Senior Deaconess Younghee Namkung, age 49, Parish 1, South Korea

I never learned how to write poetry and did not even try to write a poem. But many changes that happened to me lately made me a poet.

Several years ago, I underwent a trial through which I realized that everything in my life is of the love of God. During the three month grace period given through Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee's intercession in 2013, I came to know that I had lived by my will, not by the will of God. I thoroughly repented.

From that time on my faith started to grow. Things that had been vague, like things behind a veil of fog, cleared away, and everything became clear to me. My viewpoint towards the worldly people changed, and God's divine nature and power embedded in the very nature of things became different to me.

One day I was walking at early dawn in the mountain in Kanghwa. I saw violets and I thought, "These flowers seem to keep the emotion of the day of God's Creation and blossom every year with that emotion." I became earnest to recover a clean heart that God intended for me in the first place. I also began writing.

I started to write poetry in this way. My acquaintances advised me to submit my writings to the Korean Christian Writers' Association competition. After that, however, I happened to read other Christian poets' work and felt their expressions were so skillful and eloquent. I had forgotten all about it after that.

A week before the announcement of the winners, I was lethargic. I lost energy and thought that there is nothing I can do myself. At the same time I came to think strongly that everything was all by God's grace.

Just after that I heard the unexpected announcement: I was the winner. I felt that God was pleased with me when I set my old fleshly view in life behind and relied only on God, and He caused all things to work together for good and gave me a gift.

I give all thanks and glory to God who renewed my heart and allowed me to praise the love of God with a poem.