VICTORYYYYYY! ^ ^ V

HEY GUYSS!! im so excited and just wana let everyone else that i cant contact from my phone that i finished my studies yesterday and that im finally gona get baptized soon!! :D
right now its set for sunday afternoon-nighty but its still tentative...but hopefully soon if anything :]
and hopefully pray that ill be able to help rodney and jp out with their studies so that they can become brothers soon as well ^ ^

and as a side note i guess but i mean if anyone is feeling disconnected or even just not as close to God as they were before (or not connecting with studies) i really think its just a matter of remembering that desire and passion you first felt during your baptism or the thing that inspired you to study ect. and then really trying to devote your time to God, especially during your qt's cuz those are REALLY important - i just found out recently how much of an impact they have myself - and just really try and see what God is trying to say to you and how you can really try to apply it and having deep prayers also - not the meal time prayer every single time - ones that are just really you trying to talk to God and share with Him your day or whatever your feeling cuz it just helps you build that much more of a relationship with God in my opinion. But yeah just a thought since i was having a hard time with it not too long ago thought i might share it and hopefully help someone out! :D Hope it helps!
n hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

Hey guys :]

I was hoping you could pray for my Christian Club at school.I'm still not sure if I'm going to be able to change our meetings to Thursdays.(We normally meet on Wednesdays but Marcel goes to Matt's Bible talk those days).I've talked to the club advisor about it and she was skeptic.Even though I'm president of the club this year I still have to ask permission from her and the ASB advisor.I'm also not sure if I can even change the name to TBT but I believe that'll be easier to deal with since it's just the name.So please pray that I can change the day of our meetings since that's my main concern right now.I'm excited about being president this year and it'd be really great to have Marcel come like he did last year. :]

12x12

i wonder if JP can unlock his jaw to handle his next feat...20x20

Bible Quiz Time!

////// Rules: //////

- YOU MAY NOT GOOGLE FOR ANSWERS. (God is watching!)

- But of course, you may use your Bibles! (Encouraged, in fact.)

- IMPORTANT: You can answer 3 questions PER DAY maximum!! (This is to give others a chance! So pick harder ones if you know them for more points.)

- Answer in the comment section of this post. (Make sure you enter the number of the question you're answering... for instance:

9. Marcel Hall, 27 years old.

- You can always ask questions here if the rules were confusing. The quiz ends either when all the questions are answered or when time (to be determined) runs out (i.e. end of the world.)

- Have fun! (There is a prize at the end!)



////// Questions (they get harder and harder!): //////

1. What is the longest chapter in the bible? (1 pt.)

2. What is the shortest chapters in the bible? (1 pt.)

3. What is the shortest verse in the bible? (1 pt.)

4. Who was chosen to replace Judas as the 12th disciple after Jesus was taken up to heaven? (2 pts.)

5. What was the first animal out of the ark? (2 pts.)

6. What does "Hallelujah" mean? (2 pts.)

7. What is the shortest book in the Old Testament? (2 pts.)

8. Which two men in the Bible never died? (2 pts.)

9. Who is the oldest man recorded in the Bible and how old was he? (2 pts.)

10. How many of Paul's letters were written while in prison (and what are they)? (4 pts.)

11. How many times was water parted in the bible (and what/where are they)?

12. Which two books in the Bible do not contain the name of God? (4 pts.)

13. Who is the first person in the Bible to be called a Hebrew? (4 pts.)

14. What common domestic animal is never mentioned in the bible? (4 pts.)

15. What is the longest word in the bible? (Hint: It's a name w/ hypens '-') (5 pts.)

16. What is the longest verse in the bible? (5 pts.)

17. What is the shortest verse in the Old Testament? (5 pts.)

18. What is the oldest parable in the Bible? (5 pts.)

The Valley

1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him."

3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 4for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her." 5Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.

6On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much 7that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." 9The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10and had John beheaded in the prison. 11His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

13When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

15As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."

16Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

17"We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.

18"Bring them here to me," he said. 19And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Matthew 14: 1-21

The air was heavy the evening that Jesus had gotten the report that his cousin and partner in the ministry had been murdered. John had been a source of support for Jesus and his ministry well before Jesus began to preach. Now he was gone, and Jesus thought of how he would probably die in a similar way.

Shaken by this news, Jesus decided to take a break. His work was often physically draining, and sometimes spiritually draining with power leaving Him with the slightest faithful touch. But this afternoon, Jesus was feeling a sadness that he had never felt before. He had just lost his closest spiritual adviser, and was given a dark snapshot of his future. Jesus decided to take a break in order to gather His thoughts - His bearings. He got in a boat and sailed to where He could just be Himself by Himself.

For Jesus, this was one of the lowest times in His ministry. His mission and his work had suffered a huge loss with the death of John. John's disciples would never be the same. In order to not suffer the same type of punishment, many of them would shrink back. Some would fall away. Jesus' disciples worried as well. They would rethink their decision to follow Jesus, wondering if they made the right choice to give up their lives, their jobs, and their families to follow the one who claimed that he would overcome the world. At the moment, the one they called "Messiah" wasn't looking so powerful.

As the sun started its descent, Jesus began to regain His strength. He remembered why he had come. So He lifted His head, and headed back to the shore. If at any moment, Jesus now felt the seriousness of His calling, the evil of this world, and the hope He had in His heart, all in one emotionally overwhelming moment. As He approached the shore, Jesus was surprised by what He saw: from all over the city and the countryside, people who He didn't even know were welcoming Him back. Some begged to be healed. Some just wanted to see what all the hooplah was all about. But all had the mustard seed.

As He looked back at them, Jesus felt a stirring in His heart that excited Him to His very core. In their eyes he saw despair. He saw heartbreak. He saw the one last tries.
And He saw dreams. He saw the repaired relationships. He saw the fixed families. He saw the newly found self-confidence in those that would get their security in God alone. He saw them through the hopeful eyes of the God that put the first man and woman here on earth. And now, many years later, those same eyes still saw a heaven on earth - a chance for the lost sons and daughters to be brought home to paradise.

As His boat slowed as it drew up on the sand, Jesus took one final deep breath filled with a refocused perspective of His role in the lives of these desperate people, stepped out of the boat, and hurriedly went into the crowd. Many pressed up against Him so they could touch Him, or maybe just get the chance to hear Him speak. With His newfound determination, Jesus would heal as many as He could. He would look deeply into the eyes of all that he could talk to - connect with. And He would teach them all until the sun set and they could no longer see.

It refreshes me to know that I have a Savior that has understands what I go through. At times, I can give my best only to feel tired (not refreshed) at the end. I can love deeply, only to find that it cannot be returned at the moment. I can lose focus on my purpose, my mission, and all the dreams that make every day exciting. Life happens, and it brings many great memories, but also many trials that challenge our joy, faith, and our will to persevere. But we have a godly example in Jesus, that not only went through darker times than we do, but shows us how to cope, and then thrive in a way that is pleasing to God.

In Jesus, we see a man who was hurt. He took time to mourn, gather Himself, and then he made the decision to persevere. And then He went and did something. He continued along the path that He started. He went to those who needed Him and didn't turn them away at a time when He would've been justified in doing so. Instead, He embraced them. He went on to take care of the needs of those who were without. He then strengthened the faith of those close to Him by doing something radical and Godly. And then He went right back into the middle of the battle to try to do the greatest miracle of all: change the human heart of those who could not feel (read Mt 14 and 15).

Why did Jesus do the things that he did? He did this because he loved deeply. As we heard and saw it so eloquently put on Sunday, love will drive us to go beyond the norms of our environment and our daily lives. It will make you stay up late and get up early. It will make you drive across the county or walk across town to be with the one that needs you. It will make you pray constantly.

He is the light that illuminates our path when we are not sure which way to go. And it is in this passage that we see what we are to do when our lives face turmoil. We feel. We pray. Then we act.

It is my prayer that you keep your spiritual fervor. No matter the circumstances, there are always the opportunities to show God how obedient, faithful, and loving you are. And show Him these things - not because you have to - but because you want to. You can’t help but to desire God and please Him, because he has given you so much. He has told you that he loves you in so many ways. And the biggest way is by allowing you the opportunity to live with Him forever in His mansion - which has to be the coolest house ever.

Never does the Bible call us to quit or rebel. Rather, impress Him with your faith. Go beyond the limits that you think you have. Stay up all night. Pray all day. Run through your exhaustion. And if you always make time to fall in love with God “again,” you’ll be joyful every second of it. And God will ensure that you will stand victorious, whether in this life or the next.

Popcorn Encouragement continued...

I want to encourage my little sister Cynthia.... awww... I appreciate your heart to want to grow, serve God, and be a great sister and friend to those in and out of the teen ministry. I've seen how grateful others are for your friendship, advice and listening ear and it brings me great joy to see God using you to have an impact on others. Keep it up kiddo! haha. =P Oh, now it's your turn to encourage someone. (That's how Popcorn Encouragement works.)

Popcorn Encouragement

What's up awesome Teen Ministry!!! I hope you guys are having a wonderful day so far.
I wanted to start the week with a popcorn encouragement that will hopefully last all week :)
If someone could please explain what popcorn encouragement is cause you know I'm not good at explaining
stuff LOL!

I want to encourage my friend Karina, I really appreciate our times on Fridays
I look forward to that time because it's a time that we can be open with each
other, challenge each other, pray for each other and make fun of each other!!
I love it. Thank you so much for being an excellent partner in the Gospel
I love you very much!!!

your awesomest friend,
Maria

Marcel's 27th Birthday 09.20.08

I just wanted to share a piece of a precious moment with our awesome teen leader Marcel Hall. We went to El Cholo in L.A. after our small group leaders' meeting. It was encouraging that Marcel enjoyed his time and his food! [at least it looked like he did from where we were sitting] :D Happy 27th!! You're not old, you're simply growing more wiser each year! It's only numbers but you do have a child-like heart, pure and devoted to God. Thank you for your awesome leadership in our amazing Teen Ministry!! We all love you!!

Animal Style

As you may have heard from the man himself, probably proud of his own stomach's flexibility, JP ate a 12 x 12 IN-N-OUT burger. Most of the time for a usually burger fan, a double double seems to fulfill all of our current needs, but for JP that's below acceptance line.

Many weeks ago, Nick and I went to participate in a Bible study with JP at the Starbucks near my house, famous for multiple Bible Study locations. After the Bible Study, Nick and JP still had growling stomachs so we walked down to Burger King, one of the only locations open at this time of night. We walked in the traditional Burger King on Eagle Rock Blvd. and Nick and JP both grabbed something to eat, I was not hungry. While Nick grabbed a relatively small meal, JP grabbed a triple Whopper and a double Whopper with casual fries on the side. Amazed at what JP had, I stared at him while he was engulfing the triple Whopper like a my massive dog.

He eventually finished both Whoppers and we were on our way back up Eagle Rock Blvd. to my house. On the way, JP said, "I have eaten a 4 x 4 at IN-N-OUT, today I eat a triple Whopper and a double Whopper that counts as 5 x 5. Next time at IN-N-OUT, I get a 12 x 12." Nick and I began laughing because not only was a 12 x 12 insane, he's linear mathematics seemed to be off - 4 x 4 to 5 x 5 then 12 x 12. "This is never going to happen," I thought to myself knowing that Nick was probably saying the same thing.

About a month later, only days after JP's birthday, September 15th, John Reid and I decided to take JP to IN-N-OUT for small gift for his birthday. Completely forgetting JP's goal, I didn't think much was going to happen. As we had gotten to the spot, and jumped out of the car, John had asked JP what he wanted to eat. JP's response was, as we all know, "I want a 12 x 12." So John, the gentleman and the scholar that he is, allowed JP to order it, but, as we soon found out, the highest number they make at IN-N-OUT was a 4 x 4. JP seemed crushed but was still down to get 2 4 x 4's, until the guy said, "You could order meat patties on the side." On the way to find a table, both, John and I, believed in JP, yet had some doubt as to whether he was truly going to finish it, and we seemed to be more vocal about the doubt. But as John brought over the tray with the 4 x 4 and 8 patties on the side, while JP and I were working on his math homework, we knew the game was on the line. JP slowly lost concentration on his math and paid close attention to the burger coming his way.

JP immediately grabbed the 4 x 4, opened up the bottom side of the bread, and began stuffing 2 patties at a time into his burger. He couldn't even hold the burger properly until he made it horizontal. Once he pounded his hands on the burger to flatten it out, it was game time. JP opened his mouth as vertical as possible, still not long enough for the burger, and took his signature bite into the burger only getting the patties. He continued until his mouth could not expand any farther, then he decided that swallowing would be a good option. Even the Asian couple next to use was amazed. But JP persisted. He continuously fought against the burger as if it were a normal activity for him. Once, we got into the 4th quarter, as he called it, where half patties had fallen onto the tray and 3 quarters of the burger was finished. JP got into the imagination that this was football, constantly using the terms, "HUT, HUT, HIKE!" before taking a monstrous chomp into the burger. After about 5 minutes of battling, JP finally finished. Then he remarked, "next time 20 x 20."

God's Gift of Natural Art and Beauty

Good Morning Family...

So on the drive in to work this morning...I was gazing at the sky...remembering that the awesome blue and lightly colored yellows and oranges of the 6 am sunrise was painted by our father. I was thinking as I drove by the huge, lush trees of San Marino and glanced at the natural landscapes///how awesome is it to have such a creative father...a creator of such perfection...one who is constantly at work...perfecting everyday we see. I was thinking about the beaches I've visited this summer...the mountains Ive hiked...and the parks Ive seen...it's all God's gifts of his art work. Thoughts such as these...bring me joy..smiles..and warmth...because I see God for who he is....an artist. I am grateful to have such a merciful God...a God that allows his children to live in the light..to live amongst the beauty he has placed together piece by piece. 

I share these thoughts to remind us all that God is amazing...our Lord is perfect...and our father gives the tiniest gifts everyday..that if we get too wrapped up in our daily lives full of work, essays, sports, pay checks, media, and the like....we can miss the opportunity to appreciate those precious things he wants us to experience. So this morning or the next....my awesome familia...gaze outside and hear the birds chirp, see the trees sway, look at the clouds in the sky passing by and know that that perfect picture was painted specifically for YOU. God loves us and it's evident when we look a lil deeper into our own surroundings : )

Have a great day with the Lord

Mad Love:

Ejay

Spiritual Birthday Surprise :D

I'm sorry for not being able to post here lately, I've been missing in action here haven't I!! My apologies brothers and sisters :] Anyway, I wanted to share that I was so encouraged last night by our awesome TLs for remembering our spiritual b-days. I was baptized in 2000 Sept 24.. I'll be 8 yrs old! Yes I know I'm still a kid! :D yes I'm still learning as I grow older spiritually. I'm so glad to know that we're a part of an amazing group of people who strives to do good for others and who continuously seeks and fear God daily. Keep fighting the good fight of faith. Love you all!!

Q-Diddy Day

I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say happy b-day to John Q.

New visitor this friday!

What's up every body?! OK so as Kevin requested...he wanted us to pray for Jenny... and our prayers have been answered! Her mother agreed to let her visit our church and prayerfully she will be coming out this Friday if she can! She has been wanting to come and so she asked her mom if she can come out and her mother said yes, however, her mother doesn't want Jenny to switch churches just yet. So we have to continue to pray for her. Thanks so much for all the prayers and Kevin for reaching out to her.

STUDIERS...or...fellow studyists? or well...whatever you'd like to call it :P

Its just been so amazing and encouraging to see all the people that are starting and that have been studying the bible recently! and i just wanted to tell you guys to keep going for them cuz its really so mindblowing what you'll learn and how it changes your life and perspective i know it really has for me already xP hehe and also just really try to built strong relationships with everyone else because when you have others to talk to and to help you along whenever your confused or just having a hard time with something, it just helps SOOOO muchh! (thanks Eric, Cynthia, Miguel, Marcel, Rodney ect. -basically everyone hahaha- ;D)
but anyways i just wanted to encourage you guys! i hope we all become brothers and sisters in Christ reaalll soon!!! :D

ohh also please pray for Jenny's mom to let her come to our devos and church cuz like shes been REALLLY wanting to for a long time its just that her mom wouldnt let her...so hopefully she'll be able to make it this friday but just keep prayin!
hope everyone has a great week!

Bible talks

Hey you guys so I have great news...today was my first bible talk!!!! It was great as we welcomed new members and really displayed what the bible talk is all about. Please continue to pray for all the teens and the bible talks and may God move powerfully through us all. Much love and have a great week every one.

HELping YOUUUUU!!..HElping YOuuuu...!!!

HAha...so here's the winning song of the Summer Olympic Challenge.....Enjoy Ya'll

North Region On TV

Our brothers and sisters from the North Region are making headlines. Gary Smith who leads the part of the teen ministry in the North with his wife Claudia told me that they were going to be on tv tomorrow along w/some of their teens. The info is below:

When - Thursday, Sept. 11th
Channel - HGTV
Show - " Myles of Style"

Prayer Request

Hey family....today Drew had his first game of the season...he played an awesome game, scoring three touchdowns.....
However, towards the end of the game he was hurt pretty seriously after a kick return. He had to be rushed to the hospital with a knee injury...good news is there was no broken bones....
He will be getting an MRI next week and that will determine his season and so on...

I wanted to send out a prayer request for him. Please pray the injuries aren't too severe and his recovery his quick....we would all love to see him back on that field beastin it up like he does and being able to mess with us all at devos like he usually does as well...hehehe...

Thanks you guys...and if you get a chance..call him...he'd be encouraged to hear from you. (if you need his #, call me)

Thanks you guys for the love and dedication to the family out believers in prayer

Mad Love,
Ejay

Back-to-School

I'd love to hear from all of you how your first week of school is going. Let us all know! =)