It still surprises me when I see gas prices over five dollars, even at Costco. We all feel the effects of global instability, especially with the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, every time we fill up our cars. We want to stay hopeful, but it’s hard when there’s no sign that things will improve soon. News about conflict…

Just 1% of women worldwide will ever complete a full marathon (26.2 miles) in their lives. Last Sunday, March 22, Kim and I watched Bea reach this amazing goal at the Acea Run Rome The Marathon, where about 36,000 athletes…

Who doesn’t like getting a good deal on something high-quality? These days, sales pop up all the time, not just during holidays, and the offers can be so tempting that we sometimes buy things we don’t …

Today’s world feels unstable, especially with the ongoing war in the Middle East. This conflict has caused people to take strong, opposing sides. Many form opinions based on the stories they hear, and it seems like everyone feels…

Some of us have family members or relatives in the Middle East who are affected by the ongoing war. At our recent Prayer Meeting, we prayed especially for them and asked that this conflict would end peacefully, not just in that region…

Kim and I tried an experiment to see how we could manage our finances better. She started by handling the budgeting, dividing our income among bills, necessary expenses, and even some fun. After a while, I felt…

A little pressure can be helpful. A deadline might push me to finish. When I need to organize scattered thoughts, it can help me find a clearer message. But pressure can also become too much. Sometimes I can’t tell…

When Kym, our oldest daughter, was about two years old, light-up shoes that glow with every step were already popular, even in the Philippines. We bought her…

Sometimes I think about the different experiences each of you have had this week. If an artist tried to capture everyone’s journey, the painting would be full of color, showing all the ups…

There is something natural, spiritual, and powerful happening in our church community. Have you noticed it? Do you…

The Christian life is designed for community, not for living alone. Some people may practice their faith apart from others, but this is rare in the Bible. Sometimes…

I recently returned to one of my favorite walking paths—not just for exercise, but for quiet reflection, prayer, and what I like to call God-sighting. My walk begins…

My family has often needed money for important expenses, but God has always taken care of us. The same is true for our church’s financial needs. A few Sabbaths ago, I told the story of how…

Some of us can hardly believe the New Year is here, while others may already know what they want to pursue. Right now, I keep thinking…

I remember it rained hard in our part of Chula Vista at least twice last month. One rainfall I clearly recall was on November 15, when the ground was…

December can feel like a month of tension. On one hand, we want to enjoy the purity and sparkle of the Christmas season, filling our hearts with…

One of the blessings I look forward to during the yuletide season is the music and preaching centered on the birth of Jesus—elements of…

The Christmas season comes and goes, year after year. Yet the memory and influence of each celebration are dynamic rather than fixed. Our experiences…

Our Filamily Thanksgiving celebration is truly one of a kind. No church—regardless of denomination—appears to a…

On this day (November 22) thirteen years ago, I asked Liezel to be my girlfriend. We were seriously just kids—filled with the joy of life and the butterflies that come with young love. But if someone from the…