Happiness and Blessing Overflow Because the Lord Dwells in My Heart
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November 18, 2012 |
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Brother Dongho Kim (Senior of Sejong University, majoring in Cartoon and Animation)
 With his mother Deaconess Okran Chung and his brother Minho Kim
My college graduation is around the corner. Looking back upon my past days, each day was of blessings. Soon, I, who wandered without any specific goal, will start my career as a member of society. My heart is already full.
In my school days I wandered because I hated poverty
When I was little, my family was the richest family in my town. But my father's business went bankrupt when I was a 5th grader. From then, my family moved from room to room for rent by month. We were chased by creditors. I horribly hated the situation of poverty so I just hung around with friends. It caused my parents to be heartbroken.
In January 1997, I registered in Manmin Central Church following my parents. I attended church every week, but I preferred hanging around with my friends over offering up services. I followed the worldly pleasure. After failing to enter college for two years, I finally succeeded in entering Sejong University in the third year and came to study Cartoon and Animation. However, things didn't get better.
In November 2006, my father passed away suddenly due to a heart attack. I felt thankful for the church because the members took care of all the procedures and funeral arrangements, but my Christian life didn't change. I just liked to drink and smoke more than to study. After I enlisted in army, I didn't even attend church.
In January, 2010, when I was about to get out of the army I had a lot on my mind. This was because I felt like I hadn't achieved anything. All of a sudden, I happened to think I wanted to return to the church. But again, I thought, 'I will live as I please after the army for just a half of a year. Then, I will lead a diligent Christian life!' I also set a specific goal like receiving scholarship and getting a good score on language proficiency tests.
My renewed life began in the guidance of the Lord
After the six months, I participated in the Summer Retreat held in August 2010. In the Fullness of the Holy Spirit Prayer Meeting with Mrs. Boknim Lee, President of Manmin Prayer Center, tears poured down my face. The Holy Spirit started to touch me.
Am I worthy even to shed tears? I caused God the Father to shed a lot of tears and crucified the Lord so many times! Am I worthy of shedding tears? I thought. But the thought disappeared after a short while and it came over to me that I am God's son even whether I am a bad son or if I was OK. And my heart was comforted. Right then, I stopped drinking and smoking.
In the meantime, I came to think I may draw pictures for the kingdom of God. Just as I imagined, a blessing came to me who had repented with new resolution. I was asked to work on illustrations for Dr. Jaerock Lee's 'Lectures on Proverbs' that appear on The Christian Press and for Bible study books for children. Due to family economic state, I didn't have a personal computer but surprisingly, I was blessed to buy one during the week.
With stronger resolution, I repented of my past sins from the bottom of my heart and asked Dr. Jaerock Lee to pray for me. After then, I felt the Lord's warm love and I quit the worldly things one by one. Joy overflowed in me as though I was born again. The joy was incomparable with any other worldly pleasure.
In June, 2011, I had a dream. In the dream, Dr. Lee advised me not to use black-colored ink saying that God hates the color. After that dream, I replaced all black ink with brown one. People liked it and my skill was also improved. In late July, 2011, I won in Comic Master K Contest held in my college so I received prize money. I also worked for an arts academy with good working conditions.
My mother's disease resulted in blessings
In particular, I had a good opportunity to grow up in faith in 2012. Four years ago, in 2008, my mother had major surgery. From then on, she suffered from a very bad memory. From early 2012, the symptom got worse.
In late April of 2012, a senior deaconess called me. She said my mother's health condition should be considered seriously because she rambled. At the moment, I burst into hot tears. I repented that I had usually complained about her bad memory.
Her brainwave test showed she had amnesia. In addition, her state became so serious that it could lead to a stroke. Before her retest, I started to look back upon my Christian life. I repented earnestly, "Have I led a spiritual Christian life? Didn't I pray in meaningless repetition?" I repented of everything that came to my heart. And I prayed for nothing bad to occur to my mother.
My mother received Dr. Lee's prayer for the sick through Automated Response Service several times. Also, our parish pastor and the consolidated president of Canaan Mission prayed for her with the handkerchief of power (Acts 19:11-12). The result showed her brain had no problem. Hallelujah!
Blessing overflows with God's love
I could pay my school tuition fee with scholarship Dr. Lee gave me since my family was not well-off. He saves money even from a bowl of noodles and helps the poor. While I grew mature in faith I started to study hard to repay the grace I'd received. As a result, I won scholarship in school for the two semesters in 2011. And I scored A+ in all subjects in the first semester of 2012.
Additionally, I received Dr. Lee's help when choosing my graduate work. In late 2011, Dr. Lee talked about the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms and applied contents in it to our life. I decided to do my graduate work based on it. I even got the idea of my graduate work from him.
After the graduate work exhibition, I even got a job with good working conditions. Until now, I have received God's overflowing love. Now I'd like to become His child who spreads His love. I give all thanks and glory to God who washed away my past wrongdoings and blessed me both in spirit and body.
 Brother Dongho Kim is working on illustrations of a Bible study book for children
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