by Terence Kim

Wow, what a ride it’s been! God has shown me and grown me in ways I did not foresee. My eyes have been opened to new things that were unimaginable to me. But out of my whole college career, the thing that most compels me to give praise to God is my salvation!

I remember being so hungry for God’s presence prior to college. I remember playing for the praise band, asking God to help me believe the words that I am singing, to help me believe that He is real. Life’s questions left me baffled; nothing made sense without God. Yet, God did not make sense to me either. I lacked faith and I thought I had all the facts I needed to assess the existence of God. “He does not exist, and even if He did, He has not done a very good job in helping me get to know Him.”

I came to college ready to party hardy. If God doesn’t exist and this life is the only one I’ve got, then I might as well live it up, right? It was when I got to the lowest point in my life, in which the world had laid bare to me what it had to offer, that, by God’s sovereign grace, I began to see the vanity of it all. I truly felt as if I was “striving after the wind.” With God’s perfect timing, He introduced friends to me who had a high view of the Word. During intimate conversations, I would bring up the deep questions to life that I felt no one had the answers to. Expecting an awkward silence or a reply of defeat, I was surprised to hear answers straight from scripture. Never had I felt so ashamed. I’ve gone to church all my life. How come I don’t know as much scripture than these people? On top of that, their answers were so adequate that I was left speechless. They had revealed to me the authority of the Word. Why hadn’t I thought of looking there for answers in the first place? I wanted to find a church that would help me learn the truths found in scripture and learn them fast. Ben Lee directed me to Lighthouse and I went.

I thank God for LBC. Through it, I’ve gotten to know God, which is something I previously dismissed as impossible! I’ve come to believe in Christ’s work on the cross and how it saves me. I’ve also learned what I’ve been saved from, though the acknowledgment in my heart of its truth has plenty of room to grow. Just experiencing God’s promises and His plan for me has changed the very core of my life, my philosophy, and my perception. I tell you the truth, the contrast is as stark as day and night! God has also added a new dimension to relationships, bonds that only Christians can enjoy. God has provided me with loving friends, respectable role models, and zealous pastors at this church.

I’m excited to see where God takes me and how He will use me and stretch me. My plans are to stay down here in SD and work directly under John Yi at Staccato Communications. So I’ll see y’all around! Be encouraged!

Favorite place in SD: Lighthouse Bible Church, duh
Song that will define the era in 10 years: “Harder Better Faster Song” by Daft Punk
Favorite Verse: 1 John 4:19. So much truth drips from these words. Drips.
Memory that stands out the most: The time I pulled two all-nighters in a row and began to hear things, hallucinate, and lose control of bodily functions.
Advice for collegians: Live with urgency. The relationships you build in college are only temporary, the church you may go to may only be temporary, your life is temporary! Don’t waste any of it.