Starting Point Testimony (6) [2/3] — Minu Kim

Before attending Starting Point, I was quite casual with my faith. While I occasionally engaged in conversations about scripture with my Christian friends at school, I didn’t dive too deeply into my own spiritual journey. When seeing my friends share ever so passionately about God's word, I found myself seeking a deeper connection with God, and to also learn more about him and the bible. Thankfully, when talking with my good friend Elias one day after service, he suggested I sign up for Starting Point. Remembering we had previously taken Launching Point together, and hearing that it was only him and Lisa taking this Point Series, I hesitated before thinking, “why not?” Little did I know that this seemingly spontaneous decision would greatly affect my spiritual growth.While taking Starting Point, I wasn't very comfortable at first as I wasn't used to sharing so deeply about various aspects of my life whether it be about my faith or about my personal life. But Anthony brought these ice breaker cards every week and they had very thought provoking prompts that tickled my brain. Steadily I grew more comfortable with everyone and was able to be more honest and open in our discussions and I'm really thankful for that. With that I was also able to focus on God more and what he was trying to say to me. Through the passages from the starting point book and Anthony’s never ending, perpetual, boundless, immense, broad, vast, and tremendous amount of wisdom, I was able to understand God's teachings from a new perspective and truly take in his word. With this, I gained a new insight on what God thought of me. Initially, I feared God. I thought that me being such a sinner I am, and how much I didn't thank him whenever he worked in my life, and didn't go to him whenever I needed guidance, my relationship with God was very frail, and because of that, I struggled with facing him, and feared him, thinking that it was too late to go to him. Fear would be the #1 thing keeping me away from sin. At this moment I had viewed my relationship with God through a lens of guilt and inadequacy.However, once I completed starting point and learning a lot about God and how he lived and how he treated his people, I was in awe of God's everlasting and unconditional love for us, and with that, my love for God grew, and with that, I wanted to grow away from sin, and grow in hunger for God. Ever since, I found myself engaging in more conversations with my christian friends about the bible, found myself more inclined to opportunities to serve others, and recognizing and appreciating God whenever he worked in my life.Also, I noticed that previously, I found myself shouldering my burdens alone, carelessly trying to navigate life’s challenges on my own. However, I learned to trust God with my struggles and seek his guidance in times of need, and didn't feel any sense of guilt or unworthiness of his ability to carry our burdens. Now, I view my relationship with God as a journey of grace and growth.In the end, Starting Point served as a Starting Point, in my new approach to faith and my spiritual journey. Through this experience not only did I deepen my understanding of God’s word but strengthened my faith. It taught me to be more vulnerable when sharing about my faith and appreciate the variety of perspectives within our group. Above all, I was reminded that a genuine relationship with God is not about perfection but about growth and transformation.To conclude, my decision to join Starting Point was more than just a “why not” but rather a deeper step into my faith journey and a more intimate relationship with God. Starting Point is something I absolutely recommend to anyone looking to tackle any uncertainties they have with God and grow deeper in their faith and relationship with God.  Thank you for listening.