Influencers of the Central Valley

The Song Nothing can move us more than a song. Even the most callus person can break down from just a simple word or phrase in a song. Throughout history, songs  have started movements, encouraged the desperate, and brought joy to a fainting heart. There are times when we'll hear a tune and it brings back memories from long ago. Some are sad, some joyful, some bring a calm peace. There are times that I'll hear a song and I can almost remember the smell in the air during the time of that particular memory that the song brings with it. But songs never remain solely in the past; new songs have a way of introducing themselves into our lives and again become a memory, adding to our cumulative collection of moments in our lives. For me, I'm not gifted in the talent of creating music, but I love songs for this reason: they unlock something  deep within me. what is unlocked and released is unexplainable; my eyes start to water and I feel exposed and vulnerable, but from sadness or ...

​M6 May 19th

Thoughts from the Journey The Playground Have you ever had the chance to sit and listen to kids playing at a playground? I live near an elementary school, so I hear it every morning. Amid the chaos and loud volume of kids screaming, laughing, and playing, there’s a sense of order and joy coming from that playground. It’s not just an environment but a kind of microculture, shaped by age, ethnicity, gender, and family background. Yet, among these differences, one sound stands out: the sound of euphoric energy and joy. Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to hear testimonies from a few students who had recently been on a mission trip. Two of them shared things that made me think more deeply about their experiences during service. The first student said that as followers of Christ, we need to “love loudly,” emphasizing that Christ's love should not be controlled or sparingly given, but shared generously and without holding back. I liked those two words—“love loudly”—and then, the second ...