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I am thankful for God's good leading and his grace in 2014. As the direction in 2014, God gave me his word from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” Instead of ineffectually praying, God allowed me to search his will and live accordingly. Rejoicing, praying and thanking Him– through these three things God allowed me to come to know him. At this time, I accept his companionship and leading.

1. God sent coworkers of faith

Since October 2013, God has allowed two Chinese students to attend Sunday worship. They had already met our missionaries in China and had had Bible study, so they are full of spiritual desire. They came to Madrid to finish their Master’s studies and could meet Missionary Josua and Esther. God helped them to attend Sunday worship faithfully and to have fellowship in the word. Because of these two sisters, Missionary Josua could not prepare the message just any way he wanted. Their experience with God became a challenge for Missionary Josua and God granted him grace. We thank God for sending coworkers of faith so that we could worship together in a lonely mission place and have fellowship.

2. God allowed us to build up the work of the word through Genesis and Matthew's gospel

God let us see his work in Spain through Genesis study we had begun in 2013. Although I had studied this book several times in Korea and read it again in Spain, the word worked in my heart during the message preparation in Spanish. God who created heaven and earth and leads world history revealed to me that he leads his salvation work in Spain. God, who began his work of faith and salvation through one man Abraham, can continue his history through a small ministry. Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph show that he is with the believer and reveals his good will in difficulties. Through Matthew's gospel I learned how Jesus showed his mercy and love through his life-giving ministry. I could be thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit and God's grace that he let people accept the gospel. God’s word gave me comfort and strength moment by moment so that I held on to faith in Spain.

3. God laid the foundation for his ministry in Spain

God helped Josua and Esther's family to grow deep roots in Spain. In February 2013 Missionary Josua changed his job from LG to HiLo. God helped him to become financially independent. He solved his visa problem by giving him a two-year work permit. In two years he can receive a five year residency permit. God helped Missionary Josua to make progress in the Spanish language so that he could deliver the message every week in Spanish and accomplish his tasks at work without any problem. His daughter Esther Jr. prays and worships together. She creates a good atmosphere for worship service. I thank the Lord that he has solved financial, visa and language problems one after the other and allowed the foundation for the pioneering work to be laid. 

4. God gave us His grace through the ESBC

God let M. Josua and Esther learn faith at the ESBC. In 2009 M. Esther attended the ESBC and flew directly afterward to Spain in order to serve the pioneering ministry in Spain. Five years later God allowed her to attend the ESBC and to see his work. While we heard well prepared messages, we were able to reflect on faith. Although we had become missionaries by faith and preached, we could not think about faith. Through this conference he helped us to understand that he is the object of our faith and that He rewards those who seek him. So he helped us to believe in his leading as God’s children and to live for his glory. The conversations with the missionaries scattered all over the world and with God’s servants helped us to see their struggle of faith in their mission field. We were hungering for fellowship in Spain. The conference gave us the hour of rest. Esther Jr. could attend the children's conference and sing and pray with older sisters and brothers.  We could pray for six attendants for the next ESBK.

5. God allowed us to hope for a new work

With attentive care I was able to lead the pioneering work in Spain. Without God’s help and his servants I could not have hoped for God’s ministry in Spain. God is expecting a new ministry in Spain. M. Esther was able to visit the campus every week with the Chinese sisters. She distributes small flyers with a word of God written on it. The Chinese sisters go fishing with a servant's attitude. Although there has been no fruit for one to one Bible study as yet, we set our hope in the sown word.

In this way, God led his work this year. He did not condemn us despite the barrenness and he does his work. In light of my key verse from this year, I realize that I neither rejoiced over God’s grace nor prayed with hope for God’s work nor thanked him for his one-sided grace. The chronic dependence on seeking pleasure continued into this year. I remained seated in reality. With the thought that despite visiting the campus no sheep would come, no sheep had spiritual desire, I tried not to go to the campus. When I sent M. Esther and the Chinese sisters to the campus, I should have at least prayed. I even neglected this. It should be a joy to serve God as a missionary, but because of my negative thinking, mission was a burden for me. I did not look up to God who helped me in every area so that I could serve his ministry. I held on to the proud notion that I survived through my own ability in Spain. I did not respect Missionary Esther’s pushing but accused her of not respecting men. God endured me and did not leave such an arrogant sinner. I thank him for this grace.

6. 2015 Prayer topics

For 2015 God granted me Hebrews 11:6: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” When I look back on the year 2014, I realize that I must look up to God. When I did not look to God, I saw only the human conditions and fell into futile thoughts. When I did not look up to God, I respected worldly success more than his ministry. I was tempted by the world and lived in a worldly way and respected people’s worldly judgments more. God is alive and working. He was yesterday, is today and will be tomorrow. He will be with me. I should go to God and look up to him. I should read his word daily and accept his leading. I should lead the battle of faith while looking up to him. Remaining in Spain is important, but it is even more important to live for his glory. I pray to lead a life of faith pleasing to him and to feed one sheep from the campus.

Prayer topics for Spain

1. For M. Josua Kang to deliver the Sunday message wholeheartedly
2. For M. Josua and M. Esther to conquer Spanish so well that they can lead a deep spiritual conversation with sheep
3. That Sister Amalia will grow as a spiritual mother of faith through attending Sunday worship
4. To raise up an Abraham and a Sarah and 12 disciples for Spain
5. To serve campus fishing and to feed sheep well
6. For Esther Jr. to grow in faith and become a good coworker for mission