Limitless Love: A testimony for our Lord JESUS CHRIST
Thank you for inviting me to the Disabilities Awareness Panel today. I am Jun-Soo Lee, a third-year MATS student at CST. I think it is my great honor and pleasure to introduce myself and to say the great love of Jesus Christ to you at this place. I suppose that you have many questions about me. You may wonder how I have been able to be educated so far and even come to the United States for my study in spite of my rather serious disability. Now I will say you briefly how I have lived my life until now and how much God has blessed me. Through this short testimony of Jesus Christ, I really hope you will realize the limitless Love and Grace of God.
As stated above, I am a 34-year-old graduate student of the Claremont School of Theology, majoring in the history of Christianity. Before I came to this school, I had studied the European history at the graduate school of UCLA for eight years, completing MA and Ph. D courses in the university. Also, I had majored in the French literature at my undergraduate days in Sogang University when I was in Seoul, Korea. The reason that I study the .history of Christianity at the Claremont School of Theology is that I would like to get Doctoral degree for that field of study. In addition, I wish to be ordained by the route of Deacon at the United Methodist Church and work as a special minister for the disabled.
As every CST student knows, I am a physically disabled person. I have had serious cerebral palsy since my babyhood. . I was born eight months into my mother's pregnancy, so I was raised in incubator of hospital for the last two months. Unfortunately, I suffered from the jaundice there and it became worse to the cerebral infantile palsy. The doctors should have changed my blood to new type at that time, but they did not know it. Since then, I have not been able to walk normally, have had much difficulty in controlling the muscles and nerves, in using my hands, and in speaking. For such physical disabilities, I have had a lot of adversities and tribulation in my life.
Nevertheless, God has blessed me very deeply until now. Fortunately, He endowed me normal intelligence, so I can express all my feelings and think logically and reasonably. He allowed me to meet good parents, a brother, a sister and lovely wife. With their deep love and care for me, I have lived very happy life. In particular, it is difficult to describe the love of my parents in my limited words. They have devoted their all lives to raising me as an independent person. God also gave me the grace that I was able to complete all regular educational courses in my country and can continue study in the United States at present.
For all such God's love for me, I have rarely felt that I am unhappy or despaired. Rather, I always thank God and try to fit my life to His will. Of course, I am sometimes depressed at my condition. Sometimes, it seems that I cannot overcome all my difficulties. Sometimes, I am disappointed at myself or people around me. Also, in many times I fall at Satan's temptation and sin. Nevertheless, I believe in Jesus Christ. I am certain that He died for me on the cross and I am forgiven and saved by His holy blood. I have unchangeable faith that He will guide my life forever as He has filled me with His love so far in spite of my weakness.
I thank God that He allowed me to be born a handicapped person in this world. Owing to my physical disability, I could know and trust Him, and get His love and bless. Also, I am guaranteed to receive salvation and eternal life. My handicap is neither shame nor misfortune in my life but God's big Grace to let me be close to Him, I believe.
The purpose I want to study theology at Claremont School of Theology now and to be ordained by the route of Deacon at the UMC is to give testimony of God’s limitless love to many people. As stated above, I have numerous blessings from God through all my life, and I owe to His grace what I am now. So I believe it as my mission in my life that I should tell my discovery and experience of God to people and help them trust His love and power. At CST, I would like to study the Christian theology systemically as well as history of Christianity and use it as a tool with which I will give testimony of the grace of God. In particular, I want to devote myself to assisting the disabled people to be close to God in order that they can overcome their handicaps and live happy and independent lives in His peace and comfort. Also, I would like to try my best to protect the human rights of the disabled and improve their social status so that they should not be discriminated in this society just because they have physical disabilities. I really desire to be a faithful servant to exalt God’s glory.
Of course, I am not sure yet what I will be and what I will do in detail in my future. At present time, I cannot anticipate what will happen to me in my life. However, I will believe God is always with me and fight against my harsh fate until the last moment of my life. It is more important to me how to live rather than what to be. I will focus the value of my life on 'how honestly and righteously I live' but not 'what I get in my life'.
I suppose that many people doubt that I would succeed as a scholar and minister because I have rather serious disabilities. Nevertheless, I can say certainly this - I will challenge against the possibility of limits in my life, as I have done so up to now. By realizing my dream to be a good scholar and pastor, I would like to overcome my disability in my life, to give hope and courage to many people who have the same condition as mine, and to glorify my Lord Jesus Christ.
이그레이스: My handicap is neither shame nor misfortune in my life but God's big Grace to let me be close to Him....AMEN!! 준수 형제님 제가 싱글맘 사역을 시작하게 되면서 준수형제님과 같은 마음으로 한 것 아세요? 나의 약함이 오히려 주님께 도구가 되었습니다. 축복합니다. 그리고 훌륭한 학자요 목회자로 주님이 사용하실 것을 믿고 감사드립니다. 우린 오히려 주께 지름길로 가고 있는지도 모릅니다. 오직 주님밖엔 의지할 곳이 없으니까요. -[04/02-03:48]-