
Me & my boyfriend Tae Hee met through my school in January 2007. He came to study English here from South Korea's Kyunggi University in Seoul. He only came for one year, but decided that he liked America (partly because of me & partly because he likes America), so he decided to stay here & get his masters here. Unfortunately, because of that, he was kicked out of Kyunggi University (because he signed a contract to come back to school in South Korea in one year, & he decided not to do that).
At first, when I met Tae Hee, I didn't really hang out with him. In fact, I didn't even know that he existed very much I don't think. This is partly because I was always hanging out with the Korean students (because I do international Christian ministry at my school & I also volunteer for the International Programs there too). Tae Hee never hung out with the Korean students, but always kept to himself, & was always studying at the library. So I never got to see him.
Then, this summer, I talked with him for one hour at an International Programs program called "Free Talk Time," where a volunteer American student will talk with a group of international English language learning students for at least one hour about a suggested topic. My friend Mi Na from South Korea had given me a Korean English Bible, & so I produced it & showed it to Tae Hee. (At this time, I had just gotten back from Japan from a 2 week Christian mission trip & had seen Buddhism right before my very eyes) I shared my experiences with Buddhism (through my study of the religion & through my views of it in Japan for 2 weeks), & I also shared with him John 3:16 in both Korean & English. He had never heard that scripture before, & had never even read the Bible before. When I read it to him, he said, "I want to know more. Please, can you & me & our friend Lauren study the Bible together?" Yes, at this time, I did NOT even like him like that. I had no intentions whatsoever to convert him & date him! Haha. I know now that God had a different plan! :)
So for about a month & a half (from August - September), Lauren & I spent one or two days a week studying the Bible with Tae Hee & explaining the scriptures. He joined a Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship small group & Bible Study, & he kept learning & discovering more (at the time, he was Buddhist). What is funny is that 3 times in his lifetime in South Korea, he had a chance to accept the Lord. God kept calling to him! It was amazing. Eventually, God used me & my friend Lauren & Tae Hee accepted the Lord on September 14th, 2007, which is weird because I accepted the Lord on September 24th, 2004. Almost 3 years apart. :)
For the first month, I was just Tae Hee's friend & I had no affections for him. But then slowly, I could see that his feelings for me had changed, & I realized that I liked him too. I argued with God & I pleaded. "No Lord, I will not like a new Christian! This is wrong!" I knew that it would be hard to date someone who was a new Christian & was just delivered from a stronghold in a false religion. However, the Lord gave me a scripture (either in Ephesians 6 or Galatians 6, I can't remember) that basically says, "If I care what others think more than God, then I am no longer a servant of Christ." I realized my MAIN concern was what others would think if I dated this new Christian. Sad, but true & honest! But the Lord was giving me the green light & telling me to focus more on HIM than what others think of me. The Bible says to "Do all things for Christ, as working for the Lord & not for man" in Colossians 3:23. So Tae Hee & I prayed about it for a few days to about a week, & then we decided to give it a go.
It hasn't always been easy! These past 2 1/2 months have been the best of my life, though. Tae Hee has such a big heart, & always puts me first. This is true love, this is the love of God. There are certain things that Tae Hee doesn't know about the Lord that makes it hard to be in a relationship with him sometimes, & there are certain things that I do not understand about him because of his past with Buddhism. But I know that Romans 8:28 promises that God will always give His people the best things according to His plan & will for their lives.
Next year, I will be going to South Korea to teach English & do missions work. I have been wanting to go on a long-term mission trip for about 2 1/2 years now! & it's finally approaching. It's going to be hard to be without Tae Hee, but I know that God will focus us on Him & help us to really change our hearts for His plan & purpose. Then, when we come back together again, it will be for His glory too. All things for God, not us! :)
I hope this encouraged & inspired you all & lead you closer to the truth. God bless you in all that you are, say, do, & in the ways that you live ... I pray that you will walk closer to Him every day. :) Pictures are posted!
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