www.Christeenianity.com 3

Contents:FEATURED ARTICLESAn Interview With

Robert Pierre

8

12

Faith’s Melodyby John Sapp

Butter�y Effect14

by Emily Martin

Non-Pro�t Highlight6

SAMMinistries

Dear Christeen4

A Note From...10

John Kublank

Concerts15

Local Youth Groups5

National Runaway Switchboard 800-RUNAWAY (786-2929)

National Teen Dating Abuse 866-331-9474

Connections Crisis Hotline 800-532-8192

TX Abuse Hotline 800-252-5400

Teen Pregnancy 866-942-6466

Alanon/Alateen (SA) 888-829-1312

You may submit articles or your letter to Dear Christeen either by mail

at 5321 FM 311 #1, New Braunfels, TX, 78132, or via email at Info@Christeenianity.com.

If you would like to receive a Free copy of the NLT New Testament Bible, please email

your name and address to info@Christeenianity.com, or call us at 830-481-5058

Well, I am happy to say that through the

grace of God, we are on our 6th issue of

Christeenianity.

It hasn’t been an easy journey, but then

again, when in life is any journey easy? I have

come to realize that once we understand just

how powerful and grand our Father is, our

lives become simpler. When we realize how

little control we have over our situations, then

choose to hand our burdens over to God in

faith, trusting that all will be well in His hands,

it usually is.

You see, He wants us to hand over our

burdens. He is our loving Father who wants

to take care of us–His children. He wants

us to be dependent upon Him to take care

of our needs. We must have faith and trust

that whatever our problems are, there will

be a growth experience in the end. Because

life won’t always happen as we expect, we

shouldn’t have expectations based on our

own humble understanding, since that can

lead to resentment which hardens the heart.

Instead, fill your heart with love, fill your heart

with God. He is the only One who can bring us

true joy, so why don’t we let Him?

Publisher Christeenianity, LLC, Editor - Audra Hughes

Contributing Writers - John Kublank, Emily Martin, Elisa Nodine and John Sapp

Graphic Designer - Ezrah Khan Sales - Audra Hughes

IN EVERY

ISSUE

ChristeenJDear Christeen - I’m twelve years old and I’m from a pretty rough neighborhood. A lot of bad things happen here, but there are also a lot of good people that live here. And it just makes me wonder how God can let these bad things happen to them and not do anything to stop it. Can you explain this to me? - Curious in San Antonio

Dear Curious - Though it may not seem like it, bad things happen to all people. We cannot blame God for the errs of man. Many of the bad things that happen are due to mistakes man has made. And though God could fix all of those things, doing so would take away something very precious that He

has given us: free will. Free will gives humans the choice between doing good or evil. And though many bad things that happen are the result of evil choices man has made, there are many things you can choose to do to improve your life and fulfill the plan

God has for you. And don’t lose faith. We all have the choice to persevere

through these hard times and push on to fulfill the plan God has made for each of us. “Not only so, but we also

rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love onto our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given

us,” Rom. 5: 3-5. - Love, Christeen

D e a r C h r i s t e e n ,

4

Northern Hills United Methodist Church3703 N. Loop 1604 E., SAR U InJohn Kublank - YP | 830-708-8705

Gruene United Methodist Church2629 E. Common St., NBGruene United Methodist YouthJake LeBlanc - YP | 830-625-7200

Bulverde United Methodist Church28300 Hwy 281 North, SABulverde United Youth GroupBethany Graham - YP | 830-980-7745

First Baptist Church733 Cross St., NBCross Street MinistriesRicky Gobert - YP | 830-625-9124

Bulverde Baptist Church1331 Bulverde Rd., BULBBC Student MinistryPaul Brand - YP | 830-980-7577

Cranes Mill Baptist10215 Fm-2673,CLHigher Ground Youth MinistryBen Hollan - YP | 830-899-7936

Oakwood Baptist Church2154 Loop 337 N., NBOSM; Brent Isbill - HS YPBrandon Best - MS YP | 830-625-0267

First Baptist Church32445 Us Highway 281 N., BULFirst Baptist Bulverde Youth GroupTerry McCown - YP | 830-438-3754

First Baptist Church1401 Pat Booker Rd., UC Vertical 220Jim Lokey - YP | 210-658-6394

Community Bible Church - Main2477 North Loop 1604 East, SANext + Gen StudentsStuart Head - YP | 210-477-5209

Community Bible Church - Bulverde7100 Hwy 281 North, SBPursuitJohnny Hernandez - YP | 210-669-6436

Living Word Church5800 Culebra Dr., SAAmped YouthRobert Garza - YP | 210-461-7452

Concordia Lutheran Church16801 Huebner Rd., SAFusionBill Tucker - YP | 210-479-1477

Abiding Presence Lutheran Church14700 San Pedro Ave., SAYouth Group Mike Ceyanas - YP | 210-494-8884

Northside Church of Christ16318 San Pedro, SA IgniteAndy Glenn - YP | 210-494-1907

Trinity Church5415 N 1604 E., SA412Robbie Bridges - YP | 210-653-0003

Riverside Community Church20475 HWY 46W, #180, SB Life Hurts, God HealsDenise Whistler - YP | 210-289-1682

Oak Hills Church6929 Camp Bullis Rd., SAOak Hills Church Student MinistriesBrett Bishop - HS Dir | 210-807-5208

Journey Fellowship Church16847 IH 35 North (Exit 174B), SelmaJourney Fellowship Youth GroupDavid Littleton - YP | 210-651-1463

Riverside Community Church20475 Hwy 46 W STE 180, PMB 417, SBYoung LifeJohn Hinkebein - YP | 830-980-4600

Summit Christian Center2575 Marshall Rd., SAEmergeMark Treiber - YP | 210-402-0565

Tree of Life Church5513 IH 35 S., NBRemnantDustin Martin - YP | 830-625-6375

Hillside Fellowship Church7055 Hwy 281 N., SB Youth GroupClay Patrick - YP | 210-264-9501

Cowboys for Jesus8499 FM 32, FischerBullZIJerry Hoyt - Pastor | 210-389-6235

Believers Christian Fellowship of S.V.36200 FM 3159, NBBelievers Chrisitian Fellowship Youth GroupJenni Taylor - YP | 830-885-2224

BULCL

NBUCSA

SB

BulverdeCanyon LakeNew BraunfelsUniversal CitySan AntonioSpring Branch

www.Christeenianity.com www.Christeenianity.com 5

Teens and HomelessnessBrad was a typical San Antonio teenager--he loved sports, music, video games, and his family. He went to a local high school and tried to �t in, but unlike most teenagers, Brad struggled with a harsh reality. When the school day was over, he knew there would be no place to go to do homework, hangout with friends, or watch TV. His dad had lost his job because of an illness and their family had received the eviction notice from their rental home. Now, all of their things that they could keep were in the back of their old car. Brad, his parents, and his 3 other teenaged siblings, were homeless for the �rst time, but had heard about the SAMM Shelter and found their way to our doors.

Roots in the Community Well known in the community, SAMMinistries began its ministry in 1981 after a cold winter night took the life of a man. He died alone, on the steps of a church in downtown San Antonio. A group of concerned individuals and churches recognized that all life has value and no one should leave this world simply because they lack the �nancial resources to come in from the cold.

And so, a group of determined people rallied to do more to hear and respond to the cry of the needy. A part-time shelter was opened to the men who called the streets of San Antonio home. But as the need was great, soon the shelter was opened 365 days a year. At �rst only men were served, but more and more, women and children came seeking help. SAMMinistries responded to this need and began serving men, women and children through our varied programs.

Expanding to Meet the Need As the ministry grew and expanded the grass roots organization became the non-pro�t known as SAMMinistries-operating on a $6.2 million budget. Services now include a Homeless Prevention Program designed to keep people out of homelessness; an Emergency Services program to help those in the �rst stages of homelessness; and a Transitional Program to assist, guide, educate, train, and prepare families and individuals for a new beginning and brighter future.

Putting a Face to Homelessness Sadly, when asked to describe a homeless person, most people will describe an old man with a beard and scruffy clothes sitting on a curb. We know that this is not the case! Last year 4,478 men, women and children received 197,603 nights of shelter and supportive services--463 of them were children, including teenagers! Unfortunately, teenagers are experiencing the reality of homelessness �rst hand. In fact, according to the 2010 Point in Time Homeless Survey taken on January 28th, 668 children in families and 180 unaccompanied teens were counted as homeless in San Antonio.

Teens in Crisis

For teens homelessness can impact their schooling and their social lives as their families struggle with the very real issues of housing and �nancial stability. No kid wants to be known as the homeless kid, so they do their best to blend in, but sometimes, their frustration, sense of unworthiness and depression causes them to act out. Clothing, food, spending money, and school supplies that once weren’t a big deal are now gone and fear of being found out increases.

SAMMinistries helps our teens maintain their dignity and their ‘cool’ through bonding experiences, educational opportunities, and recreational activities that can help �ll the gap. Our goal is to minimize the impact of homelessness on these young lives so they can maintain their focus on other things like school, sports, hobbies and planning for the future. Helping our teens remain future-focused is important, for many of them have the same hopes and dreams as other teens in our community. Finding themselves in a traumatic situation can cloud anyone’s perspective, so realizing and being reassured that their situation is only temporary, can be a lifesaver.

Update on Brad Brad’s story is similar to a lot of our families. His dad recovered from his surgery and got a great new job! His mom went back to school to get her license as a Certi�ed Nurse’s Assistant and Brad is so proud of her. Happily, Brad and his siblings were able to stay in school and

6To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

WWJDYou need:

Basic Instructions:

the middle beads.

Half hitch

Laynard hook

"What WouldJesus Do?"

SAM’S 2even enjoyed several special activities and just being kids during their time with us. The family is now living in an apartment and back on their feet and thankful for the opportunity given to them to stay together and start over.

What you can do to help At SAMMinistries we are excited by the fact that every year hundreds of teens roll up their sleeves and do something to make a positive impact for the homeless in our community. Youth groups offer a day of service at one of our facilities helping deliver services to aid those in need of ministry. This year we have seen teens holding donation drives, landscaping, cleaning, hosting events, tutoring, and a host of other activities.

An opportunity for you to make a difference in the lives of San Antonio kids is coming up on June 11th. SAMMinistries is sponsoring

on Numbers 14:24, “...because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he

Designed to encourage bold leadership and the realization that each one of us can make a difference, the evening will be �lled with prayer, worship, testimony, music, study, and a unique lesson in empathy and action. Each teen will

be given cardboard and tape to build their own shelter for the night and are asked to collect pledges from friends and family to sponsor them for the night.

If you would like to know how to volunteer as an individual or as a group, you can contact our Volunteer Of�ce at 210-321-5647. If you would like more information about Caleb’s Spirit, please email calebsspirit@samm.org or call Matt at 210-321-5639.

Mission Statement and General Information “SAMMinistries is an interfaith ministry whose mission is to help the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless attain self-suf�ciency by offering, with dignity and compassion, shelter, housing and services. SAMMinistries also provides volunteers opportunities to be renewed and ful�lled as

Find more info on SAMMinistries at www.samm.org.

www.Christeenianity.com 7

When and how did you get started in the music industry? When I was 13 years old I was absolutely nailing the Jackson five. My voice had not changed, so I had a very high pitched voice. My parents really wanted to record that to make sure we had that forever, you know, so we can always remember it. We ended up recording a three song Christmas CD that we were going to give out to all of our family and friends in our Christmas cards. Then we thought, it would be really neat if we could try to get it played on our local radio station during Christmas time. It turns out they started playing it and then radio stations all over the country started picking it up. From there, we just felt like God was really starting to open doors and it continued into music ministry. What inspired you to become a Christian musician? The gifts that I have are from God. There’s nothing I did to get to where I am today. He has opened doors and so I’ve always thought from the beginning that this needs to be about God first and me second. I have great parents that have built that into my mind too. Saying, “You know that if this ever turns into you first and God second, then you’re done”. This is a gift from God. I just came off a tour called Winter Jam. It was the fifth-largest tour last year. We played 44 cities in 12 weeks and we ended Sunday. It was sad because we were saying goodbye to all these different artists. One question that I get asked a lot is, “What advice would you give to

me, I’m trying to get started or

whatever”. Something that I always say to

people is, “make sure that you’re serving God and not yourself first”. I help out by singing in my church, so I tell them “Start by singing in your church with the gifts that He has given you because that’s all we’re doing is honoring and glorifying Him”.

Do you write your own songs, and if so, what inspired you to write them? I helped write three songs on my CD and I’ve come to love to write on my guitar at home. I have had such an amazing opportunity over the past couple of years. I have toured all over the country and I’ve meet thousands of kids who are all really different. One thing that I have found that makes all of them the same, is that in life we all try to identify with something. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be a bad thing. Kids will try to do things because they think that it will make them popular or put them in that cool club. Some kids are going to try to relate to their favorite sports athlete. For instance, some kids in Orlando are really trying to be like Dwight Howard. They want to win that dunk competition on our 8 foot hoop out in the backyard or whatever. They look to their favorite athlete. Or, girls who are wanting to look like the models they see in magazines. You know, “I need to be, or look and weigh just as much she does”. Or, kids that are really focused on making sure that they get all the perfect grades. So, what I really wanted to tell kids on my CD, Identity, is that it doesn’t matter what the world is screaming at you to be, but it only matters who God wants you to be. Because God sent His son Jesus to die on the cross and now that His blood covers us, our identity is through Christ. It’s in Christ. We’ve already been accepted by God. So, I’ve been really trying to tell kids that we don’t need to act like the world but we need to be serving and pleasing God because of what God has done for us.

How do you balance your school family and career? I go to a Christian school, which is great. They are willing to work with me to allow me to be able to tour and keep spreading the gospel to kids. When I was on tour over the past 12 weeks, I had a tutor who has been a liaison between me and my teachers. It’s not that I miss the school part, but I really miss out on

a lot of social events. Prom is just around the corner

for me and because I’ve been gone for so long,

I don’t have a prom date. I have no idea

what I am going to do. I don’t have a girlfriend, so that’s not an option. All the girls from my friends group have all been asked by my other friends so I’m stuck, and I have no idea what to do. I’ll figure something out. But, yeah, I miss out on a lot of social events. I have great friends who are supporting me. I had a friend text me just Sunday night on our last event of the tour saying “Hey, this is the last event, I’ll be praying for you”, so that really means a lot to me. And your family, do you not see them when you’re gone?Oh, no, they come with me. They are great. I couldn’t ask for anything better. My sister, who was 14 on Sunday, came on the road a couple of times with us. One time, she was in the middle of a big campaign. She was running for class president. Because she’s in eighth-grade and going to be in ninth grade next year, her big slogan was “Jump with JP”. Her name is Jacqueline. She was trying to get kids to jump with her into the high school. It shows how much on the tour we came together as a family, because all the artists wanted to help her out. She was making a video, getting all the artists to jump with her into the air. It’s hilarious! It’s a funny video. It’s always been important that I have a parent with me on the road. Because I am 17, I know my mom would appreciate it if before I got to the bus I had some fruits and vegetables and not all Little Debbie snacks. But, yes, I do always have a parent with me on the road. Well, I can understand that. I’m a mother of three teenagers, so I can totally relate to your mom. If you had to choose between playing for Christians or non-Christians which would you choose? Definitely, Christians. The atmosphere is amazing. While I was on tour, I would come out and sing, “Let God Arise”, as my first song. And, I remember being able to look out into the crowd and there would be people worshipping and raising their hands. To think that I was a part of leading people into worshipping God is an amazing thought. God has blessed me with this opportunity, so definitely Christian. I bet that’s an amazing feeling. What is your favorite part about performing? Performing itself, I love it. If we were equating music to sports, all the other stuff is just practice and performance is the game day. I think something really cool that we do in our show is this big drum thing. It’s kind of like

ROBERT PIERRE

8To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

a big breakdown with drums and I think that’s been a really cool part of my performance. What we do is hit the drums and at one part we hit and release. The drumsticks would fly off and every night we’d have somebody after the show, be like, “Dude, your drumsticks flew like 20 feet in the air tonight”. I think that’s been the really fun part. Also, connecting with the audience, being able to see people out there who are waving at me and I wave back at them. It’s just so cool to see that my music can be an encouragement for other believers. How did you know that this kind of ministry was right for you? The Lord was just opening doors. We didn’t, I say we because it’s been a whole family experience, we never tried to force open any doors. We never tried to push our way into anything, but the Lord just started opening doors and that’s how we’ve been doing it. Just walking through them. And, we’re going to continue to do that as He continues to open them and were not going to force any doors open, that are closed.

Okay, now the big question, with all the struggles of being a teenager,how have you managed to stay away from the temptations of drugs and alcohol? I’ve never really had that big temptation. I’m really blessed to say that my friends are good kids and don’t get into trouble. I’ve just never really had that temptation, because I know that if I ever got into that, it would just destroy me. I’ve seen that happen to other people and I don’t want to be around that. My parents have always tried to make sure that I’m around a good group of friends. My dad would always say to me, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future”. So, I made sure I put myself around kids that would only build me up and not tear me down. What do you find most rewarding about what you do? I love meeting fans. We go out and sign autographs, and it’s a great time to meet people and to get to know them a little bit better. When we were on Winter Jam, a woman came up to me and told me a story about a song

from my first CD, Inside Out, called On Faith Alone. She talked about how two years ago, her 15-year-old son had committed suicide. She said to me that, when they were picking out the music for her son’s funeral, some friends had picked out this song randomly. She had never heard of it and when it played she looked up who that was by. She said that the Lord used that song to encourage her. She knew her son was a Christian, but she said it was really hard and that song helped her get through it. I just think that there are so many different stories like that about people coming and saying how that song helped me and how other songs have helped me. One girl said there was a time in her life she thought she was having a satanic attack. When she heard my song Breaking My Heart, she realized that the Lord was putting her through trials to change the way that she lived. Just hearing these stories is a real encouragement to me. It has shown me how the Spirit uses my music in the lives of believers. Who are your musical influences? Recently, I’ve been listening a lot to the people I went out on tour with like Tenth Avenue North. They are great guys. We played a lot of basketball on the tour and they are decent basketball players too. Mike, the lead singer, is actually really good. I think one guy who really had an impact on me on tour was Michael Tait, the lead singer of the Newsboys. He really became like a brother to me. He would come out and watch my set and give me advice. He really kind of took me under his wing and gave me advice on what to do on the stage and stuff like that. I really feel like we became real close and I’m looking forward to seeing all of them again when they come down to Orlando for summer festival in September. We’re going to have a big get together and hang out. Its going to be a lot of fun. Do you have a favorite Bible verse?Yes, Romans 12:2, which says “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will”. What’s so cool is that, not only is that my favorite Bible verse but it really ties into one of my songs called Breaking My Heart. The song

talks about how, after salvation, the Lord is literally changing the desires of our heart. Our old and evil pleasures and likes and dislikes are being transformed into good and pleasing thoughts. He is literally breaking our hearts, but in a beautiful way. So, the song is kind of a play on words. Is there any advice that you’d like to give our readers?I just encourage kids who are listening, to remember that it doesn’t matter what the world is screaming at you it only matters what God thinks of you. And, because Jesus came and He died on the cross, we are already accepted by God.

For more information about Robert go to:www.robertpierre.com

ROBERT PIERRE

www.Christeenianity.com 9

I have been reading a lot lately. In one book, I came across a section on being a born again

Christian. When I was younger, I had no idea what a born again Christian was, but I knew

for sure that I was not one. I didn’t realize that Jesus wanted me to be born again; I thought

it was just something people said. If you have a chance, read John 3:1-15. Jesus tells us that we must be born again to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus tells us that we must be

born of water which is our Baptism, and of the spirit which is when we make that choice to

commit ourselves to Christ. When we do, we allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and move

through us. Most people that I have talked to are as confused as I was, but to transform your

life for God and allow the Holy Spirit to dwell is to be Born Again.Even if you have been baptized you might not be born again; I was baptized as a baby and

my family took a vow to make sure I grew up in the church. This did not mean that I was

born again; it just meant that God’s Community of Believers witnessed and welcomed me

to the journey of salvation and they wanted to help me to know Christ. I was not born again

until I was 17 years old, at this time I accepted Christ into my heart and I took a personal

vow to follow his purpose and not my own.Have you been baptized? It is important to be born of the water and the spirit, not one or

the other. Have you been born again? Have you accepted Jesus Christ in your heart, really

made that vow to follow his purpose and not your own? I want to encourage you to ask these

questions of yourself, then find your mentor, pastor, or youth pastor and talk about these

questions, so that you may better understand God’s Purpose for your life.

Enthusiastically in Christ, John Kublank Youth Pastor of Northern Hills United Methodist Church

A note from John Kublank,Youth Pastor of Northern Hills UMC

10To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

Quinceañeras, Weddings, Anniversaries,

Birthdays, Proms, School Dances,

Concerts, U.S. Military

Clayton Laughlinlaughlinclay@aol.com

Parent Friendly - Teen Safe.No Alcohol Allowed.

(210) 845-3930www.theshepherdlimosa.com

www.Christeenianity.com 11

by John Sapp - Age 17

he lights were turned off before my youth pastor introduced us; Purity In Covenant. To my left stood my band’s guitarist, while my drummer was behind

me. Here I stood in front of a microphone with everyone watching me. My eyes were blinking like an emergency light. My hands felt numb. I couldn’t bring myself to swallow my own spit because my throat felt tense and strained. My mouth was shut like a safe inside a bank. I could only pray in my head, “God, please don’t let

sickness. Still, others might compare it to a combination of drinking a Monster energy drink after taking Nyquil

Roughly three years before this I had been suffering from a really bad tick that God set me free from. I fought for a few years trying to stop myself from clearing my throat. I wouldn’t just clear it every now and again, but as often as I swallowed saliva. My throat was constantly raw. I can remember having troubles sleeping at night and being in pain from the wear on my throat. I tried allergy medicine, cough drops, and I even went to the doctor. Nothing helped me. I went to a pastor and had him pray for me. He said that my problem was not some allergy, but the devil trying to keep me from ful�lling my calling in life; to lead worship. He prayed for me. I can remember the gently touch of God and the tears that poured down my face. I felt God hugging my heart. Since that day I have been free, never to having to clear my throat against my own will. Although I had overcome my tick, my throat still was damaged from the three years of strain it went through.

For three years I grew closer to God. I dreamed of ful�lling my destiny of leading worship. God brought me to a youth group full of other Christian, teenage musicians. I had spent the previous year learning to play guitar. When I walked in the youth room for the �rst time my �rst two questions asked were, “What’s your

the right place. That day I was tossed into a band, �lled with people I didn’t know. All I knew was, they shared my dream.

As a band we constantly ran into challenges. The complications of a band were unseen. Building friendships and working on our skills were two of the many challenges we faced. What style should we play? Who should sing? Should we play originals or other peoples songs? How often could we meet? This mentally weighed on our minds, but we believed we could work through any problem we faced.

Our band had too many guitarists and not one vocalist, so I decided put my guitar down and give singing a try. I was unsure about doing the job, since I was not a trained vocalist. Over time we lost many of our members and I was still struggling to sing every song. Eventually we decided we would �nd someone else to sing for us and I would go back to playing guitar. We �nished writing our �rst song the day we added a talented vocalist to our band.

Our �rst song was a worship/rock song. We were excited to have �nally composed our �rst completed, original song. My band said I should sing it because

my voice had a better tone for a rock song. Our youth pastor heard us practicing it and liked it. He suggested we have a worship service and open with our original.

This was it! The moment we had been working towards for so long! We practiced and prepared for our �rst time playing in front of people as a band. Questions like if my voice would hold up �oated through my mind.

My nerves were unsettled, on stage in front of our friends. We were about to play. My youth pastor introduced us like an announcer would for a boxing match. I heard the applause �ll my ears. My guitarist started the song fast. The feeling of a disaster about to happen was creeping in my mind. After two musical measurements my drummer joined in the beat. Two more measurements passed and it was my time to sing. Feeling dizzy with shot nerves, there was no way I was going to calm down before I had to sing. My body feeling neither comfortable nor relaxed, I started to sing and was surprised at how well I was doing. The song sounded better to me faster, and everyone seemed to be enjoying it. I closed my eyes throughout most of the song, just focusing on the timing. At one point I thought I should help my band keep the timing of the song by

instrumental part of the song. Our four-minute song came to an end. Everyone was applauding and we felt a sense of accomplishment. I was beaming with a wide smile, from cheek to cheek. My guitarist said to me afterwards that he was starting to loose the timing and by counting it out loud I helped him stay on track. My prayers were answered, we got through the song in one piece, free from embarrassment.

Since then we have lost members and added back an old guitarist. I have been in this band for over a year and a half and currently we have four members. I sing, while two other members play guitar, and our fourth member plays the drums. We have written ten songs, give or take a few we’re still working on. We have led worship around forty-�ve times. We have improved at everything and are no longer scared to play in front of people like a child watching a horror �ick. We now dream of changing peoples lives, traveling the country playing music for the rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ.

God used me, someone without singing talent. He pulled me out of my comfort zone. Even though I was scared and nervous I trusted Him and He didn’t fail me. God taught me one of life’s most important lessons -

if you have faith, anything is possible.

12To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

13 www.Christeenianity.com 7

The Butterfly EffectThe Butterfly Effect

he Butterfly Effect is a metaphor that describes how small changes in a situation can lead to large changes in the situation

later. The Butterfly Effect is described as this: The gust from a butterfly flapping its wings can travel across the continent growing in force as it travels. It can reach the Atlantic Ocean and slowly produce a hurricane while traveling across the ocean. Thank the Lord that that is fictional, but it does present a good point. One little sin can lead to even more sins which leads to even more trouble. The little things that you do matter. Take Adam and Eve for example, they decided to eat the fruit that God had commanded them not to. That one sin that Adam and Eve commited gave us the ability to sin via the knowledge of good and evil that we now have. Because of that one sin, we now have to suffer the consequences of sin because of our own sins that we committ. That one sin led to all the havoc and chaos that we have in our

world. It led to people being separated from God. If you don’t think the small actions you do matter, they do. The Butterfly effect can also be a positive effect via good actions which can also lead to more good actions. For example a good deed towards a friend can encourage them to do good to others also and so on. Another example is that if you resist temptation on something once it will be easier to resist that very same thing later. Your actions matter. Even your small ones. So let it be for good.

by Emily Lynn Martin Age - 15

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Men at the Cross:

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Praise Wave

Jars of Clay w/Steven Curtis Chapman

@ Seaworld

UNITED Spring 2010 Tour:Sanctus Real w/David Nasser@ Tripoint

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