Minji’s Testimony :

After my parents got married, they were not able to have babies for seven years. My mom prayed so hard for those seven years and she finally got pregnant. She was so happy to have me and she thanked the Lord. After I was born, she didn’t have any other children, so I was an only child who was and still is so precious to both of my parents. They loved and cared for me so much, but also, they had a high expectations on all the things I do as well. When I was in elementary school, I was young and didn’t know anything so all I wanted to do was just do what I was told and make my parents happy. Then when I went to the middle school in Jeonju, I started meeting new friends who always wanted to just hang around and chat with each other. At that time, the only reason I went to school was to hang out with my friends, talk or sleep during class. Even though I was born in a Christian family, and was a secretary at my Sunday school, I lived like that, which now if I think about it, it makes me feel very ashamed. I don’t think I have ever acted like a faithful daughter of Jesus Christ and my parents. I never thought of how my actions and words would hurt and disappoint God and my mom and dad. Actually, I didn’t care. Unlike how I live now, I had no future goals or anything after I graduate. My life was basically hopeless and meaningless. My mom and dad always prayed for me crying and crying to come back to how I was before. Whenever I talk with my church pastor or participate in summer camps at church, I would cry and cry while I was praying and repent, but right after the next day, I would go back to my own life. Friends were everything to me at that time and I rarely cared about my family. Then, one day, on the last day of school in my 8th grade year, I got in a very big fight with my friends and I came back home with uncomfortable and empty feelings inside me. Now, I didn’t know what to do, and I didn’t know who I can talk to because they were the only ones that I spent most of my times with. This was because even though my parents always had their minds and everything opened for me, I never approached them. Anyway, so after that last day of school, vacation started, and while everyone was having so much fun hanging out with their friends and families, my vacation sucked. Then suddenly my church pastor took the council members of our Sunday school to a short retreat near our city to a beach. At night, we got to pray for each other, sharing our hardships and any worries. I suddenly started thinking about my life, and everything was awful for me. I cried and cried talking about my situation, and everyone there started praying for me praying in tongues, crying, and blessing me with every actions and words they can do. Then, as I kept sobbing, I started to feel the love of Jesus Christ and I felt so sorry for Him and my parents for how I have lived for the past one to two years. I really wanted to change to a new person that would make my family and my God happy. I got to have the feeling of joy and happiness again; however I was still feeling so sorry for my parents especially. I was picturing all the moments when I was betraying, ignoring, and disrespecting them. What made me sadder was that they still loved me just like they did before, no, more than they did before. God showed me His unfailing and unconditional love through my parents and He still is right now. Moreover, I learned His great power that could make anything possible. This was because He let me change my whole life by sending me to Taejon Christian International School, where I am right now. I met a true friend who I can talk to about anything starting from spiritual stuff to relationship problems, and this was definitely different from my life in Korean middle school because I never got to do this with my friends there. They were not “true” friends who desire to listen to my problems and pray for me. However, my true friend – her name is Grace- , knew how to do this, and she was desiring and desperate to do this for me. Not only this, but I got to appreciate every single thing that my parents do for me. I got to love and trust them so much that now, they are like my best and the most special part of my life. My attitude and mindset changed completely and I got to get much closer to God. I learned how to talk in tongues, and share my testimonies with others, even non-Christians. I also learned how to forgive and love my enemies. Overall, God is great and He is powerful. With Him, we can do anything, ANYTHING though Him. He has changed many people’s lives and He still is right now, and He will, forever. I am so excited and happy to think of His plans for more people in the future!