Joe's Journey of HIS

Internship week 9

 This week for the base was quite busier because the last year September DTS came back from outreach. The base itself was filled with more of people voices. Since they were back from outreach, they were still very energetic and full of excitements. It’s been really refreshing week since they imparted their excitement of experience and passion for Jesus. It was really nice to have them back in the base. But, this Tuesday night they had 6 months of DTS completion graduation. It was the time to share their life changing stories all together and praise God for his faithfulness to all of DTS people. We worshiped, shared, witnessed and celebrated all together. It was such a good time to remind in my heart that God is faithful and his faithful people are changing before him and going into the world and changing the world with God gradually, but also powerfully.

 On the other side, this week was not that exciting or busy week compare to other weeks personally. Yet I believe that I am gradually convicted or reminded by his words and in him. Internship might easily turn into boring set of times, but I am really thankful to God because I think this time is and will be much more precious and valuable times than any other times. People are living too busily and intensively these days, it is so difficult to make times to do what they wish for. If I am in the different situation, I could be similar to. But, HIS internship set me in the spot where I could really focus on God and the truth once again. At this time, everything I read or I think is all about God and the truth, and me and whole world. It is serious need that we have to keep seek God whatever we do. Too busy to seek God or to dig the truth is an excuse. We need to seek God and his kingdom first, then whatever we do, we will see real purpose and meaning in our lives. Keep seek who God is and what the truth is.

Internship week8

This week’s revelation from God

Like last week, God encouraged me and met me through the worship time on the community meeting. As we were praising God all together as the body of Christ, and interceding to God, this one powerful song strokes my spirit strongly. It’s a well-known song, “Beautiful” by Phil Wickham. I believe that the author of this song had this revelation already, yet this is so powerful so that I want to share still.

 Whether we are men or women, we are searching for the beauty in our lives. Men want to be more handsome and women want to be prettier. But, do we actually have the standard of handsome and pretty? No. We do not have one. But somehow people think they can know or distinguish the beauty of people especially external ones. People are saying that as times change, the standard of the beauty changes too. Why? because this standard of the beauty is created by human’s eyes. It could be not a big problem, but when this standard became only way to see and judge the people in reality, it became the big problem.

People judge each other’s outsides, hurt other’s heart, blame their parents and take a gloomy view of life, and these situations repeats and increases in the society. It causes and increases more bad problems in society like mental ill, addictions or suicide. It is seriously sad thing to see when people cannot love themselves, but rather hate about themselves due to this standards of the world. 

When I sang this song “Beautiful”, God shows the right standard, real meaning of the beauty.

 The words of song, verse by verse, it really made us to picture the words. Then it happened to me again in this time, and he let me know things about what is beautiful. 

I see Your face in every sunrise The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes The world awakens in the light of the day I look up to the sky and say  You’re beautiful  

I see Your power in the moonlit night Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright We are amazed in the light of the stars It’s all proclaiming who You are You’re beautiful, You're beautiful 

When we see this beautiful creation, we are absolutely speechless.

We cannot doubt about the beauty. I was like that and I proclaimed his beauty. Then, he told me that I am beautiful. Did anyone control the sun and stars to be like that pictures? No, but ever since God created, it does show the beautiful sights. God made it and it just shows beauty itself. He said everything with its original is all beautiful so that you and all your friends on the earth are all beautiful as they are because I created them. We made our own beauty, but we definitely lost the real beauty in our world. Our originality of things are corrupted and ruined by lying and sins - the way we see and the way we think. We need to see real beauty from ourselves and others as we are.

In the 3rd verse, I was asking deeply. What can be the things that I do not know correctly about the beauty?

I see you there hanging on a tree You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne Soon we will be coming home You’re beautiful, you're beautiful 

We could see Jesus death on the cross and resurrection as the most beautiful thing as we accept him as our savior. It may not look like beautiful picture to some people because the death on the cross isn’t pleasant picture. But when we see and understand Jesus’ life fully, then it is surely beautiful picture, and his life is precious and beautiful. Innocent man, who is also God, Jesus Christ came to the earth and lived among his people, and eventually died for all people’s sin and rose to heaven where he was.

Then, God reminded me again that you are beautiful, and said that your life is just beautiful as it is. Your struggles, pain, sorrows, passion, effort and courage, everything that are parts of your life is just beautiful as the life of Jesus because you are my creation and my child. Though our lives cannot be like Jesus’ perfectly, but He just sees all as same beautiful lives. And as I look at my life, it is beautiful because I am going to be in the heaven with Jesus someday after my life. God surely restored our lives as beautiful thing through Jesus so that whatever I do now as long as I follow Him and His principles I will be kept as forever beautiful one. It made the picture of 4th verse as the most beautiful day. And we all going to see His face. How beautiful! 

4th verse:

When we arrive at eternity’s shore Where death is just a memory and tears are no more We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring  Your bride will come together and we’ll sing You’re beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful 

I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful I see Your face, I see Your face I see Your face, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful

Thank you, God.

I am just as beautiful as who I am, what I do in life as long as it’s for you.

Internship week 7

This week was really fun and busy days. Many fun and exciting, but also sad things were happening.

It was Korean New Year’s day according to lunar calendar in Korea. This is one of the biggest celebrating holidays in Korea and it is 3 days long holiday. What people normally do is whole family including relatives gather together celebrating together, as the ceremonial events we make big bows to our older generations like parents and grandparents for showing gratitude and respect and to wish their blessings, and safety and health in new year. Then after they receive it and give us blessing words and money in return. (I do not think it started with money traditionally, but it is like that in now tradition. It’s like special pocket money to their children.) And ancestor worship, lots of delicious traditional foods and traditional games are included in ceremony. Yes, it is so much fun and it is my favorite days because I could happily meet all my family together at once, and we got share our lives much energetically due to the season of New Year. How wonderful! Yet this time I could not be with them in Korea so I was very sad about it.

However, since I am with some of Korean friends in the base, we tried to celebrate our own little Korean New Year day. We cooked and ate together, then not just foods sharing, but we also made it very traditional way somehow. We invited some friends in the base, they were like grandmother, and sisters to some of us. So we enjoyed the day with them and did everything like New Year’s – ate Koreans foods, did big bows to grandmother like, Pauline, shared our lives, and played games. It was bit different, but still so much fun. I was thankful to my friends around me.

 But, after that our loving sister, Jin A left Harpenden base to go to Homested Manor. She was really good friend and sister to me and all Korean people in the base. It was quite sad.

    Another fun event was the Valentine’s Day. It is also celebrated in Korea similar way culturally among people. So I celebrated that with Anna, bought chocolate, flower rose, some her needs and wrote a letter for her. Since I was celebrating the Valentine’s Day in England, I was quite curious about the origin of this international celebration, so I did some research.

 The history of Valentine's Day--and the story of its patron saint--is shrouded in mystery. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? 

 The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. 

 Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl--possibly his jailor's daughter--who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and--most importantly--romantic figure.

 There are more facts and information about Valentine’s Day, but it did not matter because seriously every single ones had dealt with “love” in the story. It was really profound because “the love” from the all the stories long last now societies and even internationally. In the history, people might not see the point of seeking love, poor and weak one before (political) power, but it lasted until now and will be. This story and the current event reminded me how powerful love itself is. And how powerful God is because God is love. Then, to make God more powerful his people was used, and they believed, obeyed and lived with the love of God. Are you ready to carry more of His Love to people who has not received the love and who need the love?

Internship week 6

 Again, sad news knocked to our Internship, our visa apply got denied again. So we could not go to Euro tour at all. Bummer! We were really hoping to leave this week for the tour, but it did not turn our well. Very sad!! It was the main event for the whole internship, but this time we had to give up. Although everybody could have really disappointed, I think everybody was finding their own way to recover from the disappointment, so it turned fine to all, I believe.

For me, I think God was trying to discipline and teach me many things while I was just busy studying and processing internship. Not only through Internship works, but God was teaching me through Quite Times or many other sources. Really everyday was new day of knowing him more and understanding the life better. God and my faith really became real source of my life more and more through these days. Literally there is at least one thing that I realized and learnt new thing so I do not think I could share everything right now. But I will share two things out of many.

One thing is power of words. We all know that using words and tongue itself is very powerful part of our body. There are so many verses in the bible where it warns and emphasizes about it especially in the Proverbs. Then, this week, I really felt that strongly again through many different occasions.

Once when I was skyping with my sister and mother, we got into the topic about church and the faith, then it seemed like they do not understand what I was trying to say and even they heard me wrong and judged me bad way. Actually I was very disappointed in my heart because I thought they will understand me well since they are also Christians and support me. I eventually turned and was preaching or arguing against them. I may want to persuade them nicely, but I realized that I was trying to win against them in the argument. They ended up saying okay about my words, but it was not their hearty expression of agreement. At that point, I realized that this conversation went wrongly because basically I killed my sister and mother’s opinion with my oppressive words. Immediately I ask their forgiveness on my oppressive speech, and worry about myself, what if I speak like that to anybody who does not know Jesus or who struggles with their faith on Jesus. Through that conversation I just realized that we need to be careful on using words even with the closest family and friends because it can hurt feelings, and I need to learn more about how to speak carefully and wisely like Jesus.

Also, I felt about the importance of using words when I was talking to one of my Korean friend. I realized that she was having so much stress on her appearance and outlook. I was hearing that I thought it was just common thing that everybody has. But she was too serious about it, so she attempted to not eat much and do some odd thing for her better look. Then I heard that she hysterically worries about it because of what she and her friends joke each other. They often make jokes about their appearances each other, saying like “you ugly face!” Although she laughs about it in present, those words actually became wounds on her heart inside. I was trying to help her not to believe on lies of the world. In Korea, they too often and easily teasing each other’s ugliness for joke in these days. I again realized that how powerfully the words out of mouth influence in people’s inner being.

Internship week 5

Since I mentioned that our Euro tour has delayed, we had to give up going to Netherland because it was our first location to visit. So we were very sad about it and we had nothing to do for the schedule actually. But one of speakers that we were going to see in Netherland actually decided to come to our place to see us and teach us. It was so great. He is Ed Sherman, who is College Chair of College of Humanities and International Studies, and is serving in YWAM Heidbeek, Netherland.

It was really happy to meet him for me personally and for our school because he stirred our hearts again to burn again or more for God. 

 Some of his teaching or contents were repeating to previous lecture phase contents since he touched most of European histories and Christianity in it. However, his focus or approach of teaching was quite different to other speakers. And I found it very interesting and loved it. It was very powerful and biblical. How God moves and break into human’s history and lives. He did in the past and still does it. There are too many things that we learnt, but I just want to share the main point of his. His main point is that in all people God is working his plan and will. Through all people/nations the world is on shaping and changing. They all have their unique talents and abilities that God gave and uses. God is reaching to the people before the gospel reaches them; when the gospel reaches to them, the fullness of gospel occurs, and God works in them for the whole world. This may seem not too surprising to some of you because you might agree. But I know that people still do not agree or understand that fully especially many Christians because their focus will always be on the Christians, Christian inheritance and Christian cultures only. Through Ed’s teaching my view of history was changed because he knew and understood fully what exactly he meant about his point. For example, when we Christians talk about the topic of truth, our view naturally become parallel to Greek philosophy. And it easily gives us the answer that Greek philosophers are false prophet kinds. Is this right conclusion to make? If we study about many different philosophers, we can easily see that they all had different ideas, but were trying to find out the truth. Some were rational, others were irrational. Yet, still many of them found out profound fundamental things which lines up with the truth of God. They found some answers from the law of nature, which was from God’s creation, the work of God. The eminent 20th-century philosopher Alfred North Whitehead is reported to have said, “All of Western philosophy is but a footnote to Plato—and Aristotle wrote most of the footnote.” They were madly passionate about finding the truth. As I was hearing from Ed, I could see and sense that they were really close to know the fullness of the truth which from God, Yahweh. After as we see how they really impacted or contributed the world in past and also in present time’s world, we could see that they really did something significant. Their work and efforts in the life was not just wasting and nothing itself, but it was all from God’s will. God gifted and blessed Greeks with their uniqueness. (Perhaps, blessed “their brains”.) They just missed the presence of true God, who is prepositional, but also personal. They just have not met this God who was and is relational and revelational. However, how God moved in the history and met these people through Paul in Acts 17. God used his people to meet people who need God. Isn’t this what God always want from His chosen nation, Israel, and now from all the nations and all people? Through this, I changed to like Greeks more than ever. They were not the opposition of God, but same human who tried to seek the truth like anybody else. Indeed, their works were amazing and great as one of God’s creations.

 God moved and moves in our human history. And God moves with his people. I loved how God moved in Ed’s life. He said that he was born in Christian family, but who became atheist, revolution activist and hippie, and was into occults later and so on. To make the story short, then, he was ended up after man with spiritual wisdom, Mike. Eventually at the end of journey, he found the man and his friends, and one night they went to somewhere and he followed then it was church. He did not want to go in because he was very disappointed to hypocritical church in the past; he left the church because there was no life and alive seeking of God’s presence. However, when he entered this church, he was strongly drawn into the song from youngsters’ mouths in front of church; they were singing in tongues. He said that it was his first encounter of spiritual reality in the church, first personal encounter with real God’s presence. From there he became born again Christian again. He described God, God with the humility. He had this shield of pride in him for so long, but humble God was always after him, so he rather came to meet him. This humble, loving and personal God is with you everywhere, and with you and through you he wants to change the world. God is shaping and changing the world with his obedient people in the history. Bringing difference in the world was not mattered by numbers of people, or positions or powers, but faithful people’s obedient actions with courage.

Everyone is hearing God’s call. Will you take that call and change the world better with God? Do you see or have the challenges before you? How you and we respond to the challenge (of the world) will determine the history of the world!! Our lives, our choices will all matter in this world.

Internship week 4

Was snow too sudden for me?! This week I was sick for many days. I had a cold. I try to rest and recover through medicine, but it took some time to fully recover. I felt powerless, but I had some works to do so I felt bad about it. However, I could not keep it up well enough. I was quite down. Then, I met my classmate Sanda. He is from South Africa and is such a bright and joyful person who makes people happy too. But this time he was very downed and weak in his heart and spirit. He said that he has been struggled with this feeling of tiredness and weakness. As soon as I heard from I could understood how he was doing because I was like that during HIS school. I prayed for him immediately because it was not usual to see him like that ever since I met him. He received it and seemed feel happier. I felt good too because though I was powerless, I could still help and bless my brother in God. Sanda actually said next day he was feeling much better. I praised God for that because he is the almighty powerful one who provide us with new strengths to recover from our weakness and powerless.

 This week was even more special because I did put up some pictures on the Facebook, and I met my cousin in London. The reason why putting up pictures were special to me was because I found it difficult to do it to myself though I want to. I know it is strange why I just do it. I found it difficult because I take long time to figure out what or how I am going to post it online. And if I am trying to do, I just think too much about it. It is like a bad habit to me, perhaps perfectionism or caring people’s eyes too much on what I am doing. I think I am slowly figuring out why I am like that through God. It’s been really one of my biggest problems on my actions and life. I am really trying to break it completely. I know only God can do it with me, so I am still growing in somewhere with Him. I am really thanking him for that. God is perfect and I am not. I will put him in center and as my lord all the time.

Internship week 3

 This week was another grateful week! Why? Because I had chance to see snow in England and it snowed and is snowing, right now. I love snows. I just love it ever since I was a kid. (But I was to hate it, when I was in Army where it snows all the time in the winter ;)) But, not now again. When the world turn into “White world” though it is cold, it is so beautiful to see. It is definitely one of forms of God’s beautiful creation, and it is definitely God’s given gift to human beings to see God’s beauty. 

 I have not had any chance to see snow until now though I was facing with the winter. Apparently, it was hard to see snows in Harpenden, but here it comes. I had lots of them.

Thank you, God! At least, I and some friends and all the kidz loved it because they had chance to make snowman and have snow fights. J

 But, in the midst of this happy moment, I still found some difficulties and hardship in relationship and life in general. There were my personal ones, but also friends. I know that the relationship is really important in lives, but when we are face with some people who are so different or difficult to me in communication and living style in general, it really becomes burden on our hearts. You know in these times, we started to complain, question and dislike about things.

Only thing I could do was really prayer and asking God’s wisdom, and also attempting more clear communications on things with the person with calmness. It took bit of times. I think it is getting better, and I am sure that God will make it all good for me and other person, also in friend’s situations.

 I learnt two things through this. One was actually through my Quite Time reading with God. I read one of Ole Hallesby’s words, “Prayer and hopelessness are inseparable. Only those who are helpless can truly pray… Your helplessness is you best prayer.” How great! Are we become helpless quite often? I thought this was God’s grace to us because he always hears us and answers us in his way. In the Bible, James says that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (5:16). But does “effective”and “fervent” mean the harder we pray, or the more people we ask to pray, the more likely God is to answer with a yes? We have had enough “no” and “wait” answers to wonder about that. Prayer is powerful, but it’s such a mystery. We’re taught to have faith, to ask earnestly and boldly, to persevere, to be surrendered to His will. Yet God answers in His wisdom and His answers are best. I’m just thankful that God wants to hear our hearts and that no matter the answer, He is still good.

This time really made me to pray and ask God more about his way and his wisdom, and I learnt this.

Another thing was that God really wants our natural and more frequent prayers. I might have heard it before and knew it in my head, but when it came as revelation, it became real to me. It was through my personal relationship with people. When I was having hard time with specific friend, I knew that though I do not want to speak with friend, I need to talk with friend more to resolve our problems and miscommunications because without it I will never going to have comfortable relationship with that person anymore. I was doing it because I understood and accept my friend as different, unique human being, then through much clearer communication and understanding each other, we could still be friends.

Internship Week 2

 The real(!) internship started this week. It was short, but honestly felt quite long. I believe it was because I did not do quite much during the holidays, but just staying in the base most of times. I could not make many things to do due to various reasons.

Anyway, here I am, coming into new season, HIS Internship. Since I went to Northern Ireland the other times, I really felt like, I made good decision to do so. So I am pretty exciting about this internship.

 But, actually after about 2 weeks of holidays my excitements are quite down now. The new year of 2013 has come already, but I do not actually feel the difference of new year that because I am away from home, the new year in foreign country feel little different, and I still have various worries or thoughts in my head. It’s about finance, studying plans, motivations or just many emotional thoughts.

 However, I overcame. How? With people who are there with me and for me. First of all, I skyped my family back home first time this week, in 2013. It was great to see their faces and share good words and lives.

Secondly, our HIS school all went to movies this week. We watched the movie Hobbit in 3D. It was great time to watch movie since I have not watched the movie in the cinema after 007 Skyfall.

Lastly, I got my scripture of year 2013 through my family. Every new year, when we have New Year service in the church, we do pick the book mark of scripture out of many like drawing lots after we get blessing prayer from the pastor. Then, they got mine too. So this Word of God gives me strengths, and I can sense that God is with me though I am going through hard times.

 My scripture for this year, 2013 is in Romans 8:28,

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Who have been called according to his purpose”.

 As it says, I believe that though I do not know all of my plans and life, whatever I do for God now will become part of good works for God’s kingdom. I strongly sensed that God will put his people around my life in 2013 and work together for good, and if I do follow and obey his call, he will always help me and make all for something good no matter what. I think this season is the season of trust and obedience to God, strongly because He is good and I love him so much.

 Jesus let it be in my life of 2013!!