Here at Gracepoint I experienced a body of believers who really cared for one another. Not just a hi and bye on Sundays, but doing life together. I experienced that memorably surrounding the time when my father passed away a couple of years ago due to cancer. Months before my father passed away, all the members at Gracepoint were praying for my father, especially for his salvation. Through the prayers of everyone at Gracepoint, a miracle happened to my father who was passing away in Korea. After over 60 years of living and over 30 years of marriage, he was finally broken by the truth of who he was. He broke down in tears after a Bible study he heard in Korea, and then the unthinkable thing happened. He apologized to my mother for all the wrong he had done to her. This was no ordinary…"I’m sorry honey" kinda thing. With tears and sincerity in his voice he apologized; something my mom said he had never done in all the years she had been married to him. From this she was assured something fundamentally shifted inside his heart, and that he was on his way to heaven. We brought back my father’s ashes to California to bury him in a cemetery in the East Bay. I and my family were overwhelmed with the number of Gracepoint brothers and sisters who came out to be at my side to comfort me and my family. So many rushed to the funeral after work all over the Bay Area. It’s hard to believe that my dad, who was such an opponent to going to church in the past, was the recipient of so many heartfelt prayers. For this I can never thank God enough.

God has really placed a burden in my heart for the sophomore girls in my college group. Though it is a privilege to minister to and take care of them, with that privilege, I realize that I have a tremendous responsibility to pray for those God has brought into my life. I've been feeling the need to pray for our sophomore girls, not only for the girls that come out regularly, but also for those who I've met at the dining halls, girls that I met in the beginning of the semester at our welcome night, acquaintances in the dorms. Each person I meet, I see that I can potentially be their only link to God. These people are not simply names on a piece of paper or card, or a mere contact, but they are each God's children who need to 'return home' and hear the Gospel message.

In order to help me pray for the sophomore girls on a regular basis, I divided the girls up so I could pray for three of them each day of the week. This way, I'm thinking about them on a regular basis and praying for them. They're not out of sight, out of mind. As I pray for the girls, I see that their needs are each so different -- some I'm praying for spiritual hunger, a desire to seek God, and for others, I'm praying for courage to share their faith with their roommates and friends. I feel that I am already seeing the fruit of prayers that have been lifted up as one of the girls in my group, came to service this past Sunday and even stayed for the lunch fellowship time afterwards! I really hope and pray that as I commit to faithfully pray for the sophomore girls, that my own heart will grow in love.

I first came to Gracepoint because a roommate invited me over to a picnic social the church was having. Before then, Gracepoint was a nebulous entity that I had heard positive things about but had never before experienced. I was certainly surprised. The people I met were warm and generous, perfect strangers and yet so willing to hear more about me and to show me around. I had gone to churches that were friendly before, but the depth and sincerity were strikingly unique. I continued to be pleasantly surprised and amazed by the church. Pastor Ed spoke with such conviction and poignancy, with a perception that was downright frightening while the members of the congregation were vibrant and filled with passion for each other. I did not have long in the church though as I received news that I was going to Iraq, but once word got through the church, I found myself supported and prayed for, by multitudes I barely knew and yet cared for me anyway. Even while I was overseas, people would email me and send care packages just to keep in touch. When I came back I was welcomed with much rejoicing, even though I never thought something as simple as me coming back alive would warrant such attention. People there were definitely relationship-oriented, and I was reminded daily of Pastor Ed’s own messages about loving one another and going outside the singular self by the actions of those around me. As it was, my own trials were not finished. I fell about forty feet one Saturday due to ROTC obstacle training, fracturing several vertebrae in my spine. I was rushed to the hospital and yet the very next day I saw Suzanne and Steve, a married couple from Gracepoint, checking up on me. I had not expected anyone to so much as know about my accident much less respond with such celerity to the news. I was moved to tears, though high on morphine, I doubt it was telling. The blessings God gave me only grew. Pastor Ed came over to see me as well, members of ROTC, more members of the church, then primarily members of the church, sisters of Gracepoint who organized it so that everyday someone would drop by to visit, bringing flowers, cards, food, and company. Even when I left the church, Esther, Mina, Jennifer, and Azusa offered their home for me until I recovered more fully. I was stuck in a wheelchair, hardly at a high point in my life, and yet they cared for me anyway, despite the extra trouble and attention a case like mine required. These actions borne of love made me realize that I owed a debt that could never be repaid. It made me realize that here was a church that was truly touched by the presence of God, and that there were people here worth knowing and loving in return. My gratitude toward the Lord grew as I saw his grace manifested in his children, my brothers and sisters, and to this day I do not know the proper expression for the thanks I owe.

I concretely experienced "doing life together in all its ups and downs" this past year as I faced one of the most difficult "downs" in my life with the death of my mom.

Galatians 6:2 "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

I experienced this verse firsthand as my burden became the burden of the whole church. Through each and every stage of my mom's illness, the entire church carried us through continuous, desperate and earnest prayer. People approached, called, and asked me if we needed any help. Those with expertise in the medical field answered all my questions and gave advice. People offered to take up my workload so that I would have more time to attend to my mom's needs. And there were those who comforted and prayed for me. They were people who I was close to and also came to know better as they chose to take on this burden with me even though many did not know my mom personally.

It is not possible to simply sum up the difficulty that I faced and continue to face, but there wasn't a moment when I felt alone. It was the constant presence of people that gave strength and sustained me. I realized that we take on one another's joys and sorrows because we are friends, brothers and sisters, and a community. I'm so thankful that I was able to go through this darkest and lowest point surrounded by this community.

As I watched our children come through the doors and frolic about, eagerly playing for Powerpoints, I was so glad because I felt God's love protecting them. The costumes I see during Halloween are so disturbing, and I read a CNN article that talked about how violent this holiday is becoming even in our local area.

When I saw how happy and protected our chidren were during this day, a verse came to mind: Isaiah 8:13-14, "The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary..."

Through the toil and labor of God-fearing brothers and sisters, God was glorified as He became a sanctuary for the little ones who would otherwise be running around the street at night with nothing but candy to show for it. I'm so grateful to God for the gifted leaders and humble workers who put costly love into this event. It is no small feat. As so many of us are ordinarily so selfish and immature, I watched my brothers and sisters become ennobled as they put their sweat and earnest devotion into making this happen. I'm so glad I could be a witness to such love for our children. I couldn't help but be filled with love for God's church, His work and His people through this event. The word of God truly became "living and active" through His church. What a marvelous mystery!