Day 37– Yerim Jee

1. What do you do for a living? (occupation/field of study)

I studied Linguistics in college and I am now an AI Linguist, specializing in building the language of virtual assistants. I have previously worked on Amazon Alexa for a few years, but recently changed jobs to work on the launch of Wells Fargo's new virtual assistant.

2. How do you like to spend your free time?

I have a huge curiosity, so I am always trying new things when I can! This naturally leads me to have multiple hobbies that often change from time to time. However, I would say my main hobby is in digital art - I love capturing moments through the eye of the camera lens. I dabble in different forms of art, but mainly, I love editing videos and sometimes create music videos for my musician friends. But on days I want to wind down, I love a good korean drama to binge on!

3. Share one interesting fact about you that most people don’t know!

I have the same birthday as both of my parents, both my mom and dad. It was totally unplanned!

4. Do you have a favorite book in the Bible? If you do, which one is it and why?

This is a tough one to choose - it changes from time to time depending on the season of my life. But if I were to pick, Psalms would be my current favorite. Throughout my faith journey, God has always spoken so powerfully to me through praise and worship songs, and I have grown so much in my faith through talking to God and proclaiming the truth in shouts of praise, so I feel naturally drawn to Psalms. It is always so encouraging and comforting to read through it. I love to reflect on the verses and recite it back as prayers.

5. Is there a verse/passage in the Bible that has significantly impacted your life? If so, which is it and why?

Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

I memorize and repeat this bible verse whenever I feel weak, tempted, or distant from God. This verse is the foundation of my faith and it reminds me of the gift of salvation. I am still in awe of how God saved a hopeless sinner like me and that my sins have been crucified on the cross with Him. This verse points to how I should live my life every day: to live by faith, and in Christ as a new creation.

6. Is there a prayer request that has been on your heart recently? If so, please share with us.

I am specifically praying for two very important people in my life, as they are experiencing changes and anticipating a new chapter in their lives soon. I pray for open hearts and ears so that they can respond to God’s calling and direction, and that we all hold onto faith in God’s perfect plan. I also pray that I may have the strength to continue to pray for them.

7. Tell us about how you met Christ? (feel free to share a brief testimony)

Growing up, I had the privilege of witnessing God's grace through the ways He took care of our family. I got to witness and experience how God kept His promise of Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well," through the faith that my parents lived out and showed as examples to me and my sister. I always felt His presence and His mighty hand watching over us through many series of unusual events that could not be explained by anything but Jesus, and through the pure joy we felt despite facing some of the "hardships" defined by the world. These experiences immensely shaped my childhood and became my foundation. Through that, I got to explore who Jesus is not only to my family, but also to me personally.

Now that I'm older, I'm realizing more and more how difficult it is to emulate the faith that my parents live out, but I am thankful that it serves as an encouragement and a role model for me today. It is a constant work in progress, and I pray that through my daily walk with Jesus and in the small steps of faith I take, I may grow to fervently follow Jesus to wherever He calls me.