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To love God with all my heart

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength"(Deuteronomy 6:5)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Gideon Kim

    I want this time to be the time to remember a grace of God given to the chapter of Zapopan last year.

1. We receive a grace of God attending the Holy Week conference hosted by the Guadalajara chapter. From the chapter of Zapopan, five members attended with one sheep. We attended the conference not as guests, but also as co-hosts of the conference. We participated in all activities with the sense of stewardship at the conference. And all the members received a grace of the word of God.

2. Brother Fortino, who had stopped a Bible study for a few months because of heavy postgraduate studies, began a Bible study again. Although he was busy preparing his own business and the final semester of graduate school, he attended the Bible study until the end of the year. I pray that in the new year he can have a heart of stewardship for the work of God in Zapopan, and at the same time, that his business may be successful.

3. My wife, Missionary Elisabeth, visited Korea to help in the healing of her sister who fell into depression because of her children's problems. She visited her sister in Korea as a prayer to evangelize her family, giving money and time. A few months later, her sister sent us some photos and videos showing her complete recovery of health, and also sending us greetings and thanks at the end of the year.

4. My three children finished the year with good grades in school through hard work. The oldest, Gedeón Jr., finished his eighth semester with good grades and has already begun his internship process. Above all, Gideón Jr. participated in the intensive training program held in the Chicago UBF Center for Latin American second generation missionaries. And he received the love and service of the missionaries and shepherds of Chicago Center and could accept his identity as a member of UBF.

    More than anything, he realized the suffering and death of Jesus and spoke to me on the phone, saying, "Dad, I found Jesus personally." Now, he is studying with a missionary in Chicago with a commitment to Skype Bible study. I thank God, the missionaries and the  shepherds who served him with love and the word of God. I pray that Gideón Jr. will be able to finish one year of internship by faith in God and patience, and may have the foundation to be a medical shepherd. Through this, may he have a personal relationship with God through a Bible study.

    Ki Won, my second son, has suffered a lot to take on his fourth and fifth semesters of study. He took on his study well, because he is a very independent and responsible person. But, on the spiritual side, he still has a long way to go. This year, he will be attending Chicago training; just like last year, we are praying that he may meet Jesus as his personal Savior just like his older brother, who met Jesus during this training.

    Ki Young, my third child, finished high school and entered a university to study business management. He suffered a lot from entering a different high school system, but he adapted and finished with good grades. I pray that my three children may grow up as stewards of Zapopan's work and my good collaborators.

5. Every time I prayed for a financial independence, I prayed for my suppliers and clients to prosper their business through me. Being an intermediary merchant, I wanted suppliers and clients to prosper through me, like Abraham who had been a source of blessing. Apparently, God was pleased with my prayers and blessed my business gradually.

    This year, the sale of my business increased, and I lacked nothing when providing education to my three university children, contributing to the expense of serving the work of God in Zapopan, and covering my family’s needs. I thank God because he blessed our business. I pray that we can positively give contributions to God for world mission and the raising of Jesus’ disciples.

6. Last year, we studied the second part of the Gospel of Mark, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd letters of  John, the book of Ephesians, and four Christmas readings. This year, we are going to study the remaining letters of the New Testament. I pray that the grace of the word maybe poured out on us.

Prayer Topics:
1. That whatever I do, I may do it out of love for God.
2. My three children may meet Jesus as their Savior personally and grow as the stewards of the  work of God in Zapopan and collaborators of Msn. Gedeón.
3. Brother Fortino’s faith may grow and he may take root in the Zapopan UBF chapter.
4. Missionary Elisabeth may be free of wrist and finger pain by the grace of God and have no difficulty in serving a work and ministry of God.
5. Missionary Gideón may prepare the Sunday worship message and a Bible study with an ardent love for God.
6. To invite new sheep

(Trans. Spanish into English by Shps. Diana)