Travels with Steph: His Love is Better than Life

Reference to John Steinbeck's Travels with Charlie, which I really, really didn't like hehe. Anyway, this weekend was quite a packed one. Thankful for an opportunity to drive all over Southern California J-- LA to Irvine to Corona to LAX to USC to UCLA to K-Town back to UCLA to San Diego back to UCLA. God, in His providence, gave two opportunities to share about my upcoming missions trip with fellow brothers and sisters. They were both very different experiences.

First was to Ezra's youth group at Saenuri Korean Church: a group of roughly 30 Korean-Americans ranging from middle school to college. Becky and I made a PowerPoint, mainly sharing about how Christianity is so much more than just an activity or social construct in our lives. God has created us for eternity and He's inviting us into His eternal work! We shared about our experiences in Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia and (hopefully) exposed them to some cultural differences.

Next was Amy Lin's home church, San Diego Taiwanese Presbyterian Church (SDTPC). I first shared at the English ministry, and then the Taiwanese ministry. It was such a blessing—especially the Taiwanese side whom are comprised mostly of older Taiwanese people. It was my first time worshipping and praying with "my people" :D and it made me tear up a little bit to think about what a sight it would be to see my parents worshipping God in a congregation such as this one. Anyway, by God's grace in providing an excellent translator, I shared about how God changed my life and how He's led me to move overseas. I shared a bit about the missions field and it was so encouraging that throughout my presentation there were some people nodding and smiling in agreement. Afterwards, many people came to ask questions or to just thank me for sharing. One parent even shared Joshua 1:6-9 with me and prayed for me! Amy Lin's mom was super-supportive, too; handing out my letters to people and helping me.

All in all, I feel very blessed to have those opportunities to share—I'm not big on public speaking, but God definitely opened those doors and I'm glad for His grace to respond and share. On top of those great times, I was able to have lunch with Anne Yi on Saturday and brunch with Lei H Yap I on Sunday. Thankful for sovereign openings in schedules to catch up with those sisters and to just recall how good He has been to me to bring such great people into my life.

As I shared at Amy's church, it occurred to me that the simplest way to explain why I'm leaving is because God has continued to reveal Himself as the God whose love is better than life. There's nothing better than His love, and so I follow Him, considering my life worth nothing because really, He's given me so much better. Praise the Lord!

Goodbye, WHEC

I have very few weeks left at White Harvest Evangelical Church. I will possibly be there the week of the 23^nd, and maybe graduation weekend (13^th)/send-off (20^th). But they're all maybes. I'm a naturally sentimental person; I like to try to cherish the "last" moments of anything. Like the last night of V-SET '07 in Hong Kong. I was trying to keep Kim Jung up because it was our last night together as a team—but she told me to go to sleep :D.

Anyway, as a small tribute to my time at WHEC, I just wanted to express to God my thanks for bringing me to a church that has its quirks, ups and downs, and blessings. I remember going to WHEC in Nate's extremely small red car, sitting in the backseat with Nate and Lorin in the front. Occasionally we'd stuff another really tall guy in the car, too. I remember back in the day when there were barely 15 of us and I was the only consistent girl.

I remember the Taiwanese USC girls who were doing the teaching program, our "humble Korean lunch" (so good!!), Jeff trying to talk to the congregation after the message but no one listening to him, Daniel Yap coming to Christ and sharing the next Sunday, Yuji catching fire for the Lord (always with new testimonies and stories), my girls starting to go to the church, Ed, then Faith, then Erick, and now occasionally Taurus doing the closing song (All Creatures of our God and King…), Mei making popsicle sticks of the sisters' names so we don't have to choose who goes first in small group (back when there were only so many sisters so there was only one sisters' small group :D)…

I remember all of Pastor Min's nieces hitting all the USC staff brothers and calling me "V-SET girl" because they saw me wearing the '05 V-SET shirt often (only twice!!!); they called Ben Wu "Little Foot" (I think because Nate or Mike was "Big Foot"). I remember playing on the kids toys and getting static shock. And it goes on and on.

Anyway, I wanted to just thank God for this church that I've grown up with. From 4 (Pastor Min +3) to around 70 each week? Wow! That means that by the time I come back (to visit or stay), the church will be significantly different. Hopefully not at 'SC anymore :P. Excited for all God has in store for WHEC, thank you to all who were part of those good times!