By Juan Manuel Ortiz

The characters range from Paul the Apostle to Jesus Christ. Each character has a special move (my favorite was Noah with the tide of water). Some have viewed this as a great offense to the Christian and Catholic faith; others are say this is harmless. My question is, what do you think harmless fun or blasphemy?

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Juan Ortiz is the Youth Pastor for HF Youth, He is one of the founding members of the Youth Group and has built it to what it is today. This year 2008 the group has chosen Discipleship as it's main goal and seeks to go out into the sphere of our community to continue enhancing the lives of those around us as well as those involved. 

By Brenda Linares

The other day while driving I came across this church sign that stated: "You're Unique, Just Like Everyone Else". I read it and thought of it as an attack to my individuality. It was one of those "ouch" moments. Not one that brings about conviction and change, but one that seriously causes inner reflection. It brought me to think about my struggles and the bruises as a result of those struggles. It made me think; every time that we face something, are we essentially trying to find ourselves? This quest, or, Holy Grail if you will, of humanity has caused so much pain and turmoil in our lives. We struggle to be different, to break away from the pack and to be truly unique. What really baffles me is that if we look at society it’s commonplace to be like everyone else. I've heard people say that dysfunction is the new norm. Is everyone inherently designed to follow a trend?

I look at society and how the quality of life is declining and I'm shocked. Many follow a trend of some sort. There's a rise in teen pregnancies, teens are becoming sexually active at an earlier age, huge numbers of teens drop out of school every year, a large amount do drugs or smoke and drink. Even in the financial world people are getting into debt at an earlier age than ever before. Are they the unique one's? Or is it because everyone's doing it? After all that's what you hear. It's becoming this frayed edge of our moral fiber.

Of course the media propagates it. Youth today have very few role models. There's an obsession with the Britney's and Lindsay's of the world and we don't really hear about the Youth Pastors, Social Workers, or unsung heroes. It's modern day Idol Worship. Who's going to take a stand? There's a common statement that says: "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything". Is this where we're heading?

We hear talks about the end times and about how things are supposed to get worse. The question is: are we going to be like everyone else? Or, are we going to be the Light of the world? The city on a hill?

Brenda has been a member of HF Youth for almost two years. She has been involved in Novice and HFoundation. Brenda also is one of the leaders of Unheard Of Worship, HF Youth's Worship Ministry. This year Brenda will be making a move to Australia to study Worship Music at Hillsong International Leadership College.

By Brenda Linares

Many of my friends would undoubtedly admit that the craziest things ONLY happen to me. Still, I've always had this tendency for being able to see God's hand in the smallest most bizarre things. 

I've never been a huge cat lover. I've owned 2 cats but I'm the type of person who loves her own animals but is very apprehensive around other people's. About two months or so ago I noticed this black cat that would just chill in the parking area of my apartment complex. Since I'm also a resident of my church I have a tendency to get to my apartment pretty late. The cat was always exactly at the one open spot and I had to park and walk by it almost nightly. I would have this slight dread about the cat every time I got home. Cat's have always kind of given me the heebie-jeebies 

One Saturday I was out with a friend and we ended up talking outside her house for quite a while so needless to say it was LATE when I got home. This particular night I also had the unmistakable urge to pee (sorry it's gross but it's the only way I can explain it). I pull in to my apartment complex KNOWING that relief was right around the corner. I find a parking spot but I noticed something different. This night the cat was the least of my worries. I'm pulling up and there's a possum just eating, about 5 feet in front of me and completely unfazed by my vehicle. Soooooo I sit there (actually do the pee-pee dance from a seated position was more like it) and I'm thinking to myself "Classic, who's gonna believe THIS ONE?" (I'm not kidding when I say the weirdest things happen to me) And the cat? He's just sitting back and looking at the possum all the while squinting and being bothered by my light. So there I am, paralyzed by the fear of what looks like a gigantic rat, which could potentially have rabies. Paralysis however; clearly doesn't affect one's bladder. I call my friend and I tell her what's going on and she just starts LAUGHING!!!! At this point my body so desperately needs to get rid of water that my eyes start to well up and my bladder has an ache that can only lead to a huge mess. 

Finally, I came to the realization that I had two choices. 1) I could sit in my car paralyzed by the fear of what could happen which would, in turn, cause my bladder to retaliate. Or, 2) I could step out in faith that God probably has a more adventurous way of ending my life than possum disease. (I'm sure it's clinical I mean BIRD FLU?) I trust God. I turn off my car; turn off the lights, and the possum stares at me, ACTUALLY STARES. I also believe his mouth might have moved and that he said "Go ahead punk, make my day". I open the door and the possum starts to walk towards me. Ok, I watch animal planet, possums are SUPPOSED to be more afraid of me than I am of them. I put one foot out and begin to stand up. At that precise moment when I straightened up the cat charges after the possum and he runs off fearing for his life from the cat. 

Epiphany: I realize that it's those moments in our life when we are being tested that God sits back and watches the devil mess with us but that He never lets the rat get too close. He might be temporarily oppressing you, but, all in all the battle is not ours it's the Lords and He has control over the situation We have a choice to stand up and step out in faith and when we do and say "I'm gonna get my Dad on you devil" God charges after the devil and makes him pay for messing with His kids. 

"Close your eyes and bow your heads." Tee hee. That was my preachy statement of the day. 

But seriously, we're not alone in this world. Christ took the sacrifice that the justice of God requires and rather than just being His creation we have the right through Christ to be called daughters and sons of God. Another thing to think about: If you look for God in the little things you will have a better grasp when the big things come around. 

Brenda has been a member of HF Youth for almost two years.  She has been involved in Novice and HFoundation.  Brenda also is one of the leaders of Unheard Of Worship, HF Youth's Worship Ministry.  This year Brenda will be making a move to Australia to study Worship Music at Hillsong International Leadership College.

By Juan Manuel Ortiz 

About four weeks ago, we started a series at our youth services on Friday night's on the Book of Haggai. This small epistle is easily lost among the ocean of pages from other, more popular books in the Bible. I saw that it had two pages and wanted to achieve something that day, so I read the book page to page. After, I applauded my victory I felt as if I missed the bigger picture. I know there's more to this book, then what I comprehended.

I started again from page one and slowly with prudent patience began to analyze the words being used by the prophet Haggai, towards a group of Jews that are not necessarily great at applying information at the right time. In fact, God told them to work up to six years and on the seventh year to let the land rest, causing them to focus on Him during that year. They decided to forego the law and due to their disobedience God decided to enslave them. God also decided to get His years lost all at one time, seventy years in a row. One would think that after being taught a lesson as so, that these individuals would shape up and do as their told.

I was once told by my grandmother, "He who don't hears, feels." This is true and presently an evident part of my life. Anyone that spends more than ten minutes with me will be subject to hearing some part of my life story. It’s not some self-righteous agenda of mine. I just like to talk to people and let them see something about me that maybe could help them. I have also noticed that every time I share a bit of me, people tend to share as well. This has taught me a valuable lesson, "The greatest function the human mind has, is the ability to learn from mistakes and responsibility to never repeat them again." I believe we can learn so much about the future, if we take time to study the past.

This epistle compared to others may seem insignificant, yet it spoke volumes to my soul. I felt as my focus was adjusted to what is truly important. God and His work. The lesson of the Jews was one that was strenuous, but I am glad it occurred. Now we have a point of reference to use in our walk as believers. We are not all youth pastors, let me explain my point:

As a youth pastor, I am in a peculiar position at my church. At times, I am the bridge between the youth and the adult congregations at our church. I have heard many of the heart wrenching stories of the youth and have ventured from spectrum to spectrum. From praying with a person for forgiveness because they ran over a cat to sitting in pure silence as a fellow youth breaks the news to his girlfriends parents that she's pregnant. This job is not easy, yet in riveting fashion it has been a great blessing. I consider that part of my spiritual growth has come from being part of people’s pains. Taking part of such issues gives you insight into the plan of God for our lives.

I know that God wants good for us; he states it all over the scriptures. He intended for us to never have to worry or even lift a finger to survive. God wants you to be stress-free. So why does it seem that our lives someday just suck?

Let's look at Haggai and the message that God instilled in him. God sent Haggai to tell the Jews that their priorities were whacked and that their heading down the same road again. They acted like seventy years of captivity was not enough time to realize their failures and correct them. They picked up right where they left off. They began work on the temple that God told them to rebuild and after awhile they decided to stop. Instead, they went forward to spend their time, money, and effort building their personal homes ad wealth. Haggai comes to awaken these people to reality and to remind them to recall the past, so they could see the future.

During, this series I wanted for my youth to understand this. At the end of one the sermons from this series. I asked everyone in the room to close their eyes and to recall the darkest hour in their lives. Its tough to pull the band-aid off or reopen a wound, but I wanted them to remember that pain. Some people began to cry, others were reliving those moments again for the first time. I asked them to grasp the emotions and the suffering they felt. As they dwelled in those thoughts, I asked them to then picture Jesus reaching down into that moment and lifting them over and above the problem. I told them to grasp now the feeling of joy and freedom that comes from being rescued. I wanted the youth to remember the feelings during those dark moments and to contrast them to the feelings of being rescued by God.

I want my youth to never forget either and in moments where their priorities or desire lead them down paths of their previous mistakes. I pray that God will summon those thoughts of pain and sentiments of hope to realign us with His desires.

Juan Ortiz is the Youth Pastor for HF Youth, He is one of the founding members of the Youth Group and has built it to what it is today.  This year 2008 the group has chosen Discipleship as it's main goal and seeks to go out into the sphere of our community to continue enhancing the lives of those around us as well as those involved.

By Lisbeny Duran
I believe everything happens for a reason. If you've known me long enough, or have had one of those long conversations with me, I’m sure you’d heard this at least once, coming out of my mouth.

My friend and I, one night, discussed our desire for an adventure in our lives. Neither of us could imagine sitting on a couch 40 years from now, and realizing that we lived a monotonous life. Not everyone can be an explorer or an astronaut, there has to be those flat, static characters in the world. But neither of us felt destined to be that. This friend of mine recently told me he wanted to join the Peace Corps. He didn’t see it, but my face pretty much melted right onto my lap. He had found his adventure, and he was seriously planning on pursuing it. 

A few friends of mine had found their calling elsewhere, as well. They traveled a time zone over to the west, and now belong to a community that is not here, or us. With this, I’m not saying they do not love the friends they've left here, but they have found themselves pliable enough to stretch across the country and find bonds with others. 

I’ve always been afraid of change. I fear not liking the place. I fear waking up and realizing that this change wasn’t one of those good ones. That, in fact, it was one of those very, very bad ones. I fear that, when I realize it was one of the bad ones, it becomes even worse because it’s not a bad one that I can at least fix. It is now a permanent change. Yes, change is inevitable. And the only thing that DOESN’T change is the fact that everything changes. But it doesn’t mean I like it. 

So, for the past few weeks, I’ve been feeling kind of...pointless. I don’t know what my calling is. My friend, who is three years younger than me and in high school, has found hers. And my other friend, who is four years older than me, has found hers. So either I’m very late, or very desperate, according to these age ranges. And as happy as I am for them, I cannot help but wonder: do I WANT to find my calling? Is that why I cannot seem to find it, because I know that it'll bring change into my life? Recently, I’ve felt kind of guilty, because I’ve never felt a huge calling to go overseas and help the poor, feed the hungry, or adopt a child. Everyone and everything has spoken about helping those that are in need, aiding in the AIDS crisis, think about adopting a child, etc. but, as selfish as it may sound, I’ve never really been active in that. And I began to wonder: does that make me less of a Christian, because I don’t feel that calling? Should I HAVE to want to move away for two years? Should I HAVE to want to adopt a child instead of having my own, knowing there are children out there who will die because they aren’t adopted?

In a movie, there are actors. They are the ones with the standing ovations. They are the ones whose names appear under "cast" in order of appearances. They are the ones who people listen for when it's Oscar nomination time. They are the ones recognized on the magazines. And then there are the stage managers. And the camera crew. And the guy who holds the fuzzy microphone above their heads. There are the script editors, and the person who determines which songs make it onto the soundtrack. And they can walk into any old Wal-Mart and not be recognized. But they are still essential for the movie to be released in theaters. Are they any less important? No. are they any MORE important? Definitely not. Without actors, there aren’t movies.

We are called to be the hands of God. But hands are nothing without arms, or legs, or feet, or a heart to supply them with blood, a brain to direct them where they should go. With lungs to provide oxygen.
while some of us are called to make the huge differences, to impact the world in a tremendous and notable way, or to lead a mega church in a huge city (if all of us were pastors and leaders, there'd be no one left to lead...) some of us may also be called to resolve the conflict in the everyday, be it the widow down the street, the children who need a tutor in the local elementary, or the depressed girl who attends church every once in a while.

I do not know if my calling is right here in Kissimmee, Fl. of if where God wants me is on the other side of the world (which a few friends and I discovered, if we dig straight though, lands us smack dab in the middle of the Indian Ocean). But wherever it is that I am meant to be, I’m learning, bit by bit, day by day, how to open my heart up to it and accept the imminent and inevitable change.

Some people are meant to steer the ship, and some are meant to repair it. One, without the other, is useless.

Lisbeny has been a member of HF Youth for over two years. She has been active in many of the Youth Ministries including Novice, D.O.Z. and more recently HFoundation. Lisbeny also Co-Hosted The HF Youth Radio Show with Youth Pastor Juan Ortiz