by Jennifer Shin

Unlike many of us, Leah was neither born here nor was she raised in a home with godly, Christian parents. Rather, she grew up in the Philippines where she was submerged in a Catholic environment, attending a Catholic church and even studying at a Catholic school. Later, she moved to the States with her father and her brother where she began to attend a public school and, thus, wasn’t taught about God anymore, though she was still taught to be good.

When Leah was 20 years old, her father had a stroke and was forced to retire, which left her and her brother to take care of him and to support the family themselves. With this trial in addition to her parents divorcing when she was 5 years old, she turned away from going to church and blamed people and God for what had happened. From college, through dental school, and even after, she always wondered why bad things still happened to good people. Later, Leah went to Miramar where she met Tim Shen, who is now her fiancée. At the time when they were still friends and co-workers, he was concerned about her, which prompted him to share the gospel with her. Tim gave to her her first Bible and they started a Bible study in Romans.

In January 2007, Tim brought Leah to her first Sunday service at LBC where Pastor John actually answered the question that was on her mind for many years of why bad things happen to good people. He answered, “There are no good people.” This statement woke her up and opened her eyes in understanding the sinful state and depravity of mankind. Through LBC, its encouragement, times in small group, as well as Tim sharing the Word and guiding her, she learned more about the importance of salvation through faith and not through works. God led her to dedicating herself to Christ and becoming a member at LBC.

On Easter 2007, she was baptized. Leah stated how it is amazing that she was brought to San Diego and to LBC and that she undoubtedly sees God’s sovereignty in this. Whatever happens, Leah tries to rejoice in it, knowing that God has a plan and that He is in control.

Leah continues to revel in learning God’s Word as it guides her to live in a biblical and God-honoring manner, especially in the roles of being a woman and a wife. She is learning to be obedient in submission, understanding that God designed specific roles for both men and women. Leah admitted she struggled a bit with Tim at first, but she learned that there are certain roles that we fill. She learns from the examples of other sisters at our church and from that realizes that that’s the way God meant things to be. Leah stated, “We’re really blessed to have good examples in how they carry themselves. Even though I don’t interact with [the women] to that great extent, I see how they interact with each other…it’s a model I wish I had.”

In recently getting engaged to Tim, Leah desires to make sure that their marriage will still keep God in center. She stated that they are still looking to serve together, encourage each other, and eventually raise a family. The couple plans to marry sometime next year and desires to stay here in San Diego, especially because of LBC. If they do leave, they want to find a church that solidly teaches the Word. Wherever they may be, they want to serve together and be an example to others.

Leah will be deployed to the Maldives November 5th on a ship for humanitarian assistance, where she will treat dental needs. After the Maldives, though, she is uncertain where they will be shipped to, with the possibility of going to Iraq, Kuwait, or Afghanistan.

To the LBC family, Leah thanks you for all your prayers and encouragement in showing her how to live and how to rejoice in trials. She states that even now there is so much support from the church, which she never had growing up. She can’t wait to come back and share with everyone all that she’s learned and experienced.

It is more than appropriate to say that God is so good and so sovereign. Like what we, singles, have been studying in Ecclesiastes, there is a time for everything. Though Leah didn’t understand why things happened, especially in the midst of many tribulations, God was working away at her heart and was perfectly orchestrating each event, each thought, and each struggle to display His grace and His lovingkindness to her. As it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”