Oh, Happy Day! (baptism story)

Today I celebrated with my good high school friend Larissa! She is super caring, thoughtful, and a good faithful friend through and through, as well as being a nurse. And I've known her since grade 8. Wow, that's a long time. 

Today was the day she dedicated her life to be made new in Jesus. She had been through lots of hurt and confusion through her faith journey in the past several years, wondering if God had abandoned her.

However, as she shared in her testimony today, God always showed her that he was there. He is always faithful. He has never abandoned her nor left her side. He is always there.

Today, Larissa chose to be baptized, to turn her life to Jesus.

a brisk, rainy day at garry point!

16 were baptized today! 7 of them shared their life story in the morning celebration service =)

Love his shirt. In Chinese it means "a true man"...how fitting for this occasion!

So many amazing life stories shared today. I know our Father is just beaming at us because 16 of his kids decided to follow him as Father and Lord. From broken families, to workaholics, to atheists, to addicts, to just the every day normal person, transformation has taken place. Lives have been changed and they are changing. It's all because of the love of Jesus that is lived out in each of his followers.

I am so overwhelmed when I hear their life stories. It's so real. Their life direction has changed because of Jesus, and now they can share the love and goodness of Jesus in their families, their work place, and their every day living. They are a new creation, because of Jesus.

Thus, if anyone is in the Messiah, there is a new creation!

Old things have gone, and look--everything has become new!

- 2 Cor 5:17

Josephine + Charles: a surprise proposal at UBC

They say good wine gets better with age.

Josephine and Charles first met in grade 11 at a science event at UBC, and later ended up living in the same dorm at UBC in first year. They would meet in their dorm to read Harry Potter books together! How cute is that! Last year, Charles went to Toronto for pharmacy work and he had to decide whether he would further his career there or come back to be with the girl of his life. He chose the latter.

I first met Charles the summer of last year, right after he had returned from Toronto, at the paintball bachelor party of Justin (whose wedding I shot). Charles was one of the groomsmen at Justin and Jenny's wedding. This April, Charles emailed me about shooting his surprise proposal to Josephine, for which I was excited because I was also planning my very own proposal at that time! It was a funny moment because we had some mutual friends, and we needed to keep both our proposals a secret! While running on the excitement of my own proposal in May, I got to shoot Charles' proposal on June 16. Everything felt so much more real and to the bone because I could relate with Charles as he told me about his sleepless nights and endless planning, while trying to spend time with his girlfriend pretending that nothing was happening. Yup, I know how that feels.

Charles told Josephine that he had hired me for a photoshoot because they never had formal photos together. So, she suspected nothing =) We started at Nitobe Garden (funny enough a lady asked them if they were having pre-wedding photos), and then quickly made our way to Rose Garden, where the surprise lay waiting. Charles had prepared two giant Muk Muks, SEWING and creating the tux and wedding gown, with the help of his sister. He told me he watched endless videos to learn. Wow, the details were definitely there and I am so impressed! Hope you enjoy their story!