by Jonathan Lichtenwalter
Words cannot show accurately the gratitude to God I have for the teen workers who have been in my life. I do not know where I would be if they were not there. When I first started studying the bible with Joe Lara, the love and grace God had given him helped me to see God’s character clearly. Both Joe and Wes Wright helped spark my interest in God’s word. When Wes Wright started to get with me, I could see his love for God and others, especially me, and his devotion to God and His word. He had such an immovable faith in God’s word and would drive all the way from Plano to my house every week to get with me. And he never gave up! He would keep getting with me every week to show me God through his word. I know it was all for God and his love for me that he did it.
Wes was also never afraid to tell me the truth, which sometimes really got on my nerves. But he’d always encourage humility in me with scripture if I got mad at him. “Wounds from a friend can be trusted but an enemy multiplies many kisses [Proverbs 26:7],” he would remind me. He was, and is, a true friend. Both Joe and Wes really helped me to see my sin for what it really was and have true repentance for it. I also saw a fiery zeal for God in Angela Lara who motivated me further by her love for my sister Keirsten and unconditional love for her and each teen girl she studied with. But it only began after I became a disciple. Wes especially helped me grow so very much. He was, and still is, my big brother in Christ. He has helped me increase in my zeal and love for God.
We would still got together weekly with other teen men to have times of discipleship and growth. We had such great times in The Word together. It has been awesome! It was God who put these people in my life, and it was God who moved their hearts to love like Jesus and bring me to Him (Acts 17:26-27). It was God who put it all so perfectly in place. Even though Wes is all the way in Georgia and now in California, God has brought a new mentor, Alex Hammond, to Dallas from Houston. I have been able to become such good friends with him since he got here. I know it’s all been God working. All of it. I could go on telling you more, but I could never write enough words to show my appreciation to God and to all of you. I love and appreciate you, Ro, and all the other teen workers in the Dallas – Fort Worth Church. You’re incredible servants, and I love you so much. | by Esther Mack
My story really begins with my younger sister, Angie. For as long as I can remember, Angie has attempted to try and figure out what God wanted for her life. This mostly included visiting different churches, participating in the ministries on our campus, or talking to friends of hers who seemed to understand The Word. I wish I could say that I followed her example and was seeking God wholeheartedly, but it all just started out with me following my sister and keeping her company. In April of 2008, we were both baptized through one of our campus ministries, but we both could tell shortly afterward that it was meaningless. I felt like I had made the decision to get baptized to proclaim that I believed in Jesus, but there was no commitment to follow Christ, to make him the Lord of my whole life. I just got wet that day and as we tend to do with the best intentions, I just kept going on remaining caught up in my job and school and other things around me.
And yet God still had so much mercy. In the fall of 2009, Angie met Savannah, the South West region's campus ministry intern. Angie started studying the Bible and I could see the rapid changes in her. Not just because of the things she was telling me, but her attitude was changing for the better. She was so excited about it all. During that time, I was extremely caught up - being a full time graduate student and working full time, I was just always going and always exhausted. Angie encouraged me to study the Bible, but I said I was too busy. I went to Sunday service with her and on that day Marvin delivered a message on being a student instead of a teacher. I realized that I was letting my pride and busyness get in the way of listening to what God wanted for me, even though I had a teacher right in front of my face. Once the semester was over, I started studying the Bible with Sharisse, Angie, Savannah, and Ivonne. After studying for about a month, my convictions were changing and my heart was open. However, I still couldn't understand why I should live my life for God. It initially felt like a burden I was choosing to carry. However, this all changed when we studied about the The Cross. It all came down to the greatest love story ever told for me. God loves us so much that he sacrificed his son so I could live my life - just in hopes that I would live for Him. With that heart, I was ready to commit to God and make Jesus the Lord of my life. It's still hard to comprehend the mercy and grace that God has showed me, but I am so excited and grateful to be a disciple. I am thrilled to be living my life for God now. |
