Pastor in person, I could sense the beautiful aroma of goodness emanating from him.
"Ah! He's so humble and filled with love!"
Facing Difficulties at Work from the Economic Depression
In the meantime, for about 8 years beginning in 1997, I had been working as a designer for model trains that were the baseline in designing actual trains, and supplying my designs to about 20 companies within Korea.
Then my older brother, who at the time was involved in producing and exporting model trains, asked me to work with him when he faced financial difficulties at his own business. I accepted his invitation, assumed all his debts and goods in stock, and somehow managed the company. Then with a decline in the exchange rate against the dollar and the economic depression that began in November 2004, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. I immediately started looking for a way out and decided to dispose about 150 model trains in stock (worth tens of thousands of dollars) as early as I could.
I e-mailed the buyers for about a year but I either failed to get a reply or only got the e-mail titled "No Intention to Purchase." I was forced to give up disposing the trains in stock and continue managing the company.
Receiving Prayer of Blessings by Faith
On September 18, 2005, I visited the Senior Pastor to at Chuseok [Editor's Note: the Harvest Moon Festival (on the 15th of August by the lunar calendar)]. Before the visit, for some reason I thought of taking some of the model trains with me. I felt that the Senior Pastor would ask me "What do you do for work?" and wanted to save even a minute of his time. Three minutes before the meeting ended, the Senior Pastor indeed asked me what I did for living. I showed him a few model trains and he showed great interest in them and prayed for my business.
"Bless his work and also give him material blessings. May the light be on him! I pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."
After receiving prayer, my heart was filled with joy.
Then 2 days later on September 20, I went to work, checked my e-mail, and what I read next on my screen was utterly astonishing. Buyers from the United States had sent me e-mail, asking me if I still had any model trains left in stock. I checked the time at which the American buyers had sent the e-mail and learned that it was a few hours after the Senior Pastor had prayed for me.
I immediately prayed to God, giving Him thanks, and took pictures of the model trains with a digital camera and sent my reply. The next day, the new e-mail said that the buyers wanted to buy all the model trains and I was able to sell all my model trains in stock, none of which I could sell during the previous year, in one day. The orders keep coming in to this day.
The Increase in Sales despite the Depression
 By this experience, I have come to possess faith to rely on the faithful God of my shepherd. In running a business, I strive to live by what the Senior Pastor has taught all believing entrepreneurs: "Pray. Walk on the right path. Do not be greedy but in goodness, be at peace with all people."
One time, an American buyer who was one of my best customers wanted to inspect my products on the Lord's Day and asked me to be there. However, the only thing in my mind was the fact that I had to keep the Lord's Day holy. I committed everything to God and did keep the Lord's Day holy. God was pleased with my faith and paid me back with even greater blessings. Instead of the orders being cancelled, the buyer told me he was impressed with my designs and asked me to continue doing business with him. Hallelujah!
As I live by God's Word, my company has been making greater profits and my tithes have also been increasing.
There's more to my blessings. I am so grateful that my parents and my parents-in-law have also registered at Manmin Joong-ang Church and Suh-san Manmin Church and begun their lives in Christ.
I give all thanks and glory to Father God and also thank the Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee for his earnest prayer of love.
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