Day 21 – Zion Kim
1. What do you do for a living? (occupation/field of study)
I am a Technology Consultant at a professional services firm.
2. How do you like to spend your free time?
During the pandemic I got really into taking long walks around the lake near my house. Through rain or shine, or even through snow - that lake has become the setting for my most intimate conversations with God, especially when I’m stressed, sad, or anxious. Whenever I find an hour to spare while working from home, I love to escape to the lake and walk or jog and admire God’s creation.
3. Share one interesting fact about you that most people don’t know!
Growing up I had a new dream every week. I took ballet lessons and wanted to be a ballerina, then saw a female firefighter and wanted to be one too. I even wanted to be an astronaut at one point. I think I took the “you can be anything you want to be” mantra a little too seriously. Although I have since grown out of my idealism and embraced practicality (I mean…I literally work a corporate job), I still often think back to that invincible, happy-go-lucky version of myself whenever I need an extra confidence boost or positive energy!
4. Do you have a favorite book in the Bible? If you do, which one is it and why?
I love Psalms. Each psalm can be read like a prayer lifted up to God from an honest and raw heart, whether it’s a heart brimming with praise and adoration for God’s glory or aching with pain during a season of suffering. I am always soothed and humbled by how the psalms persistently remind us of who God is - and almost aggressively direct us to fix our eyes on Him rather than on ourselves or our circumstances.
5. Is there a verse/passage in the Bible that has significantly impacted your life? If so, which is it and why?
Psalm 27:4 - “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.” This is my life prayer. No matter where I am, what I’m doing, or what I’m facing in any season of life, I want to dwell in His presence and be endlessly awestruck by His beauty.
6. Is there a prayer request that has been on your heart recently? If so, please share with us.
That I would get better at guarding my mind from thoughts that aren’t from God. I’m realizing how many spiritual battles take place in the mind and how easy it is to believe in lies that feed into fear, pessimism, despair, and a lot of other ugly and toxic thought spirals. I want to catch myself in those unhealthy thoughts and boldly speak His Word over myself.
7. Tell us about how you met Christ? (feel free to share a brief testimony)
My brother suffers from a complicated mix of intellectual disabilities. Although he is six years older than me, I always had to care for him and be the more responsible child, which forced me to grow up a lot faster than other kids my age. On the outside, I was the dutiful sister and daughter I was expected to be - but on the inside I was very bitter, resentful, and lonely. I went to church every Sunday and my parents were always talking about God, but I had so many questions and doubts. If God was real and as loving and good as everyone seemed to think He was, then why did He choose this path for me?
The summer before 6th grade, my parents signed me up to go on a week-long retreat / Christian summer camp. I had zero expectations and really only went because I wanted to do all the Girl Scout camp stuff I saw on TV, but from Day 1 I was blown away by how the counselors, leaders, and even my fellow camp-mates talked about God. For the first time ever, I was hearing about Him as if He were a real person, a friend who cared for broken, scarred, lonely, and neglected people like me. I truly believe God met me there at that camp - I spent the whole week crying, laughing, singing praises at the top of my lungs, and hungrily poring over the Bible for hours on end. Although I was so young, I felt like I had finally filled this gaping hole in my soul and all I wanted to do for the rest of my life was build a real friendship with this God who had seen me when I thought I was invisible.
My personality and lifestyle changed completely after that summer. The shy, quiet girl I was became so excited to meet people, make friends, and talk about God’s goodness. Every day I rushed home from school, opened my Bible, and spent hours just reading, praying, and singing to Him. And I completely rebuilt my relationship with my parents and my brother - I became their strongest advocate. In the 13 years since then, I have gone through many more seasons of trials and growing pains with God, but whenever I stray away, He pursues me and brings me right back to that moment of wonder I had at that camp, when I realized He truly knew me and loved me. I know He’ll never let me go.