"I Am Happy to Serve the Local Sanctuary!"
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 11595 |
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November 01, 2015 |
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Deacon Jaeseok Lee, age 47, Parish 26, South Korea
Deacon Lee's wife, Deaconess Sungye Lee; his first daughter Areum (left); his second daughter Solbi (right); and his newest child, Narin, in his arms
Pursuing happiness, I started up my own business at the young age of 24. I was once held a high position in society and enjoyed wealth, but nothing satisfied me. I ended up in wasting my time in alcohol, gambling, and dissipation. I also had a problem in my business and in November 2003 it finally went bankrupt leaving me debt that amounted to millions of dollars. I woke up to find myself at a total loss.
People who had envied me and received my help betrayed me. They even criticized me. Time did not solve my problem. As I could not find any clue to solve it, great frustration grew in my heart. I even broke contact with my family. My first child was sent to her grandmother's house, and my second child to my sister-in-law's. My wife had no contact with me for a year. She heard rumors about me and filed for divorce feeling betrayed.
My wife was suffering before the divorce degree in October 2004. Then, a college alumna of hers guided her to Manmin Central Church. She was moved by Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee's sermon and changed her decision and she withdrew the divorce suit. By the grace of God, she chose hope instead of desperation, and forgiveness and love instead of hatred.
In December 2004, my wife was just barely able to locate me and she called me. She asked me to meet her and just listen to her without asking the reason. She told me she wanted to go to church together. Feeling sorry to her, I went to the church and registered. Just as she asked me to, I listened to Senior Pastor's sermon "The Message of the Cross" and attended worship services and Daniel Prayer Meetings. Sometime later I was given the Lord's grace and thoroughly repented of my past sins with tears.
I was devoting myself to faith without worldly worries. Then I was given a chance to start over again. An investor showed up and I was able to start to build a studio apartment in a place which had been abandoned in Mokpo.
I went to Mokpo with a rosy dream but something embarrassing happened to me. A customer filed a suit against me for a bad check although he promised to wait until the construction finished. I was imprisoned for eight months. I had a hard time physically in prison, but I read the Bible and Senior Pastor's books and learned that true happiness is what we can gain when we lay down everything.
I was renewed and started to work as a construction worker. As I was living a happy life, I was blessed to drive a church vehicle of the Uijeongbu local sanctuary in March 2007. My wife and I came to love each other to the extent that we want to get married if we could be born again even though we were still suffering financial hardship. After I was hired as a driver for the church, I saw my heavenly mansion in a dream. The castle looked large and magnificent in the distance, but when I came close there was no ornament and just the structure of the castle.
After that, when it was not the time for me to be working, I paid attention to things other than my job. At first, I began to share in the 'love side dishes' (simple side dishes served with rice) with people. When I drove the vehicle for pastors who visited members I came to know more about the situation in each household. I began to pray for them and help them if there was something I could do. Then the members called me anytime—when a heater broke, when their children caused problems, or when a family member was falling away. A civil servant in the City Hall told me that he had met with me more often than social workers.
Many of our members help one another and give financial support to those in need as the members of the Early Church did. We helped those with difficulties in moving to come to church even by carrying them on our backs. The local sanctuary became a sanctuary full of love. Our great grand parish pastor leads us with spiritual love so people could settle down and lead happy Christian lives. It brought about revival. My family, my wife and children, devote themselves to the works of the Lord together with one heart. We became peaceful. My mother and relatives accepted the Lord after they saw me renewed. I give all thanks and glory to God who came to me when I was at the threshold of destruction and has guided me to the way of true happiness.
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Manmin News 
