Since we at Living Water have not been able to get together in person and have fellowship with each other, we–the LW communications team (shoutout to Sooah, Ahnjin, and John)–are starting a new campaign called the People of Living Water. Through a series of interviews with members, we are hoping to bring us closer as a family by uncovering some fun facts about our church members, opening up the opportunity to reach out to members you may not have known well before, and encouraging intercessory prayer on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Starting with leaders, we will be asking for interviews with members of Living Water about their likes and dislikes, life lessons, passions, hopes for the future, prayer requests, etc. Interviewees can choose if their feature article should appear on the LWCRC website or just on the private email list. Although there is no obligation to participate, we highly encourage you to, as this is a great chance for the church family to get to know you and support you in any way that we can.
Introducing: Amy Hwang
If you have been to Living Water’s in-person or Zoom services, you have probably seen, met, or talked to, Amy. You might also know that she serves Living Water as leader of the children’s ministry and the youth group, among other things, and has given a lot of her time and energy for our church family. As you will see in the following interview, she is such a down-to-earth and humble person who is dedicated to Living Water and its mission.
Let’s get into the interview.
Q: Can you describe yourself in three words or phrases? Any identity markers you would use for yourself, I guess?
A: I can only think of bad ones, like lazy… Opinionated. I don’t know. I feel like I’m pretty chill, but I’m like a perfectionist, very goal-driven at times. Mom, wife, horrible housekeeper. I love dancing and K-pop. I was a first generation K-pop fan. All the way to ‘97.
(Later in the interview in reference to this question:
I don’t even know my answer is still. And I don’t really like saying wife and a mom because yeah, that’s part of who I am, but that’s not really me, you know, just like a category that people put you in.)
Q: Where do you call home?
A: Grand Rapids, Michigan. I was born here when my dad was going to [Calvin Theological Seminary], but I’ve lived in Ohio and Korea [too]. After I graduated from college, I worked in Korea and lived there for a little bit, but I lived here most of my life.
Q: How strict were your parents on a scale of 1 to 10?
A: I think other people would think, like, 8, but I think they were like 6. Compared to non-Christian friends I was sheltered and [had strict parents]. But I never had any issues with [how strict they were].
Q: Maybe you were just a good kid?
A: Yeah. I was a pretty good kid. Very first-born. I think I was too goody-two-shoes and that’s why my younger siblings [got disciplined more], because I’m so rigid.
Q: Apple or Android?
A: Apple.
Q: What countries have you visited (besides Korea and the US)?
A: A lot. I went to Europe a couple of times. I went to Calvin, so I did the Calvin interim, visiting like seven European countries. And my minor was German, [so] I went to Germany again separately. Yeah, so mostly Europe; I don’t really travel much internationally. I’m not the traveling type, either.
Q: If you were to travel right now, where would you go? If there were no travel or cost restrictions.
A: I’m more of an all-inclusive resort person, to relax, and drink and chill. Not like hiking or exploring.
Q: What are your top two love languages? Do you know the five love languages?
A: I’m not a big fan of the love languages, because I feel like there’s way more than five. And I don’t really fit into those five but I guess I like [words of] affirmation.
Q: What do people admire you for most?
A: I’m a really good worker, fast and accurate. I think that’s from working in Korea. You have to be fast and accurate. I’m pretty good at those types of things. I’m kind of detail oriented. I like to make plans, execute those plans.
Q: Favorite ice cream flavor? If you like ice cream.
A: Strawberry. It’s pretty basic.
Q: What does the perfect lazy day look like for you?
A: Just take naps all day. Lie in bed and take naps all day.
Q: If you had to wear the same T-shirt with one word on it for a whole year, what would it say?
A: I think it would just be like general, like “peace” or something. Something that doesn’t draw too much attention.
Q: Favorite moment from the past year?
A: I don’t know if there’s favorites, I just have memorable moments. Like the kids staying home and me trying to do home schooling, teaching. I’m really getting to know my limits. [It’s a] learning opportunity. Oh, LWYG, our youth group, our meetings have been so great. So I’m always blessed when I do Bible studies with them.
Q: How have you been finding rest recently?
A: I mean, I’m sure I’m not the standard for most stay at home moms. I really don’t do much and just sleep a lot and hang out. And John and I talk at night, and that’s kinda how we recharge. We like to talk and share opinions. It’s mostly church related stuff we talk about a lot.
Q: How have you been investing in yourself? Learning opportunities, or things that you’re putting work into.
A: Because I do LWYG (youth group) Bible study, I’m always preparing for that, [learning and studying]. [And] the children’s ministry started so there’s always stuff that I’m planning. It takes up a lot of time to prepare for [LWYG] Bible study, [but] it’s been a really good Bible study.
Q: Do you have a childhood memory that has had a big impact on your life?
A: I mean, there’s so many. I guess the most impactful on my personality now, [is from] when I was like six years old [and] I was visiting a friend from a different state. We went to church together and she was hanging out with her own girlfriends and then she saw me and she’s like, go find your own friends. So that was a very traumatizing moment. I think that scarred me and really shaped who I am now. So I really hate bullying. I always want to be inclusive.
Q: What was your first significant encounter with Christ? You said your dad was a seminary student, so he’s probably a pastor?
A: Yeah, he’s a pastor. He was an Old Testament professor for a long time, [but he] just retired. so I think it’s mostly through family, especially through my dad, always hearing his sermons, more like lectures to me, like he would be teaching me about the Bible and just life in general. That really shaped my theology a lot. But then you have to encounter Christ for yourself, you know, and that, I think, took a long time. And I think God has been really patient and really generous with me, always just waiting for me. So it’s been a very good journey, very blessed.
Q: How do you think you’ve grown in the past few years?
A: I feel like I’m always growing, even during quarantine while I’m fighting with my boys, I realize, wow, I’m a really impatient bad person, you know? And just things like that. And through Bible study too, we learn about these things in the Bible and I’m like, wow, I’m still not like this. You know, it’s always changing, always learning. Always discovering how limited you are, but then I’m so, you know, full of myself; so constantly learning, being humbled, and yeah. So it’s been very dynamic even though just looking from [outside], there hasn’t been much change at all, but there’s always been that growth and thinking and changing and realization going on.
Q: How long have you been at Living Water?
A: John and I, we were the founding members. We were the people who brought Living Water from Hahn-In Church. We have been talking about that a lot lately. My aunt still goes to Hahn-In and she’s like, it’ll be nice if you guys can come back.
Q: How is the Living Water community different, in your opinion?
A: I think our church has so much potential. That’s the reason why John and I are so passionate about church, because I feel like God really has something special for Living Water, we just gotta, kind of work at it. I guess God is still training us, but I really feel like there’s something special here. There’s a mission and a special vision for Living Water that hasn’t fully realized its potential yet. I’ve been to other churches that were very welcoming, other churches who were more spiritually mature, but the reason why I love our church is because I really feel like we’re called here. I feel like God can use our church to do amazing things, and we’re just really holding onto that.
Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: I see myself right here.
Q: I mean more in an internal kind of way?
A: Yeah. But literally I really feel like I would be the same. Constantly learning, constantly being challenged, and you know, I’ll probably still live here and still do the things that I’m supposed to be doing as a mom, as a wife, or I might go back to work, but I’m a very kind of consistent person, you know? So I will be so content to, you know, be where I am doing what I’m supposed to be doing. I love being settled and raising a family and just being rooted, I guess. I feel like you can do a lot more, invest a lot more if you’re rooted. If you’re constantly moving and shifting, you’re never really going to be invested or invest. Not that that’s better or worse. It’s just that that’s how I thrive.
Q: This is going to be my last question. Do you have any prayer requests for your family, for yourself, that you want to share with the Living Water community?
A: [My] prayer request is for me to keep putting hope in Christ and to be leaning on him for everything. It’s so easy to try to do it my own way. You know, the smarter you are, the better worker you are, the more you get prideful. Sometimes, you know, things just go so well, so I just think, oh, I’m doing a great job. It’s all me. And then just for health, that’s always very important. Like for me, my prayer for my kids always has been just being healthy physically, emotionally and spiritually. That’s all I really [want]. Would love for them to just be happy. For so many, you know, mental illnesses, spiritual illnesses, people get so hopeless and dry and bitter and angry, but I want them to enjoy life, enjoy and be curious and just live their life, being content in God.
And that concludes our first interview. Many thanks to Amy for being generous enough to share her time and her thoughts!
If anything resonated with you, feel free to reach out to Amy and start a conversation. And don’t forget to include Amy and her family in your prayers this week.
Who should we interview next? Let us know who you would like to see featured by submitting a comment down below, emailing us at communications@livingwatercrc.org, or commenting on one of Living Water CRC’s Instagram or Facebook posts.
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