Deacon Paul Seongik Lee, age 43, Parish 12, Manmin Central Church

I attended church from a very early age and worked as a leader in church. However, I preferred worldly pleasures such as drinking alcohol, watching movies, and playing billiards with friends. I knew that I should not do such things as a Christian. I felt a kind of guilty but I just did what I wanted.

In 1998, I heard about Manmin Central Church from one of my friends while at the university. I liked Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee's sermons which taught me how to cast off sins. As I listened to the message, I felt my heart cleansed. After I listened to the message "Keys to Studying Well", I got A+ in all subjects and was awarded a full scholarship which covered my whole university tuition.

In October 2001, I got married and moved from Daegu to Seoul. I started to attend Manmin Central Church. I thought leading a believing life in Manmin is the best and only way for me to play my role as the head of a family.

But after I worked in Seoul, I hardly had time to pray, so I began longing to work as a Levite worker, who works as a full-time worker in church. In June 2004, I was blessed to join GCN (www.gcntv.org) which spreads the holiness gospel through broadcasting.

God led me to throw away my desires to enjoy pleasures belonging to the world and to love Him foremost of all.

In winter of 2008, my eldest son Jaeyoung could not sleep because of the itchiness all over his body due to atopic dermatitis. His doctor told us that if he rubbed his eyes with his hands with the oozing from the sores, he might lose his eyesight. He told us to be careful about it. My heart was broken. I learned that in a spiritual sense, children's diseases come from their parents' sins or shortcomings. I repented that I had not cast away the worldly pleasures perfectly although I said I love God. Afterwards, he received Senior Pastor's prayer and he was healed in a moment.

In March 2013, my herniated lumbar disc reoccurred, which caused a lot of pains to me. While suffering, I discovered pride, arrogance, discomfort, and fleshly thoughts in myself. I repented and received Senior Pastor's prayer. Then pain was gone and I was healed.

As God poured so much grace upon me, I came to long to circumcise my heart. I made up my mind to try until I completely remove my sinful natures. When untruthful thoughts came to my mind, I offered up three-day fasting. Sometimes I doubted if I could achieve the circumcision of heart, but I changed my mind and was determined to unchangingly try. Then, I could feel the sinful natures thrown away little by little.

I listened to the sermon series "Love Chapter" (1 Corinthians 13) and prayed thinking about it. I felt the love of God, the Lord, and the Holy Spirit deeply and repented of my lack of love. I had insisted on my opinions and although my wife worked for a company, I wanted her to serve me like a housekeeper as though she didn't work.

I started to help her with house chores and spent time with my children, at least on Saturday. I tried to understand them. In fact, my wife and I are the same age, and both used to have strong self-esteem and different ways of thinking. We often argued but now we can talk to each other about every matter.

In December 2015, I was blessed to achieve the heart of spirit by the grace of God, and since then my family became more peaceful and happier. My sons Jaeyoung and Jaeyun are growing up as healthy and bright children.

I give all thanks and glory to God who blessed me to have a happy family.