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Present Your Requests to God

(Phil 4:6-7)

I chose Deut 6:5 as the key verse for 2014 because I wanted to give my heart and my best to God, the Creator. I know man’s life is empty. This is always my struggle: to know how to fill man’s empty heart. And I always find the answer whenever I open the Bible, and it is to love God wholeheartedly. In 2014, I was busy with ministry, work and family. I often lost track in terms of loving God though I seemed to work hard. Still, God showed his unchanging love to me in spite of my limitation in loving God. What I can do is to give my thanks to God who shows me his heavenly mercy through his life-saving word.

In 2014, one of my important duties was to choose the passages for the church. I prayed and read the Bible to understand the situation and spirituality of church members. And we four families studied the book of Jonah, Mark, part of Deuteronomy and Galatians. For me Bible study including message preparation demanded a lot of time, labor and energy from Monday to Sunday. This was both a blessing and burden to me. But God gave me strength and joy. The more I read the passage with prayer and other references over the passage the more I was strengthened to serve the ministry of God.  I wanted to prepare the best sermon for the people of God though. It would be my small act of love toward God and I believe God accepted this small thing from me. “Lord, thank you for your mercy and grace. You did not ignore my small struggle.” In spite of weaknesses and spiritual immaturity, God used my small talent (passion and hardworking spirit toward God’s word) to deliver the gospel of Jesus Christ and expand his kingdom on campus.

It was God’s grace for me to share western Canadian UBF ministry last March in Chicago UBF. (Canada Night) I became sensitive and emotional as I looked back on my mission life for the last 17 years. At first, I asked, “What do I have in spite of my small and big struggles, anguish and hard-working in Vancouver for the last 17 years?” I could not write down anything for a long time. During that time, however, God graciously gave me a word from Psalms 126:5-6, “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.”  I was slowly restored and had faith in God. “One day, God will make me laugh with joy if I do not give up.” Then I realized how greatly and abundantly God blessed me for the last 17 years in many areas!” I could not but cry over his grace and blessings! By God’s grace I shared the mission report for the western Canadian UBF ministry and now I realized that it was God-planned, God-pleasing and even a turning-point for my life and for our church.

Indeed, God sent more students to the church. Our missionaries faithfully participated in fishing and teaching ministry. The number of attendees of Sunday worship service in Jan, 2014 was around 15 people and by God’s grace the number increased to around 23-25 in Dec, 2014 (34 at Christmas worship service) God gave me hope and vision for campus ministry.

Last year, one of my prayer topics was to serve seven campus students. I prayed and regularly went to campus to invite students and teach the Bible. But I became very weak and powerless after two students left church, one went to heaven and the other to another province. Even though I always held on to Psalm 126:5-6, my faith became very weak last summer. I felt helpless by man’s uncertainty and limitedness. However, God restored me through the 2nd Western Canadian UBF united summer Bible conference with the title, “Dry bones, Hear the Word of God!” Man is like a dry bone. All human beings are like dry bones. Though I found salvation in Jesus Christ, I was like a dry bone. I needed the life and spirit of Jesus. Thankfully, God restored me through his life-saving word and many other souls’ restoration. God gave me vision that the word of God is able to give the dead life. Indeed, God restored me through his word! God enabled me to overcome darkness that came from two students. Probably I had been crying because of the two students. I was powerless and negative and sorrowful but God touched my soul that I could regain strength and hope to see Him and great vision of revival in Him. Praise God who has restored me in his word and Jesus Christ!

In spite of the growth in number and in certain areas, our students are weak in spiritual understanding and commitment. Some of them have limitation in this and that. This is my big struggle. What should I do? What should I do for them and my two children? How can I make effective or godly or joyful or attractive programs that would draw their attention? But I want to rely on God’s mercy, wisdom and guidance. I pray to him only for help.

2015  Key Verse & Prayer Topics

The key verse for 2015 is Philippians 4:6-7. Last year, ‘1-15-20-25’ was the pray topic for our church. This year is 1-20-20-40. We pray that all our church members may read the whole Bible once, serve 20 students weekly and pray at least 20 minutes daily. And we pray that 40 people may worship God in Sunday worship service.  Personally, I want to feel God’s presence and get his wisdom through prayer. I pray to serve seven students through one to one. I pray for my two children. I pray for sermon preparation.  And I pray for M. Paul’s full recovery and for M. Caleb Park’s family.