what it was all about. That evening the Holy Spirit came into my life. I went to the mercy seat and gave my life over to God at the age of 13. From then on, Grays Corps became my spiritual home. In August 1998 I was attending a youth work training session held at Shoeburyness Corps. The whole evening, God was saying to me: ‘I’m not calling you to do youth work, I am calling you to be a Salvation Army officer – and one day you will have a corps just like this one.’ I didn’t want to hear that. I was happy and content with my life. I was happy in work and loved my ministry as corps youth secretary, believing that was all that God wanted from me. I didn’t want to leave what was known and dear to me. I didn’t want to leave my comfort zone. I was not academic – I had left school with very few qualifications. I lacked confidence in myself, I was shy and liked to hide in the background. I wasn’t from a Salvation Army family. I just wasn’t good enough. What would my family say? Why would God call me? I was terrified! In November that year I gave in to God’s calling. I was commissioned as an officer in 2003 and appointed to Welwyn Garden City Corps, then to Shoeburyness in August 2008 – the corps where God had first called me to officership 10 years before. I have been at Belfast Citadel since 2015. I never felt worthy or adequate for God’s calling upon my life. Yet, when I look back over the past 19 years of officership, it has been such an adventure and God’s blessings have been endless. I cannot do it in my own strength but, whatever I face, when I place it in God’s hands his faithfulness and mercy never fail and the Holy Spirit equips and empowers me for whatever God calls me to.
CAPTAIN SEOYOUNG YOO USA Eastern Territory AS the plane took off from Philadelphia to Heathrow, I burst into tears, asking God: ‘Why me? Why now?’ I had so much to care for back home, so flying to London – two of my absolute favourite things – felt so meaningless. However, as the plane was reaching the sky of beautifully lit-up London, I felt this gentle reminder from God: ‘I am bringing you back to the place where you prayed, laughed, cried, overcame challenges, made lifelong friends, grew in faith, had realisations of my calling and started following me. And you will see what my hands have brought you through.’ I might have needed that breather. My husband and I were commissioned as Disciples of the Cross in 2014 and have been serving at Philadelphia Citadel Corps and Korean Corps since July last year. The joy in our ministry is people. I consider the people I meet in ministry to be family, regardless of their age, gender, nationality, race or background. They are my grandparents, parents, uncles and aunties, sisters and brothers, nephews and nieces. My biological family was not very supportive about me being an officer, although they were Salvationists. My parents supported me to study English and for a degree in the UK and wished me to live a life of earthly abundance. Who would want their precious daughter to walk the way of
the cross when prosperity is almost guaranteed on the other way? However, I broke their wish by meeting a boy who was a candidate, and we dreamt of serving God together. They could not agree with me meeting him or following the call to officership, so I was left alone at my wedding without any family members attending. Life would have been a lonely journey without God, especially for the couple of times when I got so sick that I faced a life-or-death situation. Each time I prayed: ‘God, would you really take my life like this? People will laugh at how I wanted to follow you and all I got was death. Heal me and use me, Lord.’ I have significant markers in my life when I was so ill that all I could do was to surrender to God – during preparations for the wedding, pregnancy, the time at the college for officer training and my days as an officer. That built a total trust in God for his healing power. There has never been a place where his hands have not led, healed, touched, restored or rescued me. God not only restored my relationship with my parents but gave me an evergrowing family with my beautiful children, Eugene and Euan. He is a healer, guide, provider, Saviour and Lord. I am not envious of those who hold the prosperity of the world, because I have abundant blessings from Heaven. I love you, God.
Salvationist 19 February 2022
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