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"Risen" - Matthew 28:6a

WHAT I LEARNED

I was really excited about this year's Easter conference, more so than for other ones in the past, because it would be with just our small, close-knit ministry and because the students had worked so hard and were involved in the entire program.

I was so moved by each student’s dedication and willingness to serve the conference. Most of the students are relatively new to our ministry, but they gave their time, talent, and energy so whole-heartedly. Throughout the weekend, I remembered how difficult it is to be their age, with a daunting future in front of them and an often broken past behind them. I realized how much these students desire a relationship with God and a life that is truly meaningful but also how difficult this is amid the pressure and judgment they receive from school, peers, and sometimes even their families.

I remember the first conference I attended with the Lincoln Park Chapter. I was a young college student, new to God and this ministry; but surprisingly, I found myself on such a high throughout the weekend. I loved getting to know everyone, getting to study God's word and to talk to others about Him, getting to sing and have a campfire, and mainly getting to spend nearly three full days being around followers of Christ and getting to focus solely on God. I was surprised at how good and right it felt—and later, after returning home, I was depressed at how easy it was to get wrapped up in everyday life again and to be so easily influenced by the non-believing people around me.

This weekend, I learned that prayer and fellowship is so necessary. We all, as Christians, need encouragement and support, but I realized that the students need it most of all. I also fully realized how God had used our missionaries and shepherds to bring these precious sheep to Himself. No one knows what a person needs or what kind of personal or spiritual struggles he or she might be having, but God knows-- and God can always use us to bring the lost to Him. I learned that I have to get over my shyness, awkwardness, and fear and depend on the Holy Spirit to boldly go out on campus and offer Christ's life-giving word to those who desperately need Him. Please pray for me to remember what I learned this past weekend and to be a shepherd for the lost at DePaul and downtown campuses.

WHAT I RECEIVED

I've heard that when people are involved in preparing and working at a conference, the conference itself becomes like a job and it's difficult to really receive anything from it. I am thankful that, despite the different tasks I had to do throughout the conference, I still was able to listen to the messages and testimonies with an open heart and open ears. The Holy Spirit was definitely with us, and I received so much from our precious young students.

I was heartbroken to learn how wounded Matt, Brandon, Max, and Luther had become in their own lives, but I also became so thankful that each one was able to hold on to God in some way through it all. I saw through their life testimonies how God loves the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. I learned from Chris, who wrestled with writing the opening message, how much Jesus loves us that He underwent betrayal, abandonment, ridicule, suffering, guilt, shame, separation from God, and still he proclaimed God's victory with His last breath. Thank God for using Chris to share this message, for continually teaching him to depend on His Heavenly Father the way Jesus did, and for giving him such a sincere desire to reject the things of this world and grow in the image of Jesus. I learned from Susannah, who herself has experienced 20 Easters, how easy it is to lose focus on the real meaning of Easter. Thank God for using Susannah to open our eyes to the good news of who Jesus is and the salvation and hope He brings us. Through her, I saw how God took a girl who hated herself so much and craved the love and attention of people and changed her into a woman who has become completely content and fulfilled with the love of Jesus Christ for her.

I thank God for using five students to serve as sincere group Bible study leaders and for using the talent of so many precious musicians to glorify Him through song. I especially thank God for enabling Chris' brother Ryan to attend the conference and participate in the program through playing the cello. I was so moved by his love for his younger brother and his obvious desire to know God and to depend on Him more. I pray that He can grow closer and closer to Jesus this summer.

I also thank God for M. Grace Choi and Dr. John Lee, who both spoke at the conference as well. M. Grace gave a beautiful intro message to the life testimonies about being an instrument of righteousness, and she also shared her inspiring life testimony. Dr. John Lee gave the closing message on Sunday and urged us to humbly obey our Savior Jesus, accepting the authority He gives us to go and make disciples of all nations.

Lastly, I thank God who opened my heart and showed me that Jesus did not save us to abandon us, but He came back to heal us and bring us back to God. I thank God who helped me go from having a surface-level emotional understanding of Jesus' death and resurrection to understanding it in a deeply personal way. I learned that if Jesus had never died for my sins, I would have had to essentially sacrifice hundreds and hundreds of animals for all my sinful thoughts and actions—and even after all that, I'd still need to sacrifice more. I could never ever fully be right with God and could never truly know Him or have a relationship with Him because of my sins. But God solved that problem for me and offered Jesus as the ultimate lamb sacrifice. God placed my sin, guilt, and shame on Jesus so that I could be washed clean by Jesus' precious blood. When I read about Jesus' death on the cross now, I don't feel sad because it's sad but I am filled with humble gratitude because I know that my very own sins were placed on him-- sins that I'm so ashamed and disgusted by—but sins I am now free of and will never keep me apart from God. All this is possible through Jesus' death and resurrection. Thank God for Jesus who took my punishment, and thank God who loves an undeserving sinner like me and wants to use me for His redemptive work in this world. Please pray that I may be a useful disciple for God and for our ministry.

by Jihan Kim