Campus ministry = God's lesson
"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children.
For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—
and everyone undergoes discipline—
then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all." (Hebrews 12:7-8)
This semester’s campus ministry was truly "God's lesson" for me.
It was a season of constant learning, realization, and transformation through God’s teaching and grace.
Through the life of missions, God has continuously allowed me to learn and grow, shaping me into a true Christian.
Walking with God, I’ve seen Him gradually refine the habits and thoughts of my "Egyptian values" that still linger within me. Even in areas I thought were already trained, He graciously dives deeper, drawing them out and leading me to reflect His image more fully.
I am grateful for this semester, where God has been transforming me step by step into the person He desires me to be. The opportunity to always learn is truly precious.
This semester, I had the opportunity to visit the EMORY campus each month to deliver the Word during campus worship services. As I served the three campuses—Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and Emory—
I was able to observe their distinct characteristics and spiritual atmospheres, which gave me much to pray about.
I am truly thankful for this meaningful time of ministry.
[Emory is a campus that originally had Christian roots. However, it has since evolved to emphasize diversity and religious inclusivity, which has led to a strong presence of religious pluralism. Spiritually, it is a dark and chaotic campus in much need of prayer.]
Since campus worship typically takes place in the evening after classes, I’ve tried to care for students who might not have eaten dinner by preparing snacks like tteokbokki to serve them. Though preparing food is a bit tiring sometimes, seeing the students' bright, eager faces as they receive both spiritual and physical nourishment has been such a blessing—it makes all the efforts completely worthwhile.
While it’s not feasible to do this every time, I hope to continue food ministry as needed.
Please pray for the strength, ability, and resources to sustain this effort!
In addition to small group gatherings with students, I also serve in weekly leaders’ meetings on Tuesdays and campus worship services on Thursdays. This means I’ve been preparing and delivering messages more frequently than before.
At the beginning of the semester, I felt a wave of nervousness and pressure, as I wasn’t yet accustomed to preparing and proclaiming the Word. The time spent crafting the message and practicing English each week made this recurring task feel like a relentless cycle—almost like a heavy burden.
However, God graciously taught me a valuable lesson about my attitude toward His Word. In the midst of juggling many responsibilities, I often felt weighed down by the task of preaching. Yet God gently revealed and corrected my heart, teaching me the importance of treasuring His Word and approaching it with reverence and joy.
"Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs,
lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."
(Matthew 7:6)
As I reflected on why delivering the Word felt like such a heavy burden and challenging task, I realized it stemmed from the pressure to preach well and my desire for the students to change—something that is beyond my control.
In this, I discovered a self-centered attitude in my approach to sharing God’s Word. I repented for not treasuring what is holy as I should have and have been pondering how I should carry out the responsibilities entrusted to me with the right heart.
I am reminded that the Word of God is never a tool to rally people or a platform to validate myself. I pray to preach with a heart and attitude that pleases God—whether there is an audience of one or many, I want to deliver the message with my utmost sincerity and commitment.
I desire for the opportunity to share God’s Word to become a source of joy for me. While the burden may not suddenly disappear, I pray to approach this work with a more joyful and reverent heart, boldly sharing the message God places on my heart. May I proclaim His Word with faithfulness and love!
The Season of Sending
It is the season of sending.
In January of next year, we will be sending off the STINTers from Korea who have served faithfully for the past year. As we held the final worship service of the semester on campus, we also took time to express our gratitude for their dedication.
The STINTers, who have worked alongside me as a team on campus, feel almost like my own children. These students willingly offered a year of their lives to come and serve in a place of giving love, and through this experience, they not only gave love but also learned what it actually meant to fully love.
I pray that as they return to their home country, they will continue to carry out their mission of spreading this love faithfully.
Especially noteworthy is Chanyang, who came from Fukuoka, Japan, and has decided to extend her time here for another semester. The decision to extend came with many considerations, including financial challenges and other concerns, but her willingness to obey the heart God has given her is truly precious. Each person's decision and journey is unique and valuable.
Soyi, with whom I’ve been leading small group gatherings for nearly a year since my time as a trainee minister, will be transferring to the UGA campus starting next semester.
Our small group meetings with Soyi have always been something I looked forward to every week. Though she is still just shy of turning 20, I can see how God values and delights in such a person. Soyi deeply cherishes the small group gatherings and strives to apply what she has learned to her daily life, living it out faithfully.
Soyi feels that her knowledge of the Word is still lacking, but I believe that what matters most is not just knowledge, but how we live. Even if someone knows only one thing, living it out in their life is what truly pleases God.
Because of this, I sense that God is truly pleased with Soyi, and this small group has reminded me to live as a missionary who practices what I teach. I pray that Soyi will continue to share the love and grace she has experienced over the past year through small group gatherings and be a powerful influence on the campus she is transferring to. May she live as a disciple who always walks with Jesus.
Not only for Soyi but also for many other students, the time spent in small group meetings has been a precious opportunity for me to humbly learn before God.
I pray that through these small group meetings, it will not just be a time of serving, but a time for us all to be spiritually filled and move in the same direction, growing together in the Lord.
The weekly leaders' meetings have also been a time of grace. I’ve had the opportunity to grow closer to the leaders, get to know each other better, and spend time in prayer for the campus and souls.
Most importantly, it was a time to reflect on how we should live as campus leaders and to learn together.
Next year, we will have leaders who are temporarily leaving the campus, starting with those going into the military, as well as students taking a semester off campus or transferring to another campus.
I have a heart to send them off well. Even though they will be leaving the campus, I want to continue holding them in my heart and interceding for them in prayer.
"Win the campus today, Win the world tomorrow!"
This is the rallying cry we always shout during campus worship, and I pray that the students will live lives where they can spiritually triumph in the world as well.
When I pray for each individual by name, I am overwhelmed by the inspiration God gives me. How blessed am I to have a heart that can love others as if they were my own life… I am deeply grateful.
Please pray that I may continue to carry the students in prayer and faithfully send them off, fulfilling my role as a vessel in their journey. :)
God is providing
As I shared in my previous prayer letter, my husband has developed a heart to live for the gospel. While I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in missions together, we have also faced financial difficulties in continuing the ministry.
In a situation where we couldn’t even pay the rent, I cried out, "God, is this truly Your calling for me? God, is this the life You want me to live?" Over the past two months, I struggled with discouragement, focusing on the visible circumstances.
'The Wilderness of Finance'
This is the wilderness I have newly entered.
Previously, I knew in my head that God is the ultimate authority over finances, but I didn’t fully acknowledge it. I often tried to rely on my own strength and abilities, or on other things besides God, to seek financial provision. But this time, I found myself in a situation where I had no choice but to rely solely on God.
In this wilderness of finances, I poured out my feelings of disappointment toward God for the first time and experienced a sense of helplessness. In the midst of that, I realized how I had been living as if I were the master of everything and repented. I surrendered everything to God. I came to realize that the balance in my bank account doesn’t bring me stability—only God, the true source of my peace, can provide that.
Even the little possessions I had, which I had tried so hard to hold on to, I now laid down before God, who is the true owner. With the financial resources I had, I decided to support others who were in greater need than I was. (God gave me that heart.) In a situation where I couldn’t even pay my own rent, I was now giving to others! To the world, this might have seemed like nonsense.
But just a few days later, God showed me a miraculous provision. Just like when the boy offered his small loaves and fish to Jesus, and the miracle of the five loaves and two fish took place, God provided the rent money for me in a way that only He could.
When I offer all I have, the little loaves and fish,
I confess, "The Lord will provide." ♪
(From "The Lord is Working")
In this way, God provided for my November rent through sponsors whose faces and names I didn’t even know.
I am experiencing the amazing principle that is not granted in the world, but is permitted in the Kingdom of God!! After that, there were still times when I had to help others financially, and even when I had little, I gave generously. God continued to provide abundantly! This is how I was able to pay my December rent. It’s not coincidence; it’s a perfect timing!
I have come to acknowledge that God is the owner of finances. And I have decided to trust Him. Instead of despairing over an uncertain future, I have chosen to live with the hope that God will provide.
"The Lord is working. The Lord is working.
For those who do not withhold from the Lord,
For those who walk in trust..." (From "The Lord is Working")
As I share this testimony in my prayer letter, I want to share the grace God has given me.
Even if another storm or unknown hardship comes my way, I want to remember that God helps those who walk in trust with Him, prepares them, and is still at work.
Just as God was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I can confess that He is my God as well. Glory and praise be to Him! Jehovah Jireh, the Lord is alive.
Prayer topics
Jabez prayed to the God of Israel, saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested.
(1 Chronicles 4:10)
- Please pray for my ministry partner development progress.
The headquarters has encouraged me to spend Wednesdays and Fridays for ministry partner development, but I feel I haven’t been able to focus on it as I’ve been concentrating on campus ministry. Please pray that I can faithfully dedicate time to this work of developing partners. - Please pray that I can carry out the ministry entrusted to me with a heart that values God’s things.
- Like Jabez’s prayer, I also desire to see my boundaries enlarged.
Please pray that I will become a servant who prays daily for the souls on campus, for my ministry partners, and for the mission field. - Please pray that our family will live a life that pleases God.
Pray that we can live as a family with a perspective that reflects God’s Kingdom. - Please pray that I will be a servant who remembers that love comes first.
Pray that I will become someone who teaches others to love by acting it out myself, that I can be part of a community where love never fails.
(Please pray that I never lose love in the midst of serving.)