June 17th, 2013 "Cristina"

    Well, in attempt of designing a compilation video of testimonies, I have yet to receive anything from anyone. So I have decided to finally give my testimony as to possibly lead by example. I'll try not to make it a lengthy story but here goes nothing.
    In February 2009, I met a boy in my small town high school and decided to make future plans of taking on the world together after we had graduated. As a few months passed my behavior became chaotic and rebellious to my parents and family members. I was heavily involved in drugs, large parties, and alcohol. This all progressing for the next few months until I turned 18 the day before I graduated in May and devised a plan to run away graduation night. All my planning went through and I so boldly, abandoned my family by telling them I was leaving to a graduation party and did not return till a year later.
    Not knowing what my future held for me, I blindly followed in my lawless ways to end up in numerous states (from California to Indiana) as a well off drug dealer and sex trafficker. As my boyfriend went off to scour the streets for lonely women to make him money, I furthered my knowledge and connections in cocaine and side jobs of marijuana dealing. By this time the months had changed into August and I was residing as a cashier in The Grand Canyon. 
    With my guilt finally catching up with me, my heart yearned to be with my family and my loved ones that I left behind. I worked up the courage to call my parents and tell them of my journey and my whereabouts. My mom rushed to the canyon to see me and brought a letter with her. She tried to convince me to come home but it was no use with the hold of my boyfriend and my own selfishness. She then left, giving me a heart-wrenching hug and a kiss on my cheek that still exists today. After that moment, I began to catch glimpses of myself in windows and mirrors at how my physical body was beginning to wither and shut down. The images I came across showed the bruises and scars of the abuse my boyfriend would release upon me nightly and the internal suffering I was facing each dragging day. 
    Not long after my mother's visit, my boyfriend and I packed our things and headed to Albuquerque, New Mexico to expand his uncle's drug business. In the fall of 2009, I was quite well off, as some would say. I had plenty of money to go around. My connections were expanding into numerous states and would soon cross the southern border into Mexico and my boyfriend was thriving off of used and beaten women as profit. Until one night, the three of us were having a celebratory party in honor of our new found success across the many states. I was becoming upset on a regular basis, fighting the urge to be with my family, and that night it finally erupted in me. I ran outside of the house, crying and frantically trying to find good service with my phone. Of course my boyfriend chased after me and we began to argue and fight as he attempted to drag me inside the house. He finally gave up and took the keys to the car and drove away, leaving me in New Mexico. 
    Oddly I felt calm and began to dial the phone number to an old high school friend who happened to attend the University of New Mexico located in Albuquerque. I called her up asking her where I could find a bust stop and she asked me where I was. I told her the street name and she told me to walk 4 blocks West and look for address 242 Starlight. I did as she said and came across a girl waving her phone at me and calling my name. Jessica had only been a few blocks over from me the entire time.
    From that point on, her mother, being a rehabilitation nurse at UNM Psychiatric Center, agreed to enter me into the hospital until my mind and body had been detoxed from the damage I had done. After the aching 3 months had passed I came home to my family and most importantly came to God. I jumped on track to hold down a couple jobs and release myself of my past contacts.
    We all know the story of the Prodigal Son and as you have read, mine is the updated version of the Prodigal Daughter. When I felt I had complete control of my own life to reach the ends of the Earth, I didn't realize how fast my feet were sinking beneath the quick sand. God was watching me the entire time and keeping me under safe keeping. I have come to realize I needed to hit my rock bottom to come to God. To see His blessings and the path He had already chosen for me. So, this is my testimony. This is my past and God is my now and future. His eyes will never leave me nor will His love and mercy.
    Thank you all for reading this and sharing my new found love in Christ. 

June 9th, 2013 "Almost Anything"

    Meet Me In St. Louis is correct for this entry considering we had our entire Discovery Church staff in St. Louis, Missouri to visit our neighborhood church, Journey. Every year Journey Church has a Beach Baptism BBQ to publicly celebrate the steps that are being taken to be reborn. This year the baptism totalled at 59 people, parents, children, and grandparents,to be dunked by the awaiting 6 pastors. It was an incredible sight to see these families gather upon the rocky shore line to then wade gently into the teal water into the arms of the beloved pastors. 

   Before this beautiful meeting, our own, Pastor Steve, took the stage at Journey Church to lead a sermon entitled "Almost Anything". This message really hit home for me because it spoke of the ways The Church will do almost anything to win souls in Jesus name. For instance, Discovery Church will fly out a young, Missourian man to Zion National Park for the first time, in hopes he will agree to becoming the churches worship pastor. The Church will then take this man mountain biking, for the first time, in the desert mountains of Arizona to result in a brutal face plant on the hot, solid ground, in hopes he will still agree to becoming the churches worship pastor. Yes, The Church will do almost anything to follow God's calling and pursue His missions goal.
    Times have changed since the first church therefore calling for new ways of reaching the hearts of the non-churched folk. We, as a church, must be able to try almost anything to follow God's work. To take those crazy hikes in mid winter up Granite Basin mountain and bond over the blizzard-ous weather conditions. We must come up with the ideas of Rootbeer Float Sundays after church or salsa bars for each one of us to fellowship and expand.
I know by being apart of Discovery Church, we will do almost anything, all you have to do is dare us.