by Kelly Chen

When you’re pregnant, most people will say how much fun you’ll have, how wonderful it is to be a mom, and how precious it is to have a baby. Don’t get me wrong, three kids later, I totally agree (at least part of the time). But most people won’t tell you how hard it is, especially in those first few weeks of your child’s life.  Your baby isn’t sleeping because you still haven’t gotten the hang of nursing, so she’s hungry and crying and you’re crying because your baby isn’t sleeping so you aren’t sleeping either.

It was over seven years ago that I experienced those crying, sleepless nights.  Now I’m blessed that my kids are good eaters and sleep through the night! As I reflect on the years that I’ve been a mom, I know that one of the biggest supports that God has given me to help me through this season has been STEMS (formerly MOPS). 

I am so thankful for the community that God had given me through this ministry to young moms. Fellow moms called or emailed after I had given birth to see how I was doing and

offered advice and prayers. Several moms brought us meals so I didn’t have to worry about cooking as I was getting used to caring for my newborn. I was able to attend the Friday morning meetings where I could drop my child off with loving caregivers, and then receive godly insight and encouragement from various speakers, fellow moms and mentor moms. 

I’ve received so much wisdom in how to train up my children in godly ways, to love and respect my husband, and to seek the Lord with all my heart in the midst of parenting little ones. I’ve become part of a community of moms who support and pray for one another as we face similar challenges with our children and endure difficulties in our marriages and families. Together we are learning to trust more every day that our lives and our kids’ lives are not in our hands, but ultimately in the Lord’s. 

Parenting is not easy, and it’s not going to get easier any time soon, but I’m thankful that I have other moms with me on this journey!

by Kay Carey

Do you like butterflies? Recently, I had an opportunity to enjoy watching and observing them in a garden during my solitude retreat. Yes! I like them a lot. Actually, my heart flutters with joy and wonder whenever I see a butterfly; not only because of their beauty and graceful movement but also because of their incredible transformation process called metamorphosis. I still remember how amazed I was as a child when I first learned about this scientific phenomenon. The Webster dictionary defines this process as a “complete or major change in someone’s or something’s appearance, character, form, etc.” To grow into an adult butterfly they go through some distinctive states over an extended period of time.

Like butterflies, we Christians go through a lifelong process of spiritual transformation. When we first accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we are like a spiritual newborn baby regardless of our physical age. The Bible mentions in 1 Peter 2:2 that like newborn babies we should long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it we may be nurtured and grow. This implies that the Word of God is in fact our spiritual food we need in order to grow and mature. Consequently, we will remain spiritually malnourished and stay forever as spiritual infants/children if we don’t take time to intake and digest our spiritual food.

My earlier Christian life is a classic example of staying as a spiritual child for several years. Although I was very much involved in various church activities and events, I neglected to take time to study and meditate on the Word of God. I was more interested in doing stuff for God and others especially those who were in spiritual authority. Apparently, I looked and acted like a mature and committed Christian but in actuality I was an immature child who looked for human approval and praise for my work and accomplishments.

Deep inside my heart, I knew something was not right because I wasn’t experiencing the joy and fulfillment in my Christian life. A little by little, God helped me to realize that I had wrong motives in serving Him and His people but I just didn’t know how to get out of my spiritual rat race. This unhealthy spiritual lifestyle continued for a while until one day someone invited me to join a discipleship class outside of my church. Through that personal discipleship experience, I began to understand the living Word which spoke to my heart and started to apply the truths I learned in my daily living situations. 

After a couple years of learning and experiencing this joyful ride of spiritual growth, God began to open doors to emulate and reproduce what I learned by mentoring other women in all walks of life in different cultures and languages until the present time. It’s been almost three decades of walking that road of transformation as I continue to lean on God’s grace and wisdom from different relationships in every season of my life.

I am forever grateful for all those people and opportunities to walk alongside those who have helped me to anchor my faith in Christ through many mentoring relationships. I am deeply convinced that it’s so much easier to grow and mature in Christ together in a mentoring relationship than all alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”

Out of many mentoring relationship examples in the Bible, Paul and Timothy’s is my favorite one. Paul wrote to his mentee, Timothy that we must share and teach lessons and truths to other trustworthy people who will, in turn, pass them on to others (2 Timothy 2:2). Also, he reminded us in Philippians 2:4 that we should become more interested in others rather than our own interests as we become more mature in Christ. Throughout our faith journey, we need a balanced relational network with other Christians. I will borrow from the last section of Pastor Rocky’s recent article…“We need a Paul in our lives and we must also have a Timothy. Do you have a Timothy in your life? Do you have a Paul looking after you?”  

Some of you already may have heard of the ministry called “Transforming by Twos (TxT)” at Evergreen SGV. It is a mentoring ministry to foster spiritual growth through purposeful relationships. This ministry thrives to encourage and equip people to grow together toward maturity in Christ in one-on-one mentoring relationships.

If you desire to know more about how to start this mentoring journey, please contact, Kay Carey, at transformingbytwos@gmail.com 

As a boy growing up, I would hear the phrase “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” in reference to newspaper boys who would stand on busy corners and sell an extra edition to the daily newspaper. Once upon a time, newspapers would print an extra edition if something extraordinary happened after the morning paper was delivered. Remember, there was no internet, no Facebook, no text messaging and not everyone had a television.

An example of an “Extra” edition printed by the Los Angeles Times featured the headline; “INVASION!” reporting the news of the Allied invasion of Europe during World War I. The bigger the news; the more papers were sold.

Today, things are different. The digital age has reduced newsprint to an “after the fact” reporting medium. People hear about things as they happen because everyone has access to digital devices.

Even so, being on the front page of a major newspaper is still a pretty big deal. People tend to read what’s featured on the front page.

On Monday, September 11, 2017, there was a front page article about our next senior pastor, Rocky Seto. I wrote about it in our church newsletter, The Leaflet, but did not write a blog about it. Next week’s blog will be The Leaflet article.

If you would like to read the Los Angeles Times article, it can be found on the electronic front. What’s interesting is that the digital version has a different title.

One is entitled, “Trading Plays for Praise on Sundays” and the other is entitled, “Former USC and NFL coach Rocky Seto gives up a nearly seven-figure salary to become a pastor”. Before reading on, which title was on newsprint and which one was the digital version?

The first title was found on the front page of the actual newspaper. The second was the digital title. The difference describes the nature of our society today. In order to get readership the title has to emphasize something that will pique the interest of the reader even if it doesn’t really reflect the thrust of the content. The article is not about divergent salaries, it is about a calling from God and how the Lord made a way for Rocky to become our next senior pastor.

Regardless of headline, the article is worth reading so if you haven’t, here’s the link.

Pastor Rocky was also interviewed by Frank Sontag on his Podcast show via KKLA 99.5 AM radio. Here’s a link for that interview.

The Lord has been good. He has let it be known that Rocky Seto is going to be our next senior pastor.

It’s Proverbs 3:5-6 coming to life. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

The Lord is directing our path. Hope you are allowing Him to direct your path.

Something to think about…

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith…” 2 Timothy 4:7

During my vacation, a good friend and member of our church gave me tickets to attend a UCLA football game. UCLA was playing Texas A&M on a rather warm and sultry Sunday afternoon.

UCLA wasn’t playing very well and Texas A&M was hitting on all cylinders (playing well). With 2:06 remaining in the third quarter, my alma mater was trailing by a whopping 34 points. To put it into historical perspective, the largest comeback in NCAA history was 35 points. The prognosis for a UCLA victory didn’t seem very likely.

Near the end of the third quarter, I began to notice a stirring in the stadium. It wasn’t a chorus of encouragement from the UCLA faithful. It was the steady departure of a large number of fans wearing their blue and gold. In their minds, all was lost and it was time to beat the crowds to the parking lot.

My wife, daughter (who is also a UCLA alumnus) and friend decided to “finish the course” and “keep the faith” even though the odds of victory seemed rather remote, if not impossible. Then something remarkable began to happen. The Bruins began to play with inspiration as well as perspiration.

Steadily, they mounted an incredible comeback. The offense scored and the defense held. One touchdown, two touchdowns, three touchdowns, four touchdowns and then, UCLA scored a dramatic fifth touchdown for an almost record-tying comeback.

The remaining UCLA fans went berserk as victory was snatched from the jaws of defeat. We were absolutely elated. I couldn’t help but think about all the fans that left early and missed the implausible comeback.

This past weekend, some Trojan fans left the final moments of the fourth quarter of their game with Texas and missed a dramatic overtime victory by USC.

There are times in life where everything appears to be bleak and impossible…a family breaks apart, a catastrophic illness occurs, a career careens, a child dies. In those seasons, it seems impossible to mount a comeback physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It’s a “leaving the game early” moment of life.

Whenever, I have a “leaving the game early” moment in life, I remember the words of the Apostle Paul. While imprisoned, feeling abandoned by many of his friends and awaiting execution, he wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith…” (2 Timothy 4:7).

He was able to finish the course and keep the faith because he knew something deeply embedded in his mind and soul. He knew that “in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Paul understood that no matter how bad it got in this life, there is a victory awaiting him when he finished the course and kept the faith. Heaven awaited him.

No matter what is going on in your life, no matter how lopsided the score, don’t leave the game early, but finish the course and keep the faith because waiting for you is a certain victory no matter how far behind you fall.

Something to think about…

By Rickie Miyake

God's blessings recently allowed me to afford a new car. Meanwhile I'm still keeping the trusty old one that has served me well for the past 11+ years.  I'll use it for commuting to and from work through the end of September after which, God willing, retired life will kick in.

 I plan on selling the old car in early October.  Julie asked me what I'm going to do with its plates personalized with a Bible verse and I told her they'd be transferred to the new car.  She suggested leaving them on the old car and getting personalized plates with a different verse for the new one.  She reasoned  the plates might well be a blessing to the next owner of the car.

 Maybe Julie has a point, I thought. I imagined a conversation with the buyer.

Me: The plates are staying with the car.

Buyer (looking at the plates): What does that mean?

Me: It means, There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.

Buyer:  Sounds familiar.  Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah!  That's a song!  'To everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season, turn, turn, turn, and a time to every purpose under heaven.'  You changed some of the words, but I know that one.  The Byrds sang it!

Me: That's true, they sang it but they didn't write it.

Buyer:  Oh I know they didn't write the song. Bob Dylan did!

Me: Dylan did write the song but it's really based on a Bible verse, which is what's referred to on the plates: Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verse 1. That's where it originally came from.

Buyer: Oh...

From there my mind branched out to various scenarios depending on how the buyer reacted. Indeed it could serve as a good lead in to sharing the Gospel with someone.

Speaking of everything having a season, not too long ago I brought upon myself a season of pain by doing a fine job of banging up my left shoulder.  As I write this, it's been six weeks exactly since I fell and it wasn't until yesterday that everything was finally back to normal and full mobility without any pain was restored.

When the injury happened, I prayed for God's healing.  It was painful struggling to raise my arm just to shoulder level; and forget about going higher as that hurt way too much.  Even walking with my left arm hanging at my side made me wince so I had to elevate it a bit.  Finding a comfortable sleeping position?  Couldn't find one!

Wouldn't it be nice, I thought, if God's grace provided an instant and miraculous healing like the ones I've heard and read about because this was no fun. Instead I prayed for God's healing through his timing rather than instant healing. I must confess that the "His timing" part of the prayer was more from skepticism of a spontaneous recovery rather than trusting His will.

I noticed slow, gradual improvement over the next six weeks. The pain subsided and mobility increased. I winced less. The mattress was more accommodating. But the key word throughout was slow.

Nevertheless I am totally grateful for God's healing. I have no doubt I could have been completely healed right away if God so desired, but that wasn't to be. Like I prayed, may His and not my timing prevail.

So I don't have one of those stories to tell you about an immediate miracle healing. But I do have a story to tell about my slower, more mundane healing that is no less a miracle.

Stop and think about how miraculous it is that God created us so that our cells work to repair themselves.  How and why?  The How is because each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made, and the why is because God loves His creation.  Focus on that word creation.  The Bible tells us the true story, that we were created according to His plan. We are not some random result of chemicals somehow mixing together to form a one-celled organism that somehow became an insect, then a lizard, then this and that, and somehow wound up to be human.  That's as preposterous as when Aaron claimed he threw the people's gold jewelry into the fire and out popped a golden calf!

I truly appreciate that something I wake up and take for granted every day is really God's miracle: you, me and all life were created by God's intelligent and loving design.  He's the constant through every season. Praise the Lord for that!

As for the license plates on my old car, I've decided to heed Julie's suggestion and leave them on for the next owner.  And the letters/meaning of the new personalized plates?  That's a  season for the next article.