Summer so far.

It is already August -- just a little over a month since summer break started. I can't believe how time flies! There is so much to look forward to in the next coming weeks, but mainly these two events:

1. Berean Community Church's first ever VBS, combined with CrossLife Community Church and Pillar Bible Church from August 5th-7th. I'm so excited! Our church has been increasing in numbers steadily and it cannot be denied how many babies are also becoming part of our family. I'm so excited :)

2. Honduras Short-Term Missions from August 16th-24th. This will be my first ever missions trip and I could not be more thankful that I'm going with a team full of people who love God and are eager to spread His Gospel. Words cannot express the excitement, but also the nervousness I feel. Since it will be a medical missions trip, we will get to share the gospel to literally hundreds of people on the daily (which is so exciting and such a privilege!!). Only downside is that we're "speed-sharing" the gospel, meaning we only have at most 5 minutes to talk with each patient we encounter. I'm so nervous -- as are my other teammates -- because how does one share the gospel clearly, accurately, and efficiently in such a short amount of time? Even campus evangelism conversations take more than 10 minutes! But all in God's hands. This is room for the Spirit alone to work and manifest His glory! :)

Other than these two events, summer at home has been okay. As is with every other summer spent at home, I find myself at a loss as to what to do each day that I wake up. There really isn't much to do at home and leisurely expenses aren't part of the budget. So far, I've just been spending my time scanning files to send to my dad who's now back in the Philippines. I finished scanning four boxes full in one month, praise the Lord!! Now all I have to worry about is compressing said files to email to him, and this hasn't exactly been the most exciting thing. Add to this the hours spent in front of my laptop screen while scanning and waiting for the files to compress and attach to my emails... My eyes must hate me so much right now. I feel as if I've become cross-eyed from the numerous hours spent in front of the screen. :(

Although I must say that I've discovered a handful of Korean dramas that have changed my standards of what I think to be well-produced and ill-produced. I find myself with a growing appreciation for historical dramas, mainly because I get a glimpse of what it must have been like to live in the past. I wish I could travel back in time...

I guess you can say my summer has been... a little (somewhat a lot) short of productive, but I'm getting there! :)

One thing I learn every time I'm home is the reality of fighting discontentment, discouragement, laziness, frustration/anger/annoyance/impatience, and the ever-looming feeling of self-entitlement. It's not an easy fight, but another thing that I learn (and must intentionally and actively seek to remember) is the encouragement I have to keep going in Christ as my battles with such sins are signs of the faithful work of the Holy Spirit in me to sanctify me. It's definitely challenging, but I hope that I grow deeper in love for and worship of my Savior.

San Francisco earlier this summer break. I miss this city!