One of the secret reasons I wanted to come back to Korea was because of a church I visited here back in 2009. I felt like I could grow a lot spiritually from being a part of this church for a more extended time.

This morning, as I prepared to return to this church after two years, I wasn’t sure if the service would live up to all my expectations. I was nervous it wouldn’t. Things rarely do. But returning today felt like coming home. It felt something like fate.

I made a lot of friends today. I chatted with a bunch of people, signed up for a Bible study, exchanged info with a girl studying at the same school as me, re-met a guy who recognized me from two years ago, and even ran into an acquaintance from college who is finishing up her Fulbright year here and lives in my apartment building!

I finally felt a sense of belonging here in this foreign land. But that wasn’t even the best part of my day.

The best part was the worship.

The noise level in that small room was rather intense, but the passion in the voices around me was inspiring––no, transformative. I had points of distinct clarity during that service that often elude me when I’m alone, certain truths I grasped whose power is all too often lost in the busyness and distraction of everyday life. There were many moments I was fighting to keep back the tears.

I can’t really explain it. I just kept thinking to myself, Is there anything better than this?

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