Blessed 2008

“Blessed

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are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.�

- Matthew 5:6

WOTR

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Women Of The Rock Testimonies Vol. III

2008

Introduction

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Matthew 9:18-22 While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples. And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well.

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“Touched”

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I

wonder how many people gain faith in the Lord through the profession of faith of others. In a previous story, the centurion implores Jesus to heal his servant by saying; ...”just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (Matt 8:8). Whereas the synagogue official in verse 9 asks Jesus to ...”lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” (Matt 9:18). Upon hearing this, a woman in the crowd touches the fringe of Jesus’ cloak “for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” (Matt 9:21).

Could it be that her faith was due at least in small part to the faith of the synagogue official? I think so.

And I believe that it was because she felt so unworthy to be healed that she did not stop Him, but tried to sneak a touch instead. I wonder how many of us have been blessed or healed through the profession of faith of others, and how many of us have been touched by the hand of Jesus. Later on in the chapter Jesus does meet the synagogue official’s daughter and brings her back to life - from the dead! And that is exactly what He wants to do for us. While everyone was mourning her passing, Jesus showed no sorrow, but claimed that she was just sleeping. How true that is for those that are touched by His grace.

Jesus longs to heal and bless us. The method, sometimes, is largely due to our faith and not due to who He is. Jesus will always meet us where we are. This woman believed that Christ could heal through the words and the confidence of others. And upon hearing the words of Christ, something must have touched her heart. Unlike the many others who pressed onto Jesus for a quick fix, this woman’s faith was real. And because of her belief, she will forever be remembered and talked about as the woman whose faith made her well. Jesus was not on His way to heal her, but she was healed nevertheless. She is proof that when we take one step towards God, He takes two steps towards us.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” - Romans 10:17 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” - John 5:24 It is our prayer that when you hear the testimonies of these women, you will take the step towards the Lord, and rise and shine for His glory alone.

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WOTR - Blessed *

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thank you to Jean Chang for editing the testimonies - We are all blessed by your gifts.

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Testimonies

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------01. Anita Parsons-Ko .............. p.

02. Caroline Thomas ............... p.

03. Caireen Na ........................ p.

04. Diana Shin ........................ p.

05. Erin Leung ....................... p.

06. Gillian Lam ....................... p.

07. Hannah Kim ...................... p.

08. Jamie Kwon ...................... p.

09. Janette Lee ....................... p.

10. Jean Chang ....................... p.

11. Jen Kim ............................ p.

12. Judy Edwards ................... p.

13. Judy Kim .......................... p.

14. Julie Ju ............................ p.

15. Julie Song ........................ p.

16. Leslie Ng .......................... p.

17. Liz Ryu-Christianson ......... p.

18. Michelle To ....................... p.

19. Sonia Sun-Yang Lee ........... p.

20. Tammy Kim ...................... p.

21. Tara Bak ........................... p.

22. Tina Kim .......................... p.

9 10-11 12 13 14-15 16-17 18-19 20 21 22-24 25-27 28 29 30 31 32-33 34-35 36 37-39 40-43 44 45

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Blessings “There are many locks in my house and all with different keys, but I have one master-key which opens them all. The Lord has many treasures and secrets all shut up from carnal minds with locks which they cannot open. But he who walks in fellowship with Jesus possesses the master-key which will open to him all the blessings of the covenant and even the very heart of God.�

- Charles Spurgeon

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WOTR Women Of The Rock Testimonies Vol. III

2008

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For His Glory...

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Anita Parsons-Ko 01.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Galatians 5:22

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

A

lthough I am currently on maternity leave I still think about work frequently. It’s not so much the actual work that I think about as it is the people that I encounter from day to day.

I work in the Intensive Care Unit so most of my patients are unconscious. It’s their loved ones that I communicate with most. Most of them are in a very vulnerable state. Their loved ones are critically ill, they don’t understand medically what is happening, and they’re constantly dealing with many health care professionals who all have differing diagnoses/treatments/ plans. For the loved ones it’s a very confusing and overwhelming time.

Unfortunately health care professionals (me included) get so caught up in the technical/ medical aspect of the patient’s care that we forget about the emotional/spiritual care of the patients and their loved ones. I am constantly reflecting on my practice to see how I can communicate with my patients and their loved ones more sensitively.

The one area that I really want to strengthen is my ability to minister to them. What greater time to minister to someone then when they are searching for hope, wisdom, and strength.

Is there anyone better than God to turn to?

I have a colleague named Isabella who takes every available chance to minister to those around her. When she sees a colleague, patient, or their loved one in need she makes the time to minister to them. I have observed Isabella on several occasions praying quietly with her patients’ loved ones. I have witnessed Isabella talking with colleagues about the importance of Jesus in her life. I have heard Isabella openly thanking and praising God. I have seen patients and their loved ones come back to the ICU to thank Isabella for sharing Jesus with them. It’s not only what Isabella says that is admirable.

Through mere observation you can tell that she walks with the Spirit.

Isabella truly exhibits the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). I feel so blessed to be able to work with her. She is a constant reminder of what I need to strive for.

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02. Caroline Thomas

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 Corinthians 1:3,4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

H

elp. It is a small word that I find very hard to say. For thirty some-odd years I have been able to accomplish anything I set my mind to, but for the first time in my life,

I am scared to admit that I can’t do things on my own.

Friends around me seemingly have no problem juggling, managing, even smiling, but I am a mess. When I brought my daughter, Katherine home from the hospital a few weeks ago, I thought, well, now what am I going to do?

Katherine is my second child, so you would think that it would be easier without the firsttime-parent anxieties, but things were different this time. My husband, now in school full time, can’t be the support he’d been when our first daughter was born, and Hannah, my spirited 3-year-old, is now constantly underfoot.

Writing it down on paper, it doesn’t sound so bad, but you have to realize that I was nearly paralyzed with fear when Hannah was a newborn. I thought my inexperience and ineptitude as a mother would bring serious harm to her – like SIDS. It wasn’t until after one of my small group meetings that I realized that pride was hold-

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ing me back from asking for help. I wanted to appear as though I had everything in control, and felt shame that I couldn’t handle everything like everyone else. Somewhere along the line, my understanding of my worth was inextricably linked with how much I could accomplish and how well things got done.

The mind is a powerful thing, and though I knew I couldn’t accomplish much on my own, couldn’t I just be a faker baker? I’m not sure if it’s the Korean mentality of trying to appear strong, or the female mentality of trying to be a martyr, but whatever it is, the strategy of keeping up appearances does not work.

Quite recently, one of my “supermom” friends confided in me. She said that things were tough for her to manage too. I couldn’t tell at first if she sensed my stress and was trying to comfort me, or if she was actually telling the truth. She explained how she hardly changes

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------her clothes, gets around to washing up around noon, and is at her wits end by the time her husband comes home. This was exactly what I was going through. I finally let out that I was falling apart too. I wanted to lose the last 15 pounds of pregnancy weight, keep the house clean and orderly, spend quality time with both my daughters and have dinner ready. I told her that I secretly wanted to be more like her, and we laughed that we were more alike than not. She probably didn’t realize that she was a shoulder for me that day. Being proud did not help me at all. I was not fooling anyone, and when I finally had the courage to admit my weaknesses, I realized that everyone has some weakness or another. In fact, my friend’s inability to cope actually helped me feel better! When I asked my husband to help, he spoke with his mother, and now she’s committed to helping me one day a week. Hannah loves spending time with Gramma and my relationship with my mother-in-law has never been better. In fact, I think I talk to her more than my husband does.

I also shared my situation with a friend from work who is also on maternity leave and we decided to start a playgroup for all the other moms in our shoes – turns out she was looking for an outlet too!

Now I see how God provided for me, each step of the way over the last 3 years of my job as a mother. Upon reflection, I realize that I have trouble asking Him for help too. When things were getting overwhelming, I prayed for patience toward Hannah, because I thought she was the one who was preventing me from being the perfect mom. She was starting to test me, and challenge me, and I didn’t have time for her dramatic meltdowns while I was clean-

ing, or cooking, or doing the laundry. Can you imagine, how blindly proud I must have been to think it was all about Hannah?? In the back of my mind, I guess

I thought I needed to fool God, to have him be proud of me.

As a parent, I would shudder to think of my girls not being able to turn to me when they need help….or worse, if they felt they had to pretend to be something they aren’t, just to please me or have me be proud of them. The relationship I have with God grew a lot when I realized that His love is not contingent on anything. This is something I always knew in my head, but I’m finally “getting it”.

As I continue to pray for the strength and wisdom to get through another day with my girls, it has dawned on me that the more I ask for help, the more I allow others to be part of our lives and the stronger my relationships get. Also, that I should pray for more humility – and maybe another child.

Matthew 7:9-11 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

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03. Caireen Na

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 Thessalonians 3:5

“Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.”

I

have been blessed to have two wonderful children, Jordan and Kirsten. I have also been blessed to be able to stay home with them.

Being a stay-at-home mom can be quite challenging at times. Sometimes I feel that I lose my patience with them too quickly. Often when I talk to them I find it is not words of kindness but rather words of frustration. When it’s the end of the day and they are finally asleep, I have a chance to think about my day and often feel guilty about the way I handled situations that came up during the day. I tell myself that tomorrow is a new day and I will try my best to be a better mom by reacting differently...be more patient and use kinder words. Tomorrow comes and I’m tired and frustrated once again and the cycle just repeats itself.

One of the issues right now is getting Kirsten to sleep and stay asleep during the night. Ever since she was born, she has basically slept in our bed. So for the first year of her life she was in our bed. We moved into a house where she could have her own bedroom. So we got her to sleep there, it took a while but she got used to it. We would have to sit by her crib and hold her hand until she fell asleep. She never really slept through the night so we would always take turns going to her and sitting by her crib and holding her hand again until she fell asleep.

This past summer we took a family trip to California. During those 10 days she got used to sleeping with us once again. So when we got

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back home, we just let her sleep in our bed.

However, she always wakes up an hour or so after she goes to sleep. It was taking up so much of our time to get her back to sleep. So I decided it was time to “sleep train” her at 2 years of age. I thought that it was better late than never. Jordan only slept by himself and through the night when he was 4. So I thought this time, we would start earlier. Needless to say it was not an easy road. She must have gotten out of bed 50 times or so the first night.

It slowly declined the next few days but she still never really seemed to get it. She still always gets out of bed and sneaks downstairs.

One night I was so angry with her that I started to yell so loud it made her cry and scream.

I told her that I was angry with her and not happy at all. After I had ranted and raved , she just looked at me with tears streaming down her face and said ,”Mommy, I love you more.”

She reached out to me to give me a big hug.

My heart just melted and I just looked at her and hugged her back with tears in my eyes.

How could she still love me more after I had just treated her so badly? This innocent child still loved me?...what unconditional love she had for me.

This just brought it full circle for me. This is how God feels towards His children. His love is unconditional.

He was showing me through a two year old child how to love and be more patient.

How great God is. What an awesome God He is.

Diana Shin 04.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 Thessalonians 3:9

“For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account.”

I

thought I’d just be consumed with worry. Well little did I know that I would end up marrying one. But once it happened, I have never really felt that way. I have faith that God is protecting him at all times. There is little time for worry when you are busy being thankful.

am so grateful for my husband, Jay. He brings so much joy, laughter, happiness, and balance to my life.

It is easy to do things for him when I think that my husband is a gift from God. I want to respect and honor that gift.

We have been married for four and a half years and I still get excited butterflies in my stomach when I see him. As I was on my wedding day, I am still today, glad he chose me to be his wife. He’s the yin to my yang; the cheese to my macaroni. It’s not to say we have the perfect marriage, because we have our share of arguments. When I get frustrated and angry, I try to find a quiet place when I call out to God to help me deal with my feelings and to calm me down. He fills me with humbleness and love and then the words of apology to my husband come out of my mouth so much easier and my heart feels so light. There are definitely times we make each other crazy, but Jay seems to know what to say or do to make me laugh when I get stressed out and overreact.

I have learned that my happiness is not dependent on my husband and he cannot be the source of my happiness.

The happiness is more importantly a result of serving, loving, and sharing with my husband, which the Lord shows me in all his mercy.

It’s just the two of us, so that’s all the more reason why he is so precious to me – he’s my whole family.

I thank God for him every day.

I am even more grateful when he comes home to me safe and sound each night, working in a profession where his life is at risk every day.

I used to say (long before I was married), that I would never date or marry a cop because I

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05. Erin Leung

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Romans 12:10

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another”

W

hen I think about people whom God has used to bring blessings to my life and to minister to me, there are too many to mention.

However, if I were to choose just one person who has had the greatest impact on me, I would have to tell you about my sister, Inki.

Inki and I are only one year apart in age, but so different in personality that for the first 25 years of our lives, we fought like cats and dogs. We would constantly be exchanging cruel words and yelling at each other from the other side of the house. I still remember one incident in particular when we were visiting our grandparents in Taiwan during our winter break. We were so vicious to one another that my poor cousin, who had never seen us behaving like this before, was in total shock and speechless.

However, God had a plan to stick us together regardless of how much we thought we despised each other. In fact, He had a plan not just to keep us together, but to save us together.

He sent both of us to the States together for six years to study after high school. While there,

we both came to know God and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. After we came to know God, our relationship started to change.

We were more able to accept each other and we began encouraging each other in ways we had never done before.

Still, at the beginning, Inki’s walk was much more stable and steady than mine. On many occasions she tried to point out to me how I was going astray. Being the older sister and not used to being told what to do, I always thought she was exaggerating, over reacting, or just being naïve. Every time she would say anything to me, I would just ignore all of God’s warnings to me through her and keep on walking my “own way”.

Finally one day, following my “own way” caused all the walls to come crashing down in my life. I found myself in the most difficult situation I had ever been in before, and was desperate for help. At this time, however, Inki was across the Pacific Ocean in Japan, planning to pursue a medical degree. I was in such desperate need of help and prayer that I called her and told her that I was in trouble. I knew I had no right to ask for her help after how I had treated her all those years. I knew I hadn’t been the big sister that I should have been to her and that I had repeatedly hurt her in many

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ways. To my surprise, she was calm and never once blamed me or told me, “See, I told you!”

She comforted me and prayed for me. Not only that, she was willing to drop all of her own personal pursuits in Japan to fly back to the States to help me. That’s when I finally realized how big her heart was to forgive and to love. I saw and learned through her, what unconditional love really was, and how sinful I was. She didn’t even hesitate for a moment to give up her own plans to come and help me in my time of need, even though it was my own stupidity that had gotten me into trouble. This was a great turning point in my life. Through my younger sister, Inki, God put me back on the right track, forgave me, and gave me a second chance to follow Him.

God works in very unusual and unexpected ways. I learned through my relationship with Inki to never dismiss anyone as somebody that might change your life forever. Yes, even that person you cannot stand to be with even a few seconds. On the flip side, I also learned never to dismiss myself as someone who can have a major impact on another person’s life either, for God might have a plan to use me to minister to that individual. My sister, Inki taught me to always be available, be willing, and be prepared to both receive blessings and to be a blessing to others.

Thank God for sisters!

Because of Inki’s sacrificial love towards me, my relationship with God and my sister has totally changed. God allowed me to see my sister through Jesus’ eyes and we have become true best friends ever since.

We are still very different from one another, but we can now understand each other and feel so much more deeply towards one another. Without God, this would never be possible. Although we are now living far apart from each other for the first time in our lives, I feel that we are closer than ever because we are both in God’s family now.

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06. Gillian Lam I

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------doubt Cindy realized what she was doing 11.5 years ago when she invited me over for dinner. I had just recently started attending our church when I was invited to join what was then the only married women’s PBS group. Not only had I just gotten married, I had just moved cities, leaving my job, family and friends, purchased my first home and started a new job. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed. Having this small group of women to share with was such a relief.

It’s funny how friendship and food go hand in hand. We shared and we ate. Our friendships blossomed and deepened. I think that the relationship you develop among your PBS sisters is a special one. Something happens when you sit down with a group of friends and seek God’s counsel. Meeting every other week seemed to put us all back on track when life seemed to distract us and veer us this way and that.

Our PBS meetings were always a treat. We would either meet for dinner or finish off our meetings with dessert. Not only did we grow spiritually, we grew physically as well! Get-

ting to know one another and praying for each other naturally brought us closer. As we all took our turn being pregnant, having our baby and taking breaks, the make-up of our group began to evolve. I must say that every member of my previous and present study groups has helped me to grow as a Christian.

Despite all the changes, the one thing, or rather the one person who has remained constant is Cindy. With the exception of a couple of short breaks, Cindy and I have pretty much stayed together in the same study circle.

Although I’m older than Cindy (by very, very little), I’ve often felt like the younger sister.

Over the years, she has been there for me through thick and thin.

She has been a pillar of support more times than I can count; always positive, always encouraging, always reminding me of God’s sovereignty, always feeding me.

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Somewhere along the road, she really tapped in to the fact that I responded to food. She would say things like “Are you ok? You don’t look yourself. Come over, I’ll feed you.” She has surprised me with amazing birthday dinners and blessed me with spontaneous meals.

Who could ask for more in a friend?

her than making good time. I will never forget her faithfulness and loyalty. She has certainly made me pay for it with her 6am wake up calls as we trained for our 2nd, 3rd and 4th half marathons! Having gone through training together and sharing the elation of crossing the finish line pretty much side by side, has added yet another layer to our friendship…so it’s not just about the food anymore (though, that still remains a bonding factor).

I’ve learned that friendship is a true blessing from God.

The last year and a half has been particularly exciting for us. We trained together for our first half marathon, giving us the opportunity to share that much more about how God has been working in our lives. This first half marathon proved to me once more what a wonderful friend I have in Cindy. She had trained all through the winter for the May race. I, on the other hand had only 2 weeks of training when I made the very unwise decision to join her.

At the 10km split, my knees began giving out on me. Knowing I was in a lot of pain, Cindy never left my side. Maybe she was tired too and used me as a crutch, but I prefer to believe that our friendship was far more important to

And I must say, with a grateful heart, that He has blessed me abundantly in that area of my life. He knows that this race He’s called us to run is one of endurance, of “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead... pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:13, and I thank Him that He doesn’t expect me to do it on my own... and certainly NOT on an empty stomach!

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07. Hannah Kim

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Proverbs 31:26-28

“She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her…”

O

ne person who has blessed me tremendously and who I see as my godly role model in life is my mother-in-law. She is a genuine Christian in action and love, and is a real, present-day Proverbs 31 woman. Sung’s mom has had a very difficult life. You would never know this about her because she is the most positive and humble person you will ever meet.

When she was only 13 years old, she lost both of her parents and was forced to live in an orphanage and be separated from her only brother, who was only 2 years old at the time.

Even though she had lost everything and was all alone, she was not bitter or angry about her situation because

her parents had both been genuine Christians and had taught her to trust God by example.

Her parents had been very wealthy because her dad had a good job working for the government. Although they lived well, they had humble hearts. Unlike most households with servants, during mealtime, the servants and the family would all sit down and eat together at the same table. Her parents treated everyone equally, regardless of their social class.

Sung’s mom remembers hearing beggars calling for her mom as they were going into town

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because they all knew her since she had given them food and shelter when they needed it.

She also remembers seeing her father bring homeless people into their home, washing them, and giving them clothes and food.

She often recollects how much she appreciates the way her parents taught her to memorize bible verses from a young age. At the time, she didn’t realize that she would only have a short time with her parents, but those memory verses that her parents taught her have stayed with her throughout her entire life, even to this day.

When Sung was three years old, she moved to America with her husband and son to start a new life. For many years, her husband worked as a cross-country truck driver so he was away from home most of the time. Sung and his sisters would only see their father a few times a year and she was left to raise the kids by herself, in a country where she couldn’t speak English and she didn’t know anyone.

In spite of all these trials and tribulations, she held on to her faith and never stopped trusting in God. Now, all these years later, she continues the faith that her parents instilled in her as a child.

Thankfully for me, she also now speaks and writes English fluently so that I can communicate easily with her and learn from her.

From the first moment that I met her, she welcomed me and showered me with unconditional love; she treated me like her daughter and was completely down-to-earth and open

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with me. She understood what it was like to be a Korean daughter-in-law and didn’t want me to go through what she had gone through.

Whenever we would go to the Korean market together, people would always be surprised to find out that we were mother-in-law and daughter-in law because we were so comfortable with one another. That’s how genuine our relationship is, and it’s all because of her.

She was the one who first loved and accepted me completely.

She is much closer to me than even my own mother. Even to this day, whenever we go back to California for a visit, I feel so comfortable in her home that I spend most of my time staying there, rather than at my own parents’ house.

I have learned so much from her just by watching her gentle actions more than her words. I remember one time when she felt convicted to correct me, she came to me with tears in her eyes and a broken heart, showing me with love and tenderness where I was going wrong.

Because I could see her genuine love for me and for the Lord, she made me want to change and I was able to receive her correction easily, without any offense or bitterness. I appreciate so much her total acceptance of me.

I can really be honest with her and share with her all my innermost heartaches and troubles.

She is the one who taught me how to cook Korean food and kimchee, which I make regularly. She has also fed me spiritually by praying for me constantly and giving me Christian books at the right time when I needed them most. One time she gave me the book, “The Power of a Praying Wife” by Stormie Omartian; I remember her calling me to ask me if I had started reading the book, but I hadn’t.

When we hung up on the phone, she must have sensed that something was wrong, and I’m sure that she prayed for me. That very night, I felt my heart softening and picked up the book and started to read it. I didn’t get past the first chapter about not trying to change my husband, before the Holy Spirit broke my cold, stubborn heart and brought back love and gratefulness. I have to give her credit for my blessed marriage. I know it is because of all her prayers.

She has also taught me by example not to complain about anything and to always work diligently. I have never seen her wake up late or not get something done. Whenever there is something that needs to get done, she does it right away. She never makes an excuse for not doing her work. If she is sick, she will do her best not to show it. She is truly the most strong, yet gentle woman I have ever met.

She never needs to say much. I have learned the most just by watching her live her faith in meekness and dignity.

I thank God for not only giving me a wonderful, godly husband, but a wonderful, godly mother-in-law as well.

My life has been truly blessed through their faith.

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08. Jamie Kwon

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

T

his past year I have had the biggest change in my life and I have been so blessed by it. My son, Koen, a blessing from God, was born. Koen was not a planned pregnancy but I knew when I first held him that God planned for him to be part of our family and that he was my special gift from Him. After a few years of hardship there has always been a void in my life but the moment that Koen came into the world all the sadness and hurt that I have been feeling were quickly replaced with happiness, joy and peace.

Tom and I were in the midst of finding a new church for our family. We tried a few churches, but none seemed to feel right for us. When we first started dating we would occasionally come to the Rock when it was located at Tyndale and we would also attend church services at TKPC. After a few years of attending services at TKPC, Tom and I both agreed that it just wasn’t the best fit for us. When Koen arrived we decided that we needed to find a church that we could call ‘home’; one where we could grow as a family.

Finally, in January 2008, Tom and I decided to attend the Rock on a more regular basis. One of the reasons why we decided on the Rock was because we both had family members that attended the Rock. Another reason was because about 15 years ago Pastor Sung had

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spoken at a retreat that I attended and while I can’t recall his exact message at the time, I do remember the way he delivered it; He was humorous, genuine and he didn’t speak down to us like we were a group of children. He was very respectful and unlike any speaker that I had ever met.

I have also been very fortunate to meet some great women in the nursery viewing room.

Each one of them have truly have been such a blessing to me and Koen. Being a new mom I was overwhelmed with mixed emotion. I always felt as though I was doing something wrong. Every Sunday I would ask them multiple questions and they were all so willing to offer me advice and just to reassure me that I was a good mom and that Koen is lucky to have me. They have been such a great support group for me. I was also approached to be part of a small group, and although I haven’t been able to come out often, the ladies make me feel part of the group and they continue to pray for me and my requests, which I am very grateful for. This year has been a tough year for me but God has provided me with all the strength and support that I needed to overcome each and every obstacle and I thank Him every day for blessing me and my family. I’m so glad that Tom and I both agreed to become members at the Rock. We immediately felt at home and were so welcomed by everyone in the congregation. We are very blessed to be part of this family.

Janette Lee 09.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------James 2:23

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”* And he was called the friend of God.

O

ne of the principles that God has hit home for me this year is that maturity and being a spiritual “adult” is not always about climbing mountains but about simply staying the path.

I must admit that after years of Pastor Sung’s good teaching, I feel a little fat with spiritual knowledge and a little anemic when it comes to living out my faith. The big conviction of the year has been: Forget what I know – what do I live?

It’s why this verse resonates with me so strongly; there is something downright terrestrial about God calling Abraham a friend. It speaks not of fancy beliefs or airy fairy sentiment but there is weight behind those words. There is a faith; a faith that was tested again and again, and again and found true.

So what has testing looked like for me this year? My mountains have been the mole hills; life’s fires and floods I can deal with- groceries, line ups, emails, and schedules that are harder for me to swallow. What He is slowly teaching me is that faith is not what I do in spite of life’s everyday tasks, but rather how I live through them.

I guess that’s why the greatest testimony for me this year happened every Sunday.

You see, each week John and I walk into church and are greeted by Pastor Sung and Turbo making their rounds; Euge and the band are practicing on the stage, and if I peek my head into the sanctuary, I know Thomas will be at the sound board doing his thing.

When we make our way downstairs and take off our shoes, I see Hannah preparing coffee, Tara seated at the piano, and Ben is picking out songs. Michelle and Dat are in their classroom preparing their lesson, Jen is checking the rooms with Jonathan in tow and Jean, Jean is always there.

Every Sunday.

There is something in a person’s diligence in the small things that points to God’s faithfulness.

Matthew 5:16 says, “Let

your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

I guess I see now more clearly how this principle works. I’m often tempted to think that my little part doesn’t matter and that my everyday doesn’t count, but I realize that that’s some sort of twisted false humility because God says it does.

“Never is life more ennobled than when we do all things as unto God. This makes drudgery sublime, and links the poorest menial with the brightest angel.” (C.H. Spurgeon) Thanks everyone for being so “grown up” – I’m getting there.

WOTR - Blessed * 21

10.1 Jean Chang A

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------bout a month ago I had the opportunity to go on a school field trip to a farm with my son, Joshua’s grade one class. It was the end of October and the forecast called for a high of 10 or 11 degrees. So I dressed myself and Joshua in a sweater and fall jacket but I did not wear any extra winter clothes. Unfortunately for us, it started pouring rain as we drove on the bus to the farm and by the time we got there, it was still drizzling and the temperature had dropped to about 5 degrees, but felt like below zero because it was so windy and wet and there was no place to warm up. Needless to say, we were freezing cold. Luckily for Josh, I had brought his hat and mittens just in case, but many of the other kids and parent volunteers, including myself, were without hats, gloves, or even jackets that zipped up all the way. It was so cold that morning, that Josh, even with his hats and mittens, was still shivering beside me.

When we first arrived at the farm it was about 9:30 a.m. and all the kids were split up into groups with one teacher or parent put in charge of each group. Each leader was then given a clipboard with a bunch of questions attached, and told that we were to take our group around the farm on a “scavenger hunt” to find the answers to the questions. This scavenger hunt, while meant to be fun and educational, turned out to be torturous for myself and the kids because of the cold. Each time we would find the “fact sheet” that we were looking for, I would quickly read out the question and the kids would take turns answering the questions. About half way through the scavenger hunt, one of the boys in my group turned to me and said, “Ms. Chang, this isn’t really

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fun.” I said, “I know, it’s because you’re cold.

Let’s just try to run as fast as we can to stay warm and there will be a lot more fun things to do after lunch.” I tried to keep the group engaged and interested,

but deep down inside I too was freezing cold and looking at their shivering little bodies, I was wishing it would soon be over.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thankfully, when the scavenger hunt had ended and lunch time was over, the skies began to clear, the sun came out, and the rest of the activities scheduled for the afternoon were far less “educational” and much more fun. The kids got to play hide-and-seek in a “cornfield maze”, run around in a playground made of hay bales, go on an exciting wagon ride through the pumpkin patch, pick vegetables from the garden, see all the different farm animals, and finally at the end of the day they were allowed to choose their very own pumpkin to take home. As I sat on the bus riding back to the school that afternoon, I was thinking, “Thank God the sun came out and the kids got to do all those wonderful activities in the afternoon! If the whole day were like that torturous scavenger hunt, I would feel so sorry for the kids.”

When we arrived back home that afternoon, after I had had a chance to stand under a hot shower and de-thaw my frozen body, I asked Josh, “Did you have fun today? What was your favourite part of the farm?” I was expecting him to talk about the wagon ride, the vegetable picking, or another one of the fun activities that he had participated in that afternoon, but his answer caught me completely off guard. He said, “My favourite part of the trip was the scavenger hunt.” I was stunned. How could he have liked that torturous scavenger hunt better than all those other fun activities?

I looked at him and asked, “Really? Why? What about all those fun things you got to do in the afternoon like the wagon ride and the cornfield maze?”

The Lord really spoke to me at that moment.

You need to understand that this past year has not been an easy one for Josh and I. He has been struggling with the habit of not listening to me right away. I have been struggling with getting overly angry with him because of his constant disobedience. There were times I would get so frustrated and angry with him that I thought it would be best if I wasn’t his mother. I convinced myself many times that the less amount of time I spent with him, the better off he would be.

But in spite of all of this, there he was with his simple, child’s love, just loving me anyway. I could see by the look in his face when he spoke those words, that he really meant it.

He doesn’t hold a grudge because of the times that I was angry with him, and just having me be there with him meant so much. The Lord spoke to me at that moment, saying “See Jean?

This is a child’s love; simple, pure, and content to just have you near. This is all that I desire from you, that you love me like this.”

“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 18:3 Thank God for our children, the greatest teachers of all.

Then he looked at me with complete sincerity and said, “No, I liked the scavenger hunt the best because you were there and you were our leader.”

WOTR - Blessed * 23

10.2 Jean Chang

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Proverbs 15:1 “ A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

W

hen I first received the e-mail from Tina, Tammy, and Janette about writing a testimony about someone who has blessed me, the first person that came to mind was my husband, Eugene. Like all men, my husband is far from perfect, and we have had our fair share of ups and downs in our relationship. Like all women, I can go from feeling total love to total hatred in the blink of an eye, depending on the circumstance (or the time of the month), but deep down inside I am so very thankful that God gave him to me as my life companion.

Many of you know my husband as the funny guy that makes everybody laugh, which he is, and he does…especially inside our own household. Daddy is the one who makes everything fun, even doing homework, eating beans, or going for a long run. Daddy has the gift of seeing the humour and goodness in life and letting everyone enjoy it with him. If you were to ask my kids who they loved most in all the world, they would without hesitation say, “Daddy!” But for me as his wife, though I appreciate and love his great sense of humour,

the part of him that most blesses me is the authenticity of his faith and the real change and growth I’ve seen in his inner character over these past 8 years

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since we’ve been married. Only a wife knows how to push all the right buttons to bring out the worst in her husband. We had a rocky start to our marriage, fighting like cats and dogs the first several years. But now, 8 years later I’m finding it much harder to push buttons.

He just simply doesn’t get upset as easily..not that I’m trying to make him upset on purpose!

When I do say or do something to offend him, he does not react in anger like he once did, but becomes silent and contemplative. When he does speak, he speaks with a kind of humility and genuine desire for peace that really humbles me. When he has every right to hold a grudge or stay angry with me, he doesn’t. No matter what he’s struggling with personally, he has a readiness to show his love and appreciation to his wife and kids, and lives always with an overall sense of gratitude towards the Lord.

He challenges me to be better, not by nagging me to change, but simply by being better himself. I am encouraged in my spirit that I can grow up in my faith because I see that he is growing up in his. Thank you, Lord, for showing me through my husband, that we don’t have to be perfect to become better in Christ. We just need to love You and trust in You wholeheartedly, and somehow in doing so, You make us more like You.

Jen Kim 11.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 Peter 2:5 “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Matthew 16:18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hell will not overpower it.”

starting a Science club with the older homeschooled kids. We thought, “Let’s do it together!” And so we began the mid-week classes.

The curriculum I ordered ended up being a waste of money, so I sent it back and was left with nothing but my Bible and “Google” for ideas. I planned only one class at a time as it was all I had the energy to do, but somehow God provided, week by week. The Bible verses were chosen, the stories were told, the

B

ack at the beginning of July, Pastor Sung called a meeting for all the church members to share with us an inspiring insight that he believed he had received from the Lord. He shared that “the rock” in Matthew 16, upon which Christ promised He would build the church, was not a single individual, but rather a collection of little rocks, or living stones that together form the“rock.” How timely was that word. I was about to witness the truth of his insight again, again and again.

Back in January when my second son Jonathan had just turned five months old, I believed the Lord wanted me to start a program for the preschoolers during the week. In all honesty, I had no prior experience teaching preschool, but it was a conviction nonetheless; so I decided to go ahead and try planning a weekly class for the preschoolers. Off the top of my head I could think of 15 children who were at home with their moms during that time, half of which had a newborn brother or sister around.

I thought, since we were all home, why not get together and do something? Meanwhile, my small group partner, Michelle had the idea of

crafts were prepared and moms helped out with everything. The beautiful thing about the preschool classes was not just the stories or the crafts or the games but the opportunity to really worship and sing praises to God with all the toddlers and preschoolers in the big open chapel. It was awesome to be there and wit-

WOTR - Blessed * 25

11. Jen Kim ‘cont

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ness the Spirit’s presence. I could literally feel God smiling down upon us.

What began as a daunting task ended up being a testimony of God’s faithfulness and provision, bringing together just the right people for every task…like living stones.

We took a break from the weekly preschool classes in the summer and planned a July Preschool Camp to be held every day for one week. I had been convicted that I should plan this camp for the preschoolers because the little ones would be too young to participate in the Soccer Camp planned for later that month.

At the time, Michelle had just given birth to her baby, and as I looked at this daunting task ahead, I felt all alone. Feelings of discouragement and doubt flooded my mind as I wondered if I was getting in over my head.

It was right at this time just prior to the camp that Pastor Sung shared his message of “living stones.” This was just the word I needed to hear. Everything was planned, but would it all come together? One would think that I would have no doubts by now, having witnessed God’s hand in always providing what we needed in the past…but, I doubted. Yet, God in His faithfulness brought Yoon-Hee. Yoon Hee was the perfect helper during that week. Being the preschool Sunday school teacher, she was familiar with what the kids could handle or find too difficult. As I shared with her my plans and brought her my ideas

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she quietly and quickly went to work re-organizing, modifying, cutting, pasting, labeling, and distributing anything that needed to be done to make the plans work…and they did. Words cannot describe how essential her insights and help were for the success of the camp. If she hadn’t been there, my well-meaning plans would have gone out the window.

I truly believe God knew I needed her and sent her to help. Together, we were as living stones.

Then, just a few weeks later, our second annual Soccer and Bible Camp for the school-aged kids turned out even better than last year!

God provided just the right people for each task. Rosan motivated and inspired the children all week long with her exhilarating soccer activities and games. Hannah, Aimee and Emma brought rivers of living water into the old chapel as they filled it with beautiful songs of praise and worship. Jean and her team of moms made serving a picnic lunch every day for the entire week seem like a seamless routine, and Yoon Hee, once again, was the silent worker who brought everything together for the Bible lessons. She came over to my house the week before camp and as I presented to her my objectives and vision, she literally brought it to life by making all the visual displays, suggesting practical ideas for how to achieve certain goals and even doing the grunt work of cutting, pasting and creating whatever I needed for the lessons and crafts. Tammy and Pastor Sung were able to capture much of that memorable week on camera and later post it on the church blog site. Meanwhile, at home

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------with her newborn baby, Michelle, my small group partner was faithfully praying for every detail of the camp.

At the end of the week, I was literally in awe.

There was no doubting now…

God had done it. He brought us all together, the right people for just the right task…like living stones.

God’s provision. The weather was ideal, almost 20 degrees on October 31st! Without knowing exactly how many people would be coming, Jean and her team of women served dinner with warmth and efficiency so that everyone had enough to eat. The booths that each small group prepared were creative and so much fun for young and old. We had such a variety of activities for the kids from ball sports to a jumping castle, to crafts and even a helium balloon station that made everything look truly festive. When it was time to go into the chapel and worship, Wow! The Spirit made Himself known. All the glitches from rehearsals the week before were fixed. Every band member, singer and even behind the scenes tech support came together perfectly.

Even my own personal anxiety about speaking in front of so many people faded away in the flow of the Spirit as we worshiped. As I shared the gospel message, I was praying for that one soul that would truly welcome Jesus that night. I saw a few hands go up and one in particular that trembled slightly as she raised it in faith in our Lord Jesus. Only God knows what seeds were planted that night.

As I reflect upon the innumerable ways that God has shown Himself to me this year through all these events, I am convinced more than ever of His personal love for me and for us as a body. I stand in awe. What an immense privilege it is to be part of this ROCK made of living stones. And the best insight of all...look at what the Word itself says:

Finally, just prior to writing this article, I witnessed God’s hand once again as He brought together all the little stones for our Hallelujah Party. Everyone who was there witnessed

…and the gates of Hell will not overpower it.

Matthew 16:18 - Amen.

WOTR - Blessed * 27

12. Judy Edwards

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Psalm 122:1 “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ ”

A

s a newcomer to the Rock, I feel welcomed, overwhelmed, appreciated, and deficient all at the same time. One thing I have come to know at the very least, however, is that God knows me.

Growing up at Niagara Korean Presbyterian church, I remember it being a happy place where I could see my aunts, uncles and cousins on a regular basis. Going to church always reminded me how great it was to be part of a large family.

However, time passed and off I went to University to explore my identity and unfortunately I did not have time for Christ. I knew I wouldn’t feel that same familiarity at a new church, as I had at my home church, and I didn’t want to try something new, so I stopped attending church altogether. Years passed and still I did not feel the compelling desire to attend church. When I would come back home to visit my parents in Niagara, I would go back to my old church but by then I did not feel that same familiarity I had once known many years earlier, so I decided to just let church go altogether.

Then one day I met my wonderful husband Kevin, whose faith was more devoted than mine. I converted to Catholicism as he was a more devout Catholic than I was a Presbyterian. I knew I would have a family some day

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and wanted to raise my children under one religion. We had been faithfully attended Catholic mass with the whole family and yet I felt something was lacking in my life. Something was calling me yet I knew not what.

Then finally, just this past year I had the opportunity to come to the Rock for my nephew, Koen’s baby dedication. The moment I came to the Rock, instantly that feeling of emptiness seemed to disappear. I felt that I had found what I was looking for. I don’t know if it is because as you grow older, you start to look for what you remember as a child, but I know having my family and extended family at the Rock really made me feel that this was where we needed to be. Not only this, but never before have my children been so eager to go to church. I think they enjoy the fellowship that they receive with their peers. My husband has been willing and open to share this new endeavour with us and for that I am extremely grateful. The community at the Rock is always so warm, friendly and welcoming. I finally feel like I have come home.

The Rock has reignited my desire to get to know the Lord more and I am anxious to see what the Lord has in store for me and my whole family.

Judy Kim 13.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Philippians 2:14-15 “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world”

W

henever I reflect upon evidence of God’s grace in my life, several experiences come to mind but one big one is the grace He showed me by bringing my husband, Eddie into my life.

The ‘old’ Eddie as people often tell me, was a very different one from the one you see today.

He was very stubborn and had an explosive temper. In one of his childhood albums, I noticed in almost every picture he was scowling or angry, like he was going to grab the camera and smash it to the ground.

Knowing Eddie now, I can hardly imagine him being that way. God has certainly changed his heart. And I thank God that he has changed because through Eddie,

God has shown me that despite my own sometimes unpleasant nature, I can change too.

Maybe I can become much more steadfast and faithful with a quiet spirit.

Eddie and I have been through a lot in the 6 years we’ve been married. Whether times are easy or tough, Eddie is faithful to God (at least he tries his best to be). He doesn’t utter words of doubt like I do, or question or complain. He remains steadfast. When I am negative he does not join in. Instead, he offers words of hope.

Last year I wrote about all the challenges we went through with my health and how he gave all of himself 24/7 to me and Claire to make sure we were okay. I know it was God that gave him that strength and

it was a blessing to me that I will never forget.

Though Eddie is not perfect, I see that God is real in Eddie’s life and that he lives out the truth of God’s Word as best he can.

In the past, when I read about Paul or Job I was amazed that they could love, thank and honor God regardless of their circumstances.

It seemed unreal. I tended to see their lives as the ‘impossible’ end result of being the perfect Christian. But now, through Eddie’s example, I am starting to see that change comes with time and experience and that we can make choices to draw us closer to God or further away.

When we choose God, even in the simplest of matters, He changes us. It is such a simple thing but so hard to do sometimes. I am thankful I have Eddie to encourage me to make the right choices.

WOTR - Blessed * 29

14. Julie Ju

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Colossians 3:12 “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Psalm 86:15 “But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.”

W

hen I think of my husband, Daniel, I am reminded of these two verses and how he lives out these qualities in his life. As a husband and a father,

his consistent patience in trying circumstances has truly ministered to me by revealing my own impatience and quickness to anger. And by setting such a good example, I couldn’t help but be convicted to change my ways. I see now that in the past, becoming frustrated and impatient was the ‘normal’ way of reacting to difficult circumstances.

After becoming a believer, I knew in my mind that this was wrong and not the Lord’s desire for his children. And although I thought that I had changed, all I had done was not verbalize my frustrations outwardly as much. My heart had certainly not changed enough.

When I became a parent, it was clear that my actions and words had more consequences than ever before. The way that my 3 year old

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daughter, Samantha mimics what I say and do is amazing. Like all kids her age, she is a sponge and is learning every day how to react to more complex circumstances. Over the past summer, I experienced what most mothers with young children have- the realization that your entire life is run by the needs of your family and that your desires and wants will come second. In theory, I thought I was prepared for this level of self-denial, but I realized that I wasn’t. Given the fact that I spent most of my time with my husband and kids, you can imagine who bore the brunt of the wrath of Julie.

Sometimes, I used to think that Daniel’s slowness to anger and his patient nature were weaknesses but I see that they are truly strengths and just what I needed to see and hear in order to be humbled. When I am in an irrational state, he backs away and gives me my space, but when I am ready to hear it, he kindly rebukes me. It is so true that kindness leads to repentance. And what motivates me to be a more loving mother is to see how patient he is with the girls, whether he is playing with them , teaching them or even disciplining them.

These godly qualities, among others, were definitely fostered in him by both his parents and my prayer is that we can do the same for our girls. Daniel has been a blessing in my life for many reasons, but most recently, I am blessed because his witness is making me a better person.

Julie Song 15.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Job 16:19

“Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. And my advocate in on high.”

H

ave you ever felt like God has appointed someone special in your life to help you and you don’t really understand why? That is how I feel about a woman I met at my very first job in advertising. Her name is Tracy Ennis. She’s not a believer but God has used her to bless me with all three of my jobs. Let me repeat that: not just one job, but all three!

You see, in advertising it’s all about people and Tracy gets along with everyone. Unfortunately, I am not a people person. I even have trouble staying in touch with my friends! Fortunately, God’s grace has always protected my most precious relationships from ruin.

Upon looking back, I realize that Tracy was being used by God and she did not even know it. He

made her my advocate in my professional life.

Based on the strength of her recommendation, I was immediately put in the forerunning before walking into a job interview.

What have I done to deserve such an advocate in my professional life? If I answered out of my flesh, I would say that I deserve it because of my hard work, my writing skills and my determination to succeed. But in truth, I have done nothing to deserve her advocacy. Neither have I done anything to deserve Jesus’ advocacy for me.

As an earthly advocate, Tracy is great. But as my heavenly advocate, Jesus is infinitely better. He used the people and circumstances of my life to draw me closer to Him despite my sin. For years, I was struggling to do things my way and God let me make my own choices.

But little did I know that He was always working behind the scenes, using unexpected people, opportunities and circumstances to soften my heart.

As God placed me in these jobs, He changed me slowly but surely through my partners, my creative directors and my clients. Don’t get me wrong – they weren’t all nice people! In fact, He used the most difficult people I have ever worked with to reveal how much darkness there was in my own heart. It was humbling to realize that in many ways, I was no different from the very people I judged in my heart.

Worse yet, I was a believer and they weren’t!

Finally, I came to the end of myself. I realized that I had allowed all my relationships to suffer while I put things ahead of people. Things like work, false pride and materialism.

As I started to yield to Him, He started to change me. I realized that I had to relearn how to love others. That love had to come from God, not from myself. In the process, He poured out His love and blessed me in a way I could not have imagined.

I used to care so much about having a great job at a big agency with a high salary. I actually thought that if I had the perfect job, everything else in my life would fall into place and I would be happy. But the work we do won’t matter in eternity. Success will come and go.

Awards will be forgotten. But His love lasts forever.

WOTR - Blessed * 31

16. Leslie Ng T

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------he last couple of months have been crazy for me at my job. I’ve been working late and spending my weekends at the office, trying to meet what seem like impossible deadlines given the volume of work that has been assigned to me.

shook my husband awake. I said: “Wilson, wake up! I hate my job! It’s making me miserable! It’s too hard, and I’m sick of it! Why should I have to put myself through this misery - can’t I just quit? What do I do?”

There is one word that sums up what I’ve been feeling: STRESS. My husband, Wilson, has been very supportive and understanding, always greeting me with a hug, smile, and often a joke upon my return home from a long and grueling day. Unfortunately, I’m ashamed to admit that I have been “less than delightful” in response to his affections and have ruined many an evening with my sour attitude.

As my friends and family know, when I’m stressed out, I can’t get a wink of sleep. My mind whirls around all the tasks that have yet to be completed, and my heart pounds deeply in anticipation of the morning when I must face my ‘to-do’ list. My insomnia often results in frequent tossing and turning with intermittent episodes of cold sweats and what I like to call, ‘the shakes’. In addition to literally visualizing myself completing one assignment after another (keep in mind, I’m lying awake at night doing this), I began to brood about my situation, and mull over all the reasons why I didn’t like my job. Night after night, I kept brooding and mulling, brooding and mulling, until I really started hating my job. Sadly, I began to truly dread getting up in the morning.

One night, I couldn’t take it anymore, and I

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If you know my husband, Wilson, you know that he is not a man of many words (which works out great for us since I’m a woman of too many of them). He is always straight, clear, and to the point, especially when he is providing advice or guidance. His response to my rude awakening was this: “Sigh…Leslie, fruits of the Spirit…what are they? You know them better than I do. They are the key”. Then, he turned right back over and went back to sleep.

I lay there stunned for a moment and I questioned what he had just said to me. (Truth: I was actually sort of annoyed that he could give me such a blunt answer and then go right back to sleep without any further explanations).

But then it dawned on me, and I recalled

Galatians 5:22-24....

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law”.

I suddenly felt very ashamed. I was not walking by the Spirit in any such way. Instead of being a loving, joyful, peace-filled, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlling wife,

I was a crazy banshee, complaining about every last thing, and creating tension and a lack of peace in my own home, the very place that should be a safe place of rest and comfort.

to produce the fruit of the Spirit, and this is not just a desire, but a command as a Christian. I am grateful for the “rude awakening” my dear husband gave to me that night, and I am so blessed to be married to someone who produces such fruit towards me, day in and day out.

Every day since that night, I have prayed fervently that no matter the circumstance that the Lord would give me the strength to reject my flesh, and put on an attitude of the Spirit.

The to-do list has not grown any shorter - in fact, I’ve been assigned even more work at my job. But, I’ve been sleeping much better, and I bet if you ask Wilson how I’ve “been” lately, he will say something along the lines of . ..“she’s good”.

(For those of you who are not familiar with the term banshee, Webster’s dictionary defines it as “a spirit in the form of a wailing woman who appears to or is heard by members of a family as a sign that one of them is about to die”).

My misery was not being caused by my job or the amount of work I had on the horizon. My source of my despair was all about allowing my flesh to get the better of me. I had forgotten that my life is not my own, and that I am to ‘walk by the Spirit’.

I don’t want my life to produce any more strife, anger and pain than this world already has (Ok, let’s be honest. I contribute enough strife, anger and pain once a month with a little something called PMS). I want my life

e Spirit “But the fruit of th patience, is love, joy, peace, faithfulkindness, goodness, control; ness, gentleness, selfthere is against such things no law”

Galatians 5:22-24

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17. LizRyu-Christianson

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 John 5:14, 15 “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

A

s I write this testimony, I wonder how I will relay all the wonders the Lord has shown me this past year effectively and with honor to Him. There is so much to share and it is hard to write it in a paragraph or even a few pages.

My testimony started this time a year ago. I remember at the 2007 WOTR Christmas party I was very sad and down. I had miscarried twice and wanted to be pregnant with our second child so badly. There were so many other women at the party who had just had a second child or were expecting another. I looked at them with happiness, but also with sadness in my heart because I was not in their shoes.

I had plans to be pregnant by then so that I could be off work. But, my plans were not the Lord’s.

After trying for over 8 months to conceive and losing two babies trying, we finally got pregnant with baby Sean. We were ecstatic. I was so happy and yet concerned because we

had already lost two babies. As many of you know I am a worrier and it seemed that during this pregnancy there was much to be worried about. Early in the pregnancy I began to spot.

Then I was told that I might have to be on bed rest for my third trimester and that there was a chance that baby Sean could possibly have a genetic disorder. It was then that I really began to rely on 1 John 5:14,15.

The Lord was gracious to hear my prayers and the prayers of many people. These people were members of my small group, my dear friend, Sujin Park, my brother and sister-in-law, Dave and Tara, and all of my close friends of the Rock Community church.

I call them my prayer warriors and whenever I look at Sean I see them also.

I am and will be eternally grateful to them for their support. It is through the prayers of these friends in Christ that miracles surrounding my pregnancy and the birth of healthy Sean occurred. I believe it is through these prayers that God was gracious to me.

Through all the ups and downs of this pregnancy leading up to Sean’s birth, God showed

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------me that I needed to trust Him and believe in His ability to answer prayer. This was a true test of my faith and I just had to cling to the fact that the Lord is faithful and would hear the prayer of His people. I am so grateful to those who continually prayed for our family during this time and for their sincerest concern for our well-being.

It is amazing what the Lord will do when we go before him with humbled, open hearts and just pray.

The joy, relief, and gratitude I felt when I laid eyes on healthy baby Sean for the first time was overwhelming. My heart melted and I was so thankful to the Lord and those who prayed for us.

When I look at Sean now I am reminded of how the Lord provided and gave me the opportunity to grow in faith. Sean’s name means “Gift from God” or “God is Gracious”. I believe the meaning of his name is perfect because he really is a gift from God and through his conception to birth he is a testimony of God’s grace to our family.

Thank you to the prayer warriors and thanks be to God and all glory be given to Him.

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18. Michelle To T

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------he other night, I was telling my husband about the Christmas booklet, that I had to write about somebody I was thankful for. I told him the name of a person, and said, “She’s the only one that came to mind that I could write about.”. He threw his hands in the air, let out a fake cry, and wailed, “I can’t believe my wife didn’t even consider me! I’m not someone she’s thankful for!”. He smiled, said he was joking, and that he didn’t care who I wrote about. Of course, I knew he really was bothered by it. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized he should be.

A year and a half ago, I had a miscarriage. It was very difficult, but it was also one of the most incredible times in my life because I felt so close to God. He taught me so many things during that time: to rely on Him and His timing, to seek out His will regardless of what I want, and to be thankful for everything. Being thankful was something I’ve made an effort to focus on since then.

As a result, I’m not stressed out by finances, have eased up on my kids, and generally have a more positive attitude. But after Dat made that comment the other night, I realized I have not worked on being thankful for my husband at all.

Those of you that know Dat, know that he’s... well...different! He’s far from perfect, but the Lord knew that he was perfect for me. His

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strengths are my weaknesses, and vice versa. He loves me and his children. He works hard to give us a comfortable life. He is supportive of all of my needs, especially since we’ve had Caleb. He is this person today because of one reason: he loves the Lord and His Word. He is willing to change and grow, and God is definitely continuing to mould him.

Dat has grown by leaps and bounds since I met him. The Lord brought Dat and I together before each of us was saved, and it truly is amazing to look back and see all that He has done with us. I am ashamed that I did not think of my husband first for this writing assignment. He really is a gift God has blessed me with, and I truly am thankful for him.

It’s about time that I put my husband in the place he deserves to be in. I will work harder to show God that I’m thankful for His gift. I came across Colossians 3:12-15, which gives me perfect instruction on where to begin: “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things {put on} love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

- Colossians 3:12-15

Sonia Sun-Yang Lee

19.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 2:3-4 “And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying.”

T

here are times when I feel like a paralytic, not only powerless and helpless over my body but also over my spirit. I feel like the only one lying frozen when everyone else around me seems to walk with ease. When I start losing hope and everything starts to become blurry, God does not give up on me. He sends me Christian fellows to lift me up and carry me to the very core where the Word stands firm.

This fall and rise repeats itself and in times, to my own surprise, I find myself lifting up others in the same way when I see my fellow Christians go down.

Isn’t it amazing how God uses us to support each other

are the ones who lift me up when I fall; they are the ones who are willing to dig a hole through the roof for me and I for them.

After living a decade together with my in-laws, God finally gave Joo-hong and I the courage to tell them it was time for us to live separately as we had to be the head of our household and not them anymore. They took the news harder than we both expected and out of rage and feelings of betrayal, they refused to talk to us at all until they finally moved out two months later. During those two months I was totally paralyzed physically and spiritually. It took away so much life out of me that I felt literally sick to my stomach. While I should have been over-flowing with joy with my third child just having been born, I was in so much stress and depressed that I locked myself in my room and stayed in bed most of the day with tears dripping down out of my control. I also suffered from awful stomach pains that made me even more immobile. I hated the situation that God put me in. I felt lifeless and powerless. It came to a point that

and gives us the power to ‘remove’ and ‘dig’ any obstacles that may stop each of us getting to Jesus? I can’t thank God enough for giving me my small group for this reason because they

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19. Sonia Sun-Yang ‘cont

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I felt so exhausted that praying and reading the Bible seemed pointless.

Neither my body nor my spirit was responding anymore to God and I knew I seriously needed help. The only thing I looked forward to through all this time was meeting with my PBS group once every other week.

I went back to this passage in Mark 2:3-4 that our group had studied not too long ago and as I shared my pain, Gill, Cindy Song and Cindy Wong were there to listen and lift me up and encouraged me to get back in the Spirit. They gave me such great hope and reassurance that God would restore our relationship with my in-laws one day because me and Joo-hong had simply obeyed and followed God’s will, therefore He would not forsake us. These words that He will restore our relationship have stayed in my spirit ever since, and I have finally began to regain some energy. I was so thankful that my small group was praying for me and my family and I was determined to live up to their prayers as I found strength in God again through them.

After my in-laws had moved out, whether they liked it or not, I tried to do my best at being their daughter-in-law. I visited them

by myself with baby Chan almost every day with food that I had prepared for them and would bring the whole family with me on the weekends. Doing this wasn’t easy at all since we were planning to sell our house and I had a billion things to do at home plus two kids and a baby to take care of. Gradually and very reluctantly, they opened their hearts again and what I thought was going to be a lifetime cold war with them, God graciously restored within three months.

But not only this, God also drew my fatherin-law to attend our church for the first time.

Joo-hong’s father is a very proud man who has refused all his life to set foot in a church, and yet he agreed just last week to come to our church for our kids’ dedication. My in-laws’ presence at church meant so much to us so I can imagine how much more it would have meant to God. All the trial, the separation and the pain was totally worth going through, and I truly believe it was all masterfully planned by someone that I’ve been rejecting all along, for I did not see the reunion happening so fast nor my in-laws coming to church. It was totally an extra bonus and blessing that I did not ever expect to happen. But God knew. He is the master mind behind all this. Had my small group not taken my pallet down the roof and carried me where Jesus was, I would have still been paralyzed and not been able to see what

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------a great plan God had in store for us and my in-laws. He is just truly amazing.

I thought of what makes my PBS group as powerful and so determined for one another like the friends of the paralytic. God gave me the answer through the Scripture ---LOVE.

“But now faith, hope, love abide these three; but the greatest of all these is love”

1 Corinthians 13:13

Through the sharing of our differences, similarities, worries, failures, joy, hope and sufferings (wow, that’s a lot!), I would say on my part that we came to know each other very well.

It is because of them that I finally understand what it truly means to be a family in Christ.

As I would do so much for my own family, love expands far greater to them. Through all this, God showed me that many times we may not have strength to do things for our own selves but find extreme power to do things for others. That’s how even though we are weak on our own, love binds us and together we become strong. Love gives us power to endure and conquer anything. Praise God for giving us love and giving us friends! “(Love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

1 Corinthians 13:7

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20.1 Tammy Kim T

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------here is a Chinese proverb that says; “One generation plants the tree and the other enjoys it’s shade.” Well, the greatest blessing in my life has to be my in-laws, John and Joyce. The Lord gave me another gentle reminder of this blessing as we all went apple-picking one day...

Have you ever really looked at the branches of an apple tree? For some reason, I always thought of apple trees as having thick leaves and one tall trunk. At least, that’s how I used to draw them as a child. But in reality, they have dark, rough, twisty branches that look scary up close. The branches are so large and long that it is amazing how a small trunk could support so many branches and so much fruit!

For some reason, the whole time we were apple picking, the Lord kept bringing this verse to mind: “...and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

- John 15:2 I didn’t understand what the Lord was trying to say at first, but as I remembered the crooked, twisted branches, the Lord later on, brought me to this verse: “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

- Hebrews 12:11.

The Lord showed me that the reason why there is so much peace with my in-laws is that they have yielded the fruit of righteousness and have been trained or “pruned” by His Word.

Whenever the word “in-law” comes up, we almost always brace ourselves for what we are about to hear next. It’s not easy being the daughter-in-law of the first-born son - especially in cultures that cling to tradition, like mine.

But my in-laws are different. Not only do they produce the fruit of the Spirit, but they live it day by day, by supporting us, helping us, and loving us with every ounce of their being.

There have been days when I’ve seen my inlaws go through hard times, but they are always able to bring all of their problems to the Lord, and give thanks in all circumstances.

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I have never heard them complain, or shout injustice, or plot revenge, but have only seen love, humility, and grace exude from their lives.

I brought this up with my husband Rich, and he claims that they were not always this way, but that they have changed along the way.

This gave me so much hope; Because like the branches that were pruned, it is not about our growth, but our connection to the vine that counts.

close to the vine. I am so thankful I am a part of His orchard.

Life may not always be drawn up as a tall leafy tree with perfectly sized apples on it. But as long as my roots are planted in Him, for now, I can enjoy some shade. What undeserved grace we have....

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

- John 15:5 When I think of Rich’s parents, I wasn’t born as their daughter, but they continue to accept, love, and care for me as if I were their own. I’m not a second-class citizen, but a priority due to my connection to their son. It is the closest thing I have come to see in comparison to the love God has for us - the love He has for me!

The word “in-law” can carry with it so many negative connotations or fears and in many ways resemble the scary-looking branches.

But no one goes apple picking to admire the branches. They go for the apples. And that is exactly what the Lord was trying to teach me that day. It is not the branches that produce the fruit, but the vine - the source, Jesus.

As I stood back and could see all of the families, children, and grandparents enjoying the day, I was able to see the bigger picture: what I saw was generation upon generation enjoying the fruits from those branches that stayed

Thanks to His grace I am no longer a daughter-in-law, but a daughter-in-love.

“Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”

- John 4:36 Thank you, Jesus, for your Grace that casts off fear and produces the peaceful fruit of Love.

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20.2 Tammy Kim

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 Corinthians 1:3-5

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”

G

od recently answered one of my prayers in a way I completely did not expect. A while ago I completed a “spiritual gifts” test that revealed a lack of “mercy” in my character. This really bothered me and I remember praying to God for more mercy. Just recently the Spirit made me realize that much of my recent afflictions were a direct result of that prayer.

Last year I was so confused as to why my marriage was suffering and I felt really alone. But when I opened up and was able to share my affliction with others, the Lord showed me that I had many friends and loved ones that were able to comfort and pray for me during that difficult time.

More specifically, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Eddie and Judy were a tremendous help and comfort to me. Not only were they patient in listening to me share my struggles, they also listened to Rich’s point of view and painstakingly helped us through our differences without taking sides or judging us.

I am so thankful that God’s grace extends past heaven, and directly into our lives through the people around us. Eddie, Rich’s younger brother, showed me a particular amount of mercy in not judging or condemning me when I would share my frustrations about his own brother. But like Eddie put it, “we are all family.” And Judy was always willing to listen and offer comfort whenever I was down. I’m so thankful that I not only get to call Ed-

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------die and Judy my friends, but they are family in all ways possible.

And I am convinced that it was through the prayers of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ that helped save my marriage.

It was nothing I did, but the glory truly goes to God. In time, I realized that the real problem wasn’t my marriage, but that it was just the result of deeper issues that the Lord slowly but patiently unraveled for me. And to my surprise, I realized that I was not alone. I find so many of us suffer needlessly because we are so ashamed of our failures and weaknesses that we struggle through it alone and beat ourselves up over and over without seeking comfort from the Lord. But the Lord has shown me time and time again that His mercy never ends, and that mercy definitely triumphs over judgement.

Having received such mercy, I find myself now more merciful. In the past, I had never understood couples who had “problems” or who had claimed to stop loving each other. All I can say is that the Lord surely turned on that light bulb!

And I think that’s how God answered my original prayer that day.

I’m thankful the Lord hears and answers our prayers. Not only did He make me realize that my heart was lacking and actually full of darkness; but He has shown me through others, that when we empty our hearts, He can indeed fill it again with the light of His understanding and comfort. But most of all, with the love of Christ - which is the greatest love of all.

But the most important thing He revealed is that my comfort truly is abundant through Christ.

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21. Tara Bak

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Matthew 5:9

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.”

J

ust recently, I became aware that my kids and some kids from another family at church were having trouble getting along. Whenever they were left to play together, there would always be a conflict. Although I think that our children are a work in progress, and that it is to be expected that kids will have their differences, the parents from both families decided it was best to have them sit down with each other and resolve their differences.

What a blessing it was to see them respond well to correction and have a willingness to obey! They were able to forgive one another and be healed. I was especially blessed by Pastor Sung, who was present at the time, because he reached out and made the effort to clear up any misunderstandings between the kids, to help bring peace between them. This really left an impression on me because I saw the great value in taking a step toward someone to resolve an issue and how doing so leaves no room for presumption, judgment, or bad feelings that could otherwise linger on.

So many times we hear stories or rumors about people and when we listen and believe them, we make a judgment against them. I believe and have witnessed how Satan uses these times to break down relationships and make it difficult or even impossible to accept others because we have allowed ourselves to believe something that is not the full truth. Jesus prayed for the disciples “that they may be one as We are.” I can see now how Satan tries

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to divide believers in Christ, in our homes and in our church.

As I thought about the events that occurred between the kids, the Lord directed my heart and brought to my mind a person who I needed to reach out to, to clear any misunderstandings from the past. As I drove to her house, it was dark and rainy (and those who know me know that I always avoid driving in the rain at night). But this time, I didn’t want anything to stop me. One of the roads I was driving on to get to her house was a side road that didn’t have any traffic lights or lampposts. The drive seemed to be taking forever, and for a moment, fear started to grip me. I was tempted to just turn back around and go home, but instead, I concentrated on the Lord and started singing to Him in the car. I sang every song that came to mind until the Lord brought me out of that dark, hilly, rainy road to a light where I could finally see around me. That evening when I met with her, I told her that I thought I may have offended her in the past and that I was willing to listen to whatever she had to say. Our talk went well and I truly am so glad!

I thank God for humbling me and showing me an example, through Pastor Sung and the children, of taking steps to make peace.

Lord, I praise You and thank You for giving me the ability to do whatever You ask when I am willing to obey.

Thank You for Your gentle voice that brings me to repentance.

Tina Kim 22.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 Corinthians 12:11

“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”

A

s we approach our 3rd annual Christmas potluck, I reflected back on the years I’ve served as a leader of the Women of the Rock (WOTR) ministry. I am filled with so much thankfulness and gratitude. God has truly been faithful, full of grace and mercy. He has worked wondrously and provided in ways I never expected. One of the major ways He has provided is through the two women who serve alongside with me, Janette Lee and Tammy Kim. The Bible says that each believer is gifted with different spiritual gifts for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7). I have really witnessed the truth of these words through my experience in serving with Tammy and Janette.

With Tammy, I have seen that God has given her the gift of administration to organize our women’s events effectively and keep everything running smoothly. Her hospitality and willing spirit to give generously has blessed many women at the Rock. Just thinking about all the meetings we have had in the warmth of her home testifies that God has also granted her the gift of hospitality. Countless times she has opened her heart and home without ever asking for anything in return. And she does it all with cheerfulness and with a servant’s heart.

Janette’s kindness and compassion for oth-

ers has also been so inspiring for me. I have seen how the Lord has used her to reach out to those who needed an ear and lift the spirits of those who were struggling. There have been moments while carpooling together, I’ve shared with her some honest struggles and she has taken the time to listen and hear me out. I think what makes it so easy to share with her is that I never feel judged by her and feel encouraged to open up so I can talk freely. I really think God has gifted her with the spirit of compassion and sensitivity - much like the Biblical character of Barnabas.

I truly believe the Lord in His wisdom brought Janette, Tammy and I together to serve alongside one another in WOTR. Although we are three very different women, somehow, in His amazing way, He uses our differences to come together in perfect harmony.

While Janette is giving an encouraging word and lending a comforting ear, Tammy has been humbly and diligently working with her hands, while I have been marveling at the power of prayer that has impacted this ministry and people’s lives. We have witnessed the work of the Spirit and seen miracles happen as

God brought things together in ways that we could never have done with our own effort.

I’m filled with thankfulness that God has brought Janette and Tammy into my life. He, in His infinite wisdom knew that they each filled specific needs of our ministry with their respective gifts and has used them to minister to me personally as well. How truly awesome is our God who brings sisters in Christ together to bring glory unto Him.

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Women Of The Rock

-----------------------------------------------------------If you are interested in joining a women’s small group, or would like to be added to the Rock Church Word for Today email mailing list, please contact any one of us: Janette Lee janette.lee@rogers.com

Tammy Kim tammykim@rogers.com

Tina Kim tinachoe1031@gmail.com

Rock Community Church: http://www.rockcommunity.org

Blogspot:

Mounsey St.

Islington Ave.

27

Clarence Ave.

http://rockcommunitychurch.blogspot.com

400

Woodbridge Ave. 427

7

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Location: 249 Clarence Ave. Woodbridge,ON L4L 1L6

Sunday Service: Worship begins at 11:10 am in the main chapel.

Sunday school is downstairs in the main chapel.

God bless you!