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…

This past Monday, SECC’s Ministerial Department hosted a pastor’s pickleball get-together at our church! Pastors from all over our region came to enjoy some fellowship, some laughs, and yes, some surprisingly competitive rallies. And if you’re wondering…

I missed the opportunity to share my “one cent” among the many who spoke in support of the resolution to name a park Filipino American Veterans Park, which the Chula Vista City Council passed recently, after about…

Justice and the equitable distribution of resources—ensuring that everyone, everywhere, benefits—once seemed to me the highest vision of human progress. Such ideals, I believed, would…

Many times, God Almighty has intentionally encouraged and blessed my family and me through the loving and thoughtful gestures of His children. These moments are…

As Adventists, we are part of a movement. Our church was raised by God to awaken hearts—to stir a holy discontent with the political, social, and religious status…

“God is looking for shepherds who will lead despite their circumstances, not because of them.” This statement from Heather Thompson Day, shared during our pastors’ meeting at La Sierra University last Tuesday, has lingered deeply in my heart…