Hi Everyone! My name is Ryan Ma, I’m 18 years old and a Senior in high school, and I was born in Plano, Texas. Today I’m going to share with you my baptism testimony. Like many of the Youth in this church, I grew up attending SJCAC and attended VBS and Sunday School throughout my childhood. Throughout most of my elementary school years, I had fun coming to church, learning the songs, the Bible stories, and meeting friends. However, I didn’t take my faith seriously, nor did I understand the depth of Christ’s love for me until middle school and high school. Read more →

By Daniel Chun

Over the past few years, I have come to realize just how much of an impact video games have on people. I used to be an avid gamer, playing six to eight hours of video games every day after school. Yes, I do mean every day.

Between sixth grade and my Sophomore year in high school (I’m a Senior now), I loved playing video games. It was an essential part of my day, just like caffeine is for many adults. After school, I would hop onto my bed and play whatever trendy game there was at the time. During those five years, my life was a mess. I was lonely, had few strong friendships, and felt depressed. I had no goal in life and wanted nothing to do with anything productive. Read more →

By Wayland Shih

The few weeks leading up to the birth of my first child were a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and fear. I had never developed paternal feelings and emotions toward infants. I never volunteered to babysit, I never had the desire to hold someone else’s baby (they just seemed slimy and dirty), and I always sought a place of quiet and relative solitude. Part of me was gripped with fear — that I would become bitter at my child with how my life would be changed by his addition — goodbye lazy weekends, sleeping in, watching sports, romance, and autonomy with my time at home, with friends, and at work. Because of this, I feared that I would not be able to provide the love that my child would need. Read more →

By Henry Leung

The light is red. Elderly gentleman on your right. Soccer mom with van full of kids to your left. “Vroom… vroom…” the Red dims and Green illuminates. Suddenly, you grow a lead foot and you channel your inner Speed Racer, going from 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds. Only… that same lead foot smashes the brakes because the next light turns red. And slowly, the same Cadillac pulls up to your right. Soccer mom pulls up to your left.

I live approximately 10 miles from church. On a Sunday morning when I’m running just a tad late… instead of the Speed Limit… (which is a regulation, not a recommendation), I’ll lightly lean in on the gas pedal in hopes of getting there faster! Well, here’s some farmer’s math for you…

At a rate of 60 mph, it takes me 10 minutes to travel 10 miles.
At a rate of 65 mph, it takes me 9.2 minutes to go 10 miles.
At a rate of 70 mph, it takes me 8.6 minutes to go the same 10 miles.
And just for giggles… going an average of 75 mph earns me 8 minutes. It might even earn me a speeding ticket, all for shaving 2 minutes off the commute time. Read more →

by Anonymous

I was reviewing the “5 Love Languages” with my spouse and came upon ‘Words of Affirmation.’ I asked, “With all the things I’ve done for church, how come you haven’t once praised me? Encouraged me? Or even as little as acknowledged me?”

The answer was…”You do too much. You’re always on the phone, always on your laptop, always going to meetings.” These weren’t accusatory or resentful words but words of pain.

Then it struck me. I can easily proclaim I’m not a workaholic in the traditional Silicon Valley sense. Instead, I was clever enough to fulfill my personal enjoyment and ambition by replacing it with something where my spouse or kids cannot complain about. Any complaints would be complaining about “God’s work” and be deemed blasphemous.

Work… sexual immorality… alcohol… drugs… gambling… Korean soap operas…put in any vice you want ahead of the suffix “-aholic.” And we can all nod and say, “Phew… that’s not me.” But who would think something as holy and sanctimonious as “church” can be used to drive a wedge into the very relationship it forms.

Praise God for this wake-up call.