God is Our First Reader
The editing process of the magazine, including the final proofreading and finishing, is the most stressful and tiring period. The editors in the United States and the art editors in Taiwan were texting and emailing almost day and night (due to the time difference), working hard in the spirit of letting each other open their eyes and continue the next step of the editing work, until the day of printing.
When the co-worker who we jokingly call the "Queen of Proofreaders" passes the exam and sends it for printing, everyone will celebrate crazily in the LINE group with various stickers, likes, cheers, dancing, and raising hands. The one cheering, and the sticker that best expresses my inner sense of accomplishment, is the one doing somersaults! If I could still move as quickly as I did when I was a kid and my body was as flexible as I could, I would definitely do a "chain flip"!
However, I often ask myself when proofreading – do I need to be that careful? Do even the punctuation marks of comments, the small spaces between words, and every website link provided need to be checked or modified? In the early days, especially when I was editing or looking for pictures alone at night, a voice would appear in my heart - Is anyone really reading this magazine?
Over the years, we have received feedback from many readers, saying that a certain article changed their minds and inspired them to take action; or when they read it, they deeply felt that this was a carefully edited and meticulous Christian publication.
God is our hidden Editor and First Reader. How could we not edit this magazine with all our heart, soul, and soul? Even if there are many challenges ahead, even if we can't see the results right now, we still have to work hard until the end.
Effort does not mean sticking to the status quo. The team is also thinking about the possibility of change and transformation. Weigh this issue in your hands. Does it feel a little lighter? Yes, after considering the reading habits of current readers, "Kingdom of God" has reduced pages. However, reducing the reading burden does not reduce the excitement of the report, as well as the depth of thinking and practical breadth of the article.
This issue’s housekeeping unit reports on the past, present, and future of AI and artificial intelligence, as well as the “good death” of faith leaders, which are currently highly discussed topics. The examination in the unit of knowing and doing is pleasing to the Lord - why "divine ruthlessness" and "divine sacrifice" are needed, challenging and clarifying many myths about Christian service; are there all parents in the world? It explores parents who neglect their duties from the perspective of their children. The focus of the neighborhood unit is on the grief companionship ministry, giving thanks for unexpected grief, hope, and accompanying grieving friends. The two authors who walked together are willing to share their experiences of walking through the valley of tears, and use what they have received from God. Comfort comes to comfort people.
Maybe we are experiencing financial challenges and are thinking about how to increase revenue and reduce expenditure without compromising quality; maybe we need to adapt to the reading habits of today's readers and change. But the joy of working with God makes us happy and satisfied, and what a blessing it is to participate in God’s work! The little person in me is doing somersaults and singing praises at the thought that God will be pleased with our carefully presented work!
Executive Editor of this Journal 