Valley Christian Magazine February 2013

February 2013

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am i unlovable p.24

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index

13

Features

At Home With Pastor Adrian Varlack Jr

22

36 10 18 20 38

Casting Crowns :: Dara Maclean The Acoustic Sessions Live In Concert in McAllen - April 5

Jerrel Jobe

James MacDonald Greg Laurie Lysa Terkeurst Dave Ramsey

Valley Contributors 8 8 22 24 26 31

AHW Pastor Adrian Varlack Jr Forgiven Motorcycle Ministry Kids Talk About God Fellowship of Christian Athletes Events New Releases Music Spotlight: Daniel Bashta 96.9 KVMV Top 9 Tunes

On The Cover

Music Daniel Bashta

National Columnists

13 16 28 30 34 34 36 36

Christian Torres, Publisher Abram Gomez Jerrell Jobe Theresa Valladares Milton Gonzalez Miguel Paredes

20 Lysa Terkeurst

Vol. 2 / Issue 11

To submit story ideas, events, or comments: valleychristianmagazine@gmail.com

Christian Torres Publisher

For Advertising contact:

Christian@valleychristianmagazine.com

Stephanie Torres Accounting stephanie@valleychristianmagazine.com

Irma d’Santiago “morett” Designer morettadds@gmail.com

James Alexander Distribution

PHOTOGRAPHERS Johnny Q Photography Kevin Hurt Photography

CONNECT WITH US:

Eli Lara 956-451-0174

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Texas Christian Publications c/o Valley Christian Magazine 3827 North 10th Street, 301 McAllen, TX 78501

Ronnie Guerra Vela 956-599-8036

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956-314-O161

Karl Johnson 956-638-1424

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Valley Christian Magazine is a free monthly magazine published by

Valley Christian Magazine is a publication of Texas Christian Publications (a 501c3 organization). Texas Christian Publications reserves the right to edit, modify, revise, rewrite and reject editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions or consequences arising from it. All correspondence to this publication becomes the property of Texas Christian Publications.

Texas Christian Publications shall be KHOG KDUPOHVV LQGHPQLÀHG DJDLQVW any third-party claims. Texas Christian Publications accepts no claims made by photographers, agents or contributors. Writers’ and columnists’ opinions are not necessarily those of Texas Christian Publications or its publishers. Advertisements appearing in Texas Christian Publications present only the viewpoint of the advertisers.

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Valley Christian Magazine is printed in the United States. Reproduction without the expressed written permissi on prohibited.

Copyright 2011.

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From the Publisher February. What comes to your mind when you think of this month? Flowers. Chocolate covered strawberries.

Hearts. Cupid. Young love. Romance. Happiness.

Let me be clear‌I’m all for expressing your love and courting (especially courting your spouse!) but what happens when your happiness changes due to your feelings. Or perhaps your romance is not what it was when you were, say, engaged or dating. The problem is when we place our relationships with others above the most important relationship we can have. Our relationship with Christ. Paul wrote a letter to the people (believers) in Corinth. He wrote to them because some had flagrantly changed their ways but others had subtly let things move above God. We too have flagrantly made decisions but others have may not even noticed we ‘moved God to the back of the line.’

“May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father, and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours. Every time I think of you--and I think of you often!--I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus.

There’s no end to what has happened in you--it’s beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.

Just think--You don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares wit us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus.

He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

1 Corinthians 3-9

Christian Torres is a graduate of Baylor University. He is married to Stephanie and have 3 daughters: Madeleine (13) , Natalie (10), and Courtney (8). They live in McAllen and are members of Palm Valley Church of Mission.

Part 2

Leadership Axioms

By Abram Gomez As mentioned in my previous article, every season we experience is an opportunity for us to learn and glean. I know I have learned many lessons along my journey that I have used as wisdom in many areas of my life. Here is the continuation of my personal leadership axioms that I believe can help you in 2013:

1. Don’t rush the process. Because of our hunger and de-

VLUH IRU VLJQLÀFDQFH ZH RIWHQ WU\ WR UXVK WKH SURFHVV DQG VKRUW cut our way to promotion. However, God is not going to put D SURGXFW RQ GLVSOD\ XQWLO LW KDV ÀUVW EHHQ WHVWHG 7KH VHDVRQ you are currently in could just be a time of testing and proving.

Don’t worry. God has your portion protected. Just stay in the process.

2. Distraction is detrimental. In the world today, there are

many things desiring your attention. What you give your attention to has the ability to either help you or hurt you. Your attention must be spent very wisely. Your attention requires focus.

Focus is concentrating on something particular. It has the ability to take your relationships, ministry, career, and other things in your life to the next level. It has the ability to bring solutions to current problems. Focus is the mode of transportation we must use to arrive at our next step in the journey. A focused person is often an effective person. One of the greatest enemies of focus is distraction. Distraction is misguided attention. The key to overcoming distraction is to put your attention back on the right thing.

3. Survive the Night Seasons. Acts 16 says that Paul and Silas were falsely accused, arrested by the authorities, beaten

with rods, and placed into the inner prison. But the Scriptures go on to state that “at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God...â€? This is an interesting part of the text. Midnight. From PM to AM. Midnight occurs at the transition from one day to the next. Going into the last hours of the day. $UULYLQJ DW WKH Ă€UVW KRXU RI WKH QHZ GD\ +HUH LV WKH WUXWK HYHQ after the enemy brought his worst onslaught of attacks to Paul and Silas, they were able to survive the day, and lived to see the birth of the next day. My friend, you will survive. The enemy tried his best to take you out, and you still have breath. When things looks the darkest, know that your day is about to switch!

4. Rejection is Redirection. Joseph was rejected by his

own brothers. Their rejection prevented him from being comfortable and settling in that place. Rejection has a way of redirecting you towards your destiny and lets you know where your destiny is not. So, keep moving along! God has a place prepared for you!

5. Use what you have. When Goliath confronted the armies RI ,VUDHO LQ 6DPXHO QR RQH ZDV ZLOOLQJ WR ÀJKW WKH PDVVLYH giant. Fear ran throughout the camp. Then, a young shepherd boy by the name of David appeared on the scene. When he LQIRUPHG .LQJ 6DXO WKDW KH ZDV ZLOOLQJ WR ÀJKW *ROLDWK WKH .LQJ gave him his personal armor. However, David was unable to use it. Saul had a bronze helmet and armor. David had a sling and stones. David overcame the giant, while Saul never tried.

Here is the key: some people are knocking down greater giants with less. Don’t focus on what you don’t have, but use what you have!

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Dealing with My Biggest Disappointment

By Dr. James MacDonald

The psalmist said, “I have been young, and now am old . . .�

(Psalm 37:25), and that is how I feel. “Fiftyâ€? is not over the hill, but it is surely down the road—and now that I am down that road I see things a lot differently than I did when my shoes ZHUH QHZ DQG , KDGQ¡W EURNHQ D VZHDW %DFN WKHQ , ZDV Ă€OOHG with convictions that have lasted and idealisms that have not.

I am more convinced than ever that Jesus is God’s Son, the 2QH ZKR PDGH DWRQHPHQW IRU VLQ DQG H[HPSOLÀHV ULJKWHRXVness, that the Bible is God’s Word revealed to us in perfection DQG VXIÀFLHQF\ WKDW KHDYHQ DQG KHOO DUH UHDO DQG WKDW *RG¡V JORU\ LV WKH RQO\ WKLQJ ZRUWK ÀJKWLQJ IRU %XW , DP OHVV FRQYLQFHG about methods—mine or yours. I am not persuaded that my way is the only way, or even the best one in some instances, and I have lost my naivete about people. I frequently doubt when a person expresses their sincerity, their longevity in leadership, or their commitment to do as they say they will. It’s so shocking to look back and see how frequently people are excited about accountability until they are the one who needs it.

And it’s not just others I am disappointed with, it’s myself. I see how often I have failed to be all that I wanted to be for God and for others. Without question my biggest appointment is with people—you and me, the whole bunch of us. On our best day

ZH DUH LQFUHGLEO\ Ă DZHG DQG WKH KDUGHU D VLQFHUH SHUVRQ WULHV to push the blame on others the more they should feel the weight of their own short comings . . . what “Iâ€? should have done differently.

But here’s the thing: give others the grace you know you need and move on in the lessons you have learned. Too much navel gazing and wallowing in disappointment hinders the work of God in and through you. The Christian life requires, “forgetting those things which are behind.� (Phil 3:13) If your focus is on the rearview mirror today, I challenge you to “lift your eyes� to the road ahead and leave your disappointment with people behind you. HOW???

Jesus had disappointments with people, right? With the religious leaders who attacked him, with the family members who ÀUVW UHMHFWHG KLP WKHQ IRXJKW IRU WKHLU RZQ SURPLQHQFH ZKHQ his popularity was on the rise. Where were they at the cross?

Then the disciples—Peter denied, Judas betrayed, the rest ran when the Savior needed them most. Or did he? Of course Jesus loved people, but did he need them? An interesting verse in the opening of John is a lesson I could have used a lot earlier. $IWHU PDQ\ ZHUH Ă RFNLQJ WR -HVXV DQG ´EHOLHYLQJ LQ +LP Âľ John 2:24-25 says: “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.â€?

Jesus was neither cynical nor naive. He loved people without entrusting himself to them and he served people with out exposing himself to their faults or failures. Are we so attached to one another that we set ourselves up to be shattered when the inevitability of our fallenness comes to the surface? Are we VR LQ QHHG RI DIĂ€UPDWLRQ DQG DFFHSWDQFH WKDW ZH Ă€QG RXUselves ‘wheels up’ in the ditch when a friend or colleague denies or betrays? Loving people, yes. Living in community, yes.

But attaching ourselves to people in a way that we lose our footing in following Jesus when they stumble or trip us up? No! /HW¡V À[ RXU H\HV VTXDUHO\ XSRQ WKH RQO\ RQH ZRUWK IROORZLQJ³ praising God for the blessing of people, but refusing to attach ourselves in a way that puts our faith/following at risk. Looking back, if I had been a little less euphoric in the glory days with any particular person, I would have been less crushed by disappointment when I discovered their feet of clay . . . no doubt they would say the same of me. Only Jesus on the pedestal, the rest of us on level ground, looking up. That’s how I deal with disappointment.

John 21:21: Peter . . . said to Jesus, “Lord what about this man?�

Jesus said to him, “. . . What is that to you? You follow me!�

Listen to Walk in the Word locally weekdays at 5:30a.m. / 10 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

James MacDonald is founding and Senior Pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel in northwest Chicago. James’ teachings can be heard on Walk in the Word, a daily radio program reaching more than 3 million people across North America.

Used by permission of Walk in the Word, Elgin, Ill., 61023. www.walkintheword.com by permission of Walk in the Word,Elgin, Ill., 61023.

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Pastor Adrian Varlack, Jr, Adrienne, Tess 18, Tyler 13.

First Baptist Church of Mission 1302 Doherty Ave Mission, TX 78572

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Service Times; 8:30 Early 10:45 Contemporary 9:45 Life Connections (Bible Study) Wednesday: Family Night @ 7:00 www.therebuildingcenter.org 956-585-1442

How long have you been Pastor of FBC Mission?

4 years Lead Pastor 1 year Youth Pastor Where did you live before?

Cleveland, Tennessee‌32 miles northeast of Chattanooga.

How did you get here from Tennessee?

My brother married someone from here and has lived in the Valley for over 15 years. As for us, we had been down for vacation a few times. 5 years ago I was invited to preach the New Year’s service at FBC Mission where my brother attended. The next day, Pastor Ed Gilpin asked my brother if I could go meet with him in KLV RIÀFH Gulp...What were you thinking?!

I was like Uh-Oh‌what did I do?! I didn’t mean to cause controversy!!!

He sat me and my wife down and shared that he felt like the Lord was leading him to retire and he was to mentor someone to be the next Pastor. He said that I was the one. I looked at him and asked are you sure this is from God? Ha Ha?! We left back to Tennessee and began praying about it.

But let me share with you that even before we had come down to the Valley, the Lord had released us from our previous church. We felt the release but had not left yet. As a matter of fact, our previous church was doing great! We were youth Pastors and the youth group was growing. Nothing was wrong, yet God released us.

We were not full time Pastors but part time and it turns out that the place I was working at shut down. Totally unexpected. 100+ people out of a job. Get this, the compensation package we received was way better than us leaving on our own. That was an incredible blessing!

Tell us about your first year as Youth Pastor?

We had to get acclimated to the Valley.

It was a challenge because the church was going through a time of transition.

0\ ÀUVW GD\ SHRSOH OHIW >9&0 , EHW that felt great?!] It was tough but we’ve grown to over 300+, 2 services, full children and youth ministries‌the Lord has put on my heart this year to go back to those that have left and tell them that we love them and we are here for them.

Share when Pastor Ed said ‘OK Adrian‌it’s time!’ 7KH Ă€UVW WLPH KH

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asked me if I was ready. I told him that I didn’t feel ready yet. Inside I didn’t IHHO TXDOLÀHG , GLGQ¡W IHHO FDSDEOH , IHOW scared.

Why do you think you felt that way? >KXJH VLJK@ )XOO WLPH PLQLVWU\ KDV EHHQ P\ heart for years. It’s what I always wanted to do. It’s like when you want something really bad and suddenly it gets here and you’re like‌.WHOA, I don’t know if I want this!! ,W¡V D ULVN ,¡P ULVNLQJ P\ IDPLO\ P\ ÀQDQFes‌what if this doesn’t work out‌I don’t want to scramble.

But then again, God was just all in it! Every part of it, He was in it!

The second time he asked‌ I said ok God‌I’ll do it. I went into an interim basis and then the church appointed me as full time Pastor. It has been an amazing journey‌.absolutely amazing.

You mentioned getting acclimated. How was it for your wife?[that’s a big deal here in the Valley with one spouse’s acclimation vs the other]

,W ZDV GLIĂ€FXOW IRU KHU EXW VKH KDV JURZQ with it. We have grown together. She has helped me and I have helped her.

The Lord is helping us to grow together.

She has grown as a Christian‌as a believer because she has accepted and trusted this.

This was a challenge for all of us. We were out our comfort zone on this.

What would you say to a husband [or a spouse] who has a spouse struggling with their transition to the Valley. What would you say to encourage them?

First I would say: 1-believe in the vision God has given your spouse; 2-Don’t be afraid to speak your mind but speak it with the understanding that there must be a conclusion to it. Don’t just leave things hanging like “I just don’t like it here‌â€?

Well, why don’t you like it here.

Because of this, this, and this.

Ok‌maybe some of these things we can work on. But hooking into that vision will give you the grace and the power to say “ok, we will hang in for now but You’ve got something instore for us.

Instead of me seeing our

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F o r g i v e n

Motorcycle

M i n i s t r y D a v id & An g ie h a ve b e en a p a r t o f F o rg iv e n M o to rcy cl e M in is t r y fo r 3 y e a rs . Th e y w e re a s k e d t o b e co m e F o rg iv e n ’ s c o o rdi n a to r s 2 ye a rs a g o be c a us e o f the de di ca tio n th e y h a ve put in to th e m in i s tr y a n d Th e F a m il y C h urch . Th e y h a v e s uc ce s s ful l y c o m p l e te d 3 dis ci p l e s h ip s tudy cl a s s e s a n d t h e ir l iv e s h a v e b e e n tra n s f o r m e d. co o rdin a to rs , D a v id a n d An g i e

Q&A Q: Wh e re w e re e a ch o f yo u in yo ur l iv e s w h e n y o u b e ca m e a wa re o f F o r g iv e n M o to rcy cl e M in is try?

A: D a v id- I wo ul d s it a t h o m e o n S un da y s wh il e m y wif e An g ie wo ul d a tte n d ch urc h a t TF C. Th is we n t o n f o r a b o ut a y e a r.

I re m e m b e r th e da y s h e ca m e h o m e a l l e xc ite d a b o ut g o in g to a m e e tin g f o r th is m o to rcy cl e g ro up th a t wa s s ta rtin g up a t th e ch urch . R e l ucta n tl y I s a id I wo ul d g o . I s ta rted co m p il in g a l is t o f th in g s I wo ul d n o t to l e ra te , a n d to te l l th e truth I wa s j us t l o o k in g f o r a n e xcus e n o t to b e p a rt o f th e g ro up . To m y s urp ris e n o o n e s a id a n y th in g a b o ut m y l o n g h a ir o r ta tto o s . In fa c t, th e y tre a te d m e l ik e f a m il y .

A: An g ie - In th e y e a r I wa s g o in g to TF C a l o n e , I a tte n de d th e ch urc h s p o n s o re d p ro g ra m , C e l e b ra te R e co ve ry a n d wa s s a v e d f ro m m y a ddictio n s to a l co h o l a n d cig a re tte s . I wa n te d de s p e ra te l y fo r D a v id to j o in m e a t ch urc h . Th e n e ws a b o ut Fo rg iv e n M o to rcy c l e M in is try m a de m y e a rs p e rk up. W e we n t to th e m e e tin g a n d j o in e d th e m in is try. E ve n s o , D a v id wa s s til l n o t g o in g to ch urch .

Q: H o w h a s F o rg iv e n M o to rcy cl e M in is try im p a c te d y o ur l if e s tyl e s ?

A: An g ie - Af te r th re e m o n th s o f g o in g to m e e tin g s a n d o n ride s D a v id s ta rte d g o in g to ch urch with

m e . I b e l ie ve th a t h im s e e in g h is fe l l o w m e m be r’ s ca m a ra de rie a n d l o ve o f th e Lo rd he l pe d h im o v e rco m e h is s h y n e s s . I h a v e b ee n al coho l a n d cig a re tte fre e fo r th re e y e a rs n o w. M y hus ba n d a n d I h a ve co m pl e te trus t in o n e a n o t he r an d hav e bo th l e a rn e d to put th e Lo rd be fo re a l l e l s e . D a v id a n d I bo th s e rv e in o th e r m in is trie s a t T FC b e s ide s Fo rg iv e n . O ur m a rria g e a n d lives h av e b e e n re co ve re d, re s to re d, a n d re n e wed.

A: D a v id- I ca n trul y s a y th a t I m ig h t h av e n e ve r re turn e d to ch urch if n o t fo r Fo rg ive n Mo to rcycl e M in is try a n d m y wife ’ s co n s is te n t p r aye rs . I ha ve fo un d a h o m e in TF C a n d l o ve s e rvin g th e L o rd. T he Fa m il y Ch urch a n d Fo rg iv e n h a v e s tre n g t he n e d my fa ith a n d l o v e fo r G o d. I a m trul y b le s s e d.

Q: W h a t w o ul d y o u s a y to s o m e o n e wh o m a y be in te re s te d in be c o m in g a p a r t o f F o rg iv e n M o to rcy cl e M in i s tr y ?

A: D a v id- If y o u’ re l o o kin g f o r ca ma ra der ie a n d fe l l o ws h ip, a n d th e o p po rtun ity to s e rv e o t he rs , th e n th is is th e pl a ce fo r y o u. A b ik e is n ice , but yo u do n ’ t h a v e to ride to be a p a rt o f this m in is t ry. Jus t co m e a n d l e t th e l o ve o f G o d bl es s yo u.

A: An g ie - W O W ! G e t re a dy to s e rve t he Lo rd. It ’ s l ife ch a n g in g wh e n yo u a n d yo ur n e w e xt e n de d fa m il y co m e to g e th e r to s e rve other s . L ik e Da v id s a id, yo u ca n b e pa rt o f Fo rg iv e n with o r w it ho ut .

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Keep Moving!

By Greg Laurie

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works. . . .” (Revelation 2:5) When we hear the word “backslider,” we think of someone who completely abandons their faith and turns their back on God. $QG FHUWDLQO\ D SHUVRQ ZKR GRHV WKLV FRXOG EH FODVVLÀHG DV D backslider. But I would suggest there might be some people who are backsliding and aren’t even aware of it.

No one plans on backsliding. You don’t call up your Christian friend and say, “Hey, want to backslide tonight? Pick you up at 7:00. What do you say?” No, that is not what happens. Backsliding happens subtly, and often it happens gradually. In fact, it may be so subtle that you may not even know that it is actually taking place. The Bible warns about this and tells us that one of the signs of the end times is that people will fall away from the faith (see 1 Timothy 4:1).

God says that if we have backslidden, we should return to Him (see Jeremiah 3:22). And Jesus told the church in Ephesus, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen” (Revelation 2:5).

We need to be constantly growing as followers of Christ.

Are you in a fallen state today? Are you in the process of backsliding? You are either going forward in Christ, or you are going backward. You are either progressing, or you are regressing.

And the moment you put your walk with Christ into neutral, you ZLOO ÀQG \RXUVHOI JRLQJ LQ WKH ZURQJ GLUHFWLRQ I read about a sign at the end of a runway that reads, “Keep moving. If you stop, you are in danger and a danger to those Á\LQJ µ 7KH VDPH ZDUQLQJ FDQ EH DSSOLHG WR WKH &KULVWLDQ OLIH Keep moving. If you stop, you are in danger and a danger to others.

So don’t rest on your laurels. Don’t live in the past. We need to be constantly growing as followers of Jesus.

greg laurie Is Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif. He began his pastoral ministry at 19 by leading a Bible study of 30 people. Since then, God has transformed the small group into a church of 15,000-plus, one of the largest churches in America. For more, visit www.greglaurie.com. Used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie, P.O. Box 4000, Riverside, Calif., 92514.

Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000

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Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times best selling author and speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith through following Jesus Christ. As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa has lead thousands over the past 15 years to help make their walk with God an invigorating journey. In the midst of her ministry, though, Lysa is a real, everyday woman who simply seeks to glorify God through her life and family.

I Want to Run Away

By Lysa Terkeurst

Y

ou want to know one of the worst feelings in the world to me? Feeling stuck.

Stuck in a situation where I can’t see things getting better. I look at the next 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days and all I see are the same hard patterns being repeated over and over and over.

I try to give myself a little pep rally of sorts and tap into that Pollyanna girl that’s inside me somewhere. The part of me that knows the glass is halffull and chooses to see the bright side. But Pollyanna isn’t there.

Life suddenly feels like it will forever be this way.

And this dark funk eclipses me.

This happened to me when my two oldest daughters were babies. Hope was not quite 16 months old when I gave birth to Ashley. I was thankful for these two amazing gifts. I knew they were blessings. I loved them very much.

But there was this other side of motherhood no one talked to me about beforehand. It never came up at my baby shower or a doctor’s appointment or in conversations with the mommies that had gone before me.

In the midst of all the pink happiness, the dark funk came.

This desperate feeling that life would forever be an endless string of sleepless nights. Leaky diapers. Needy cries.

Forever.

One night in between feedings I went to the drug store to get some baby Tylenol. I pulled into a parking space right in front of the restaurant beside the drug store and stared inside. There were normal people in there. Laughing. Eating. Having IXQ FRQYHUVDWLRQV 7KH\ KDG RQ FXWH RXWÀWV DQG À[HG KDLU GRV , ORRNHG DW P\ UHÁHFWLRQ LQ WKH UHDU YLHZ PLUURU I cried.

This is my life. Forever.

Suddenly I had this crazy desire to run away.

Far away.

And then guilt slammed into my already fragile heart and I convinced myself God was going to punish me for feeling this way and take one of my babies. Teach me a lesson. Smite me for being so VWLQNLQ· VHOÀVK

A situation that felt so big and made me so sad. I felt myself on that edge of the dark funk thinking this is the way it’s going to be forever.

But then I remembered that night crying in my car.

I realized those days of diapers and no sleep weren’t forever. It was a season. A season that came and went. And this would play out that way too.

It’s the rhythm of life.

7KH HEE DQG ÁRZ RI VWUXJgles and victories.

I closed my eyes and whispered, “Are you here God? Hold me. Breathe courage into my weak will. Help me.”

And in that moment I realized all that God ever wants from me is to want Him. Love Him. Acknowledge Him. In the midst of struggles. In the midst of my victories. “God, I love you. I don’t love this situation. But I love you. Therefore, I have everything I need to keep putting one foot in front of the other and walk through until I get to the other side of this.”

One step at a time. With the full assurance God is okay with me even when I’m not okay with me.

“If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow – to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to hold fast to Him – then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.” (Deuteronomy 11:22-23) I love how the Scriptures say, “hold fast” to the Lord. The dark funk makes me want to hold slow.

Make God the last thing I try when I’m stumbling and falling. But if I close my eyes and simply whisper, “God…” at the utterance of His name He “dispossess” things trying to possess me.

Then I can see this is a season. This isn’t how it’s going to be forever. Though my circumstances I thought about this the other day when I started may not change today, my outlook surely can.

And if my mind can rise above, my heart gets unfeeling stuck in a different situation. stuck. / 20 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com / I cried until I could hardly breathe.

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Things I’ve Learned Caught Along the Way

By Jerrell Jobe ,Q P\ SHUVRQDO OLEUDU\ , KDYH RYHU D KXQGUHG DQG Ă&#x20AC;IW\ ERRNV RQ prayer. These books range from how to pray like the Desert Fathers RI WKH 7KLUG &HQWXU\ ZKR Ă HG IURP WKH FLWLHV WR WKH GHVHUW LQ RUGHU WR PHHW ZLWK *RG LQ VROLWXGH DQG VLOHQFH WR KRZ WR LQĂ XHQFH VXEXUEDQ America by prayer walking. Books that teach about prayers of petition, praise, intercession, not to mention praying for friends, family members and the needs of others. Others portray prayers of examiQDWLRQ UHĂ HFWLRQ DQG SUD\LQJ WKURXJK WKH %LEOH <RX JHW WKH LGHD D lot of books about prayer. Did I mention I really like books?

Some of these books have been instrumental in challenging my life of prayer with God over the years. But, if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m honest, when I think about prayer, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an image that out weighs all these pages of the sages.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the image I have of a mentor of mine during my late teens, early twenties. There he was sitting in a chair early in the morning â&#x20AC;&#x201C; every PRUQLQJ 3UD\LQJ $W WLPHV ZRUGV ZHUH Ă RZLQJ RU SDVVDJHV RI 6FULSture were being quoted. At other times, silence, not a word was uttered, rather simply being present before God. I have images of him driving to and from work, praying as he drove. He would pray for me and others, as well as upcoming Bible studies and the like.

I saw these prayers. I heard them. And, I experienced the answers become a reality in our midst. Deep down inside, I know prayer is powerful, because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen it, and in this case, Phil was my example. +H WDXJKW PH WKH QHFHVVLW\ DQG VLJQLĂ&#x20AC;FDQFH RI SUD\HU ZKDW LW ORRNV like and how it works.

Phil taught me, not by rhetoric or theological deliberations, but by the life he lived before me. He never sat me down and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to teach you about prayer.â&#x20AC;? Not once, did he say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Did you notice howâ&#x20AC;Ś?â&#x20AC;? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a place for theological dispositions and instructive conversations, but by-and-large, Phil simply lived his life withGod before me. And now, nearly twenty-years later, I can still see him sitting in that chair, praying early in the morning, driving along in his truck and shedding tears before God over those in need. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m grateful for Phil.

Each of us are shaped in many ways, by many people, who intersect paths with us along this journey we call life. Some of these people LQĂ XHQFH XV JUHDWO\ IRU WKH EHWWHU 2WKHUV ZH¡OO WKDW¡V DQRWKHU DUWLFOH Some times these interactions and relationships are strategic and intentional, while at other times, they seem to spontaneously emerge as happenstance. In part, this is how God has designed life to work â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in community, through relationships, each of us connecting, learning and growing with one another. At times we are the teacher. Other times, we are the student. Yet, at all times, we are companions along this journey.

5HFHQWO\ , VSHQW VRPH WLPH SUD\HUIXOO\ UHĂ HFWLQJ RQ YDULRXV LQGLYLGXDOV ZKR KDYH VKDSHG PH LQ VLJQLĂ&#x20AC;FDQW ZD\V RYHU WKH SDVW WZHQW\ years. In my journal I began to list out people like Phil, who by merely living life in close proximity to me ended up teaching me extraordinary lessons about God, life, family and so many other things. InVLJKWV SHUKDSV WKDW KDYH SURYHQ WR EH PRUH LQĂ XHQWLDO DQG ODVWLQJ than any book I have read. At the end of the day, lessons that were more caught than taught. Things you could say, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned, rather, caught along the way.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m grateful for the people God has placed in my life over the years. ,Q IDFW P\ UHFHQW UHĂ HFWLRQV RI WKH SDVW FDXVHG PH WR ORRN PRUH closely at my present relationships (or lack thereof)â&#x20AC;Ś The following are a few questions Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been asking myself (perhaps they will be helpful to you as well): Â&#x2021; :KDW DP , OHDUQLQJ IURP WKRVH ZKR *RG KDV SODFHG LQ P\ SDWK during this season of my life? Â&#x2021; :KDW DUH WKH\ OHDUQLQJ IURP PH" JERRELL JOBE is a teaching pastor at Palm Valley Church in Mission.

He is married to Charissa and has three children : Micah (9), Naylah (7),and Avi (5).

Â&#x2021; ,V P\ OLIH FXUUHQWO\ ODFNLQJ LQGLYLGXDOV ZKR DUH PRUH PDWXUH DQG wise, that can model for me what a skillful life with God, family and others looks like? Â&#x2021; 'R , NQRZ VRPHRQH ZKR FRXOG XVH D UHDO OLIH H[DPSOH RI Ă&#x20AC;OO LQ WKH blank) in their midst?

/ 22 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

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am i

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unlovable

By TheresaValladares, M.D.

O

n February 14th we celebrate love ZLWK Ă RZHUV FDQG\ DQG URPDQWLF dates. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a day where you show that special someone what they mean to you and make them feel loved.

For some Valentines Day may lead to disDSSRLQWPHQW <RX GLGQ¡W JHW WKH à RZHUV RU maybe you were forgotten. Perhaps even tears are shed. You question if you are loved and maybe even doubt your own love for that special someone.

The world tells us that love is based on feelings and we should follow our hearts. Reality is, feelings change from day to day.

Scripture tell us the â&#x20AC;&#x153;heart is deceitfulâ&#x20AC;? and we should â&#x20AC;&#x153;guard it above all thingsâ&#x20AC;? and through the â&#x20AC;&#x153;abundance of the heart the mouth speaksâ&#x20AC;?.

What does it mean to truly love someone?

Are you following your heart? Or are you leading it? Can you demonstrate love in its purest form to someone who has hurt you?

There are three types of love-philos, eros and agape. Â&#x2021;3KLORV ORYH LV EDVHG RQ IULHQGVKLS Â&#x2021;(URV ORYH LV GHPRQVWUDWHG WKURXJK VH[Xal intimacy and desire. Both forms can be Ă HHWLQJ DQG EDVHG RQ FLUFXPVWDQFHV ,W LV how the world demonstrates love. Â&#x2021;$JDSH ORYH LV WKH GHPRQVWUDWLRQ RI XQconditional love. Agape love is a choice. It is not based on the one who is to be loved

it is based on the one choosing to love UHJDUGOHVV RI IHHOLQJV ,W LV VHOĂ HVV DQG QRW based on our rights. It is dying to self.

Agape love is how God loves us. He doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t love us because we are perfect. He loves XV GHVSLWH RXU PDQ\ Ă DZV :H GLGQ¡W HDUQ it. In fact, we have all had days when we have disappointed, ignored and even hurt Him with our ingratitude for all that He has done. Yet He chooses to love us.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God but that he loved XV DQG VHQW KLV 6RQ DV DQ DWRQLQJ VDFULĂ&#x20AC;FH for our sins. 1John4:9-11 God loved us we are to love one another.

Love is a choice and it needs to be made daily. We have all been disappointed, hurt, felt unappreciated, and unloved by others. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to love someone when they are meeting our expectations but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not what we are called to do.

How do you know you are demonstrating agape love? When disillusionment sets in and you are feeling unloved; do you respond with kindness or do you allow feelings of bitterness and unforgiveness dictate your behavior?

Agape love is only possible through your faith in Jesus Christ. He is the daily reminder of unconditional love by being the one who intercedes for us when we are unlovable.

It can no longer be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;what has he done for me latelyâ&#x20AC;? mentality. When I experience hurt or disappointment I want to show someone that I still love them regardless of their actions. Love the person despite how I am feeling. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unwavering love in its purest form. I receive it daily from Him and through God I can choose to love others.

So how can we learn to love this way?

God already gave us the answer. Read 1st Cor 13:4-8 daily. Refer to it during disappointments. Make it your standard in relationships. :KHQ , DP XQNLQG UXGH HQYLRXV VHOĂ&#x20AC;VK disrespectful, angry and unforgiving God still chooses to love me. He loves me when I am unlovable and promises that He will always protect me. He always hopes I will do better and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remind me of my mistakes. His love perseveres despite my shortcomings and His love will never fail.

How can I choose not to do the same? I am unlovable yet I am loved. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day gift you can possibly receive.

theresa Valladares She is married to Enrique Lopez and has two wonderful sons, Cord and Diego.They are members of The Family Church and she practices family medicine in Pharr.

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IndescribableGif t ...

The month of February evokes thoughts RI ORYH Ă RZHUV DQG FDQG\ \HV ORWV RI candy! Last minute shoppers scurry to department stores, specialty shops and WKH FRUQHU GUXJVWRUH KRSLQJ WR Ă&#x20AC;QG WKH â&#x20AC;&#x153;perfect giftâ&#x20AC;? that will impress their loved one. They become a Shakespeare wannabe or a pseudo Robert Frost as they sit before that one Hallmark card that they managed to salvage from the store the night before Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day hoping to pen a profound thought that will convey a heart-felt expression of long-lasting commitment and love.

As time progresses, that once so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;perfect giftâ&#x20AC;? has now become the garage sale centerpiece item, or perhaps it has broken, you re-gifted it or you have put it away to remember it no more simply because something else has taken its place.

All man-given gifts regardless of their na-

cance, no matter how grand or minute, can easily be described in a few simple ZRUGV *LIWV KDYH WKH DELOLW\ WR Ă&#x20AC;OO RXU ORYH tanks with happiness until lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s circumstances hit us right where it hurts the most.

on water, give life to the dead and heal the sick?

Have you ever received a gift that is so EH\RQG DPD]LQJ WKDW \RX KDYH GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOW\ describing it? Can you remember that one thing that inundated you with an everlasting and exceeding joy?

The late Reverend S.M. Lockeridge preached a powerful sermon entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my Kingâ&#x20AC;? In his sermon he attempted to describe the nature of Jesus Christ. He calls him enduringly strong, entirely sincere, eternally steadfast, immortality graceful, imperially powerful DQG LPSDUWLDOO\ PHUFLIXO +H TXDOLĂ&#x20AC;HV KLP as Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son, the sinners Savior and the centerpiece of civilization. He calls Him august, unique, unprecedented, the loftiest idea in literature and the fundamental doctrine of true theology. Such eloquence proclaims the greatness of God but doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t encompass His totality.

The Apostle Paul emphatically writes to the people of Corinth - â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!â&#x20AC;? (2 Cor 9:15) Did he say indescribable gift?...Yes Jesus the indescribable gift. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indescribableâ&#x20AC;? How can you describe a God who is all deity, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent? A God that removed his robe of majesty reducing himself down to the size of an ovum, being born of a teenage virgin in a manger

How do you describe the indescribable???

Jesus is an indescribable gift. He is Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maximum expression of love to us (John 3:16) Jesus is able to speak your love language DQG Ă&#x20AC;OO \RXU ORYH WDQN ZLWKRXW HQG ZLWK D kind of love that is not conditioned to a VSHFLĂ&#x20AC;F LQGLYLGXDOLVWLF SURĂ&#x20AC;OH +H GRHVQ¡W require a 4.0 GPA or a seminary diploma and He is not impressed by your professional achievements. Your attributes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;styleâ&#x20AC;? or lack thereof is not a determining factor in receiving His awesome love. He is not interested in your possessions, He just desires your heart.

There is one very important condition...you must be willing to receive this amazing gift by opening your heart and inviting Him to come in.

7KH EHQHĂ&#x20AC;WV DUH OLPLWOHVV +H ZLOO QHYHU leave, forsake you or break your heart.

His gift does not expire, wilt, wither, melt, fade or break. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never out out of style.

He is eternally available and Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always got something good to say about you.

He is the lifter of your soul and your greatest supporter and He desires to be more than just your Valentineâ&#x20AC;Ś

MILTON GONZALEZ Is the Principal of Covenant Christian Academy and is a member of The Family Church in McAllen.

Milton has a son David. He is married to Elena and they have a son Daniel.

/ 26 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

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/ 27 /www.valleychristianmagazine.comhopetorres@yahoo.com /

What

Love â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think love is being kind, helpful and caring for others,â&#x20AC;? says Patrick, 7. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I once showed love for my mom when I agreed to go to her favorite restaurant after I tasted their food.â&#x20AC;?

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really love. I think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve eaten at the same restaurant. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My mom shows love to me by packing my lunch every day and packing my snack,â&#x20AC;? says Grayson, 7.

All those delicious lunches and snacks.

The least we can do is to take Mom to her favorite restaurant, even if the place could use a new chef.

While dining with Mom, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget Dad, says Tyler, 5: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love is my dad tucking me into bed.â&#x20AC;? Remember to give love when Dad tucks you in, says Ephraim, 9: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love is to me always sleeping with your favorite stuffed animal.â&#x20AC;?

But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also, â&#x20AC;&#x153;hugging your dad when he gets back from a long day at work,â&#x20AC;? he adds.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not overlook the obvious, says Meredith, 6: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love is when my mom and dad go to work so I can have a place to live.â&#x20AC;?

is the

love: love for your parents, pets, toys, sisters and brothers, and the greatest one of all is Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love is kind. Love is patient. Love is in you and me. Your teacher is love when she helps you with your homework.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never thought of toys as one of WKH WRS Ă&#x20AC;YH FDWHJRULHV RI ORYH $GXOWV have toys, too. They may cost more, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still toys. And we may indeed love them more than God, family, friends or needy people.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;God is love for he put us on this Earth.

He gave us friends and family. Your brothers and sisters are love. Even if you JHW LQ D Ă&#x20AC;JKW \RX VWLOO ORYH HDFK RWKHU

At age 7, Emily knows what brings moms and dads together: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love is kissing. Love is hugging. Love is a heart.

Love is a marriage. Love is spending all your time with someone. Love is great.

Love is one of the best things in life. That is love.â&#x20AC;?

Emily, if your dad and mom didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t love each other, you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be here. The earth would be a desolate place if dads and moms didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t love each other DQG PDNH VDFULĂ&#x20AC;FHV IRU WKHLU FKLOGUHQ â&#x20AC;&#x153;God gave us love so that we can show it to other people,â&#x20AC;? says Beth, 10. The Bible says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;God is love.â&#x20AC;? So, to know God is to know love. Beth, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so eloquent, the remainder of this column is yours.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think God shows us love by providing pets that love us. I know my dog loves me, and I love him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love is whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the inside. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t judge people by what they are wearing or how they look. That is love. Judge people by whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the inside. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love was in Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; heart when he came to earth to die for us. Even if only you were on Earth, he still would have died for you. That is love. Jesus is love.

You and I are love. Show love to other people so you can be like Him.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting lifeâ&#x20AC;? (John 3:16).

Carey Kinsolvingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kids Talk About God syndicated column is distributed by Creators Syndicate.

KidsTalkAboutGod.org features a Bible-lesson archive of all columns. Kinsolving is the cofounder of the RGV Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Arts Festival. Soon, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be asking for you to vote online for the best art or writing for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kids Talk About Heavenâ&#x20AC;? book. One Valley child will win a vacation for his or her family to the Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch in Parshall, Colorado. For details, go to www.KidsTalkAboutGod. org and click on the horses.

What would happen if all the children who read this column thanked their parents for going to work today? Better yet, try showing your love by doing something helpful yourself, says Barbara, 6: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love is helping my mom and dad in the garden.â&#x20AC;?

Rachel, 7, shows wisdom beyond her years when she says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You love your mom and dad. Sometimes they are mean, but it is for your safety or you not showing reVSHFW 7KHUH DUH Ă&#x20AC;YH NLQGV RI

/ 28 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

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A Note from Nathanâ&#x20AC;Ś

Nathan Jones

Hey Everyone, we are very excited about this years banquet FCA. It is going to be a great time of food, fellowship, DQG )81GUDLVLQJ <RXU Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLDO VXSSRUW PDNHV DQ HWHUQDO LPSDFW RQ WKH OLYHV RI WKH NLGV LQ RXU FRPPXQLW\ by helping to buy them Bibles & send them to FCA Camp. Several of our students from across the Valley will be at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s banquet with silent auction items, and 100% of the funds raised though the auction will go WRZDUGV VHQGLQJ VWXGHQWV WR WKH )&$ :HHNHQG RI &KDPSLRQV &DPS RQ $SULO &RPH EH D SDUW RI WKLV years Banquet. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be glad you did. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see you there. I might even outbid you. I tend to be rather competitive.

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Nathan Jones

/ 30 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

Victory Banquet Dallas Cowboys

Chad Hennings Thursday, March 7, 2013 McAllen Convention Center Chad Hennings is a former defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 - 2000 and has three Super Bowl rings with the team. The title of Chad Henningsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Autobiography, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It WDNHV &RPPLWPHQW Âľ UHĂ HFWV not only the inspirational message he delivers, but also the way he lives his life. Personal commitment and teamwork are the cornserstones of his message.

He imparts his advice for pursing a life enriched by value and virtue. Hennings shares his message to varied and diverse groups in private, corporate, civic, governamental and academic settings. His patriotism and allegiance to our country is evident by his work promoting the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Academy as well as other branches of our Armed Services.

Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal commitment to achieving leadership and success is a recurring theme in his speech.

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FCA Vision 7R VHH WKH ZRUOG LPSDFWHG IRU -HVXV &KULVW WKURXJK WKH LQĂ XHQFH RI DWKOHWHV DQG FRDFKHV FCA Mission 7R SUHVHQW WR DWKOHWHV DQG FRDFKHV DQG DOO ZKRP WKH\ LQĂ XHQFH WKH FKDOOHQJH DQG DGYHQWXUH of receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, serving Him in their relation-ships and in the fellowship of the church.

FCA Core Values Our relationships will demonstrate steadfast commitment to Jesus Christ and His Word through Integrity, Service, Teamwork and Excellence.

/ 31 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

Keep Your Dream Alive Erwin W. Lutzer / Kregel Publications Young people are DEOH WR IXOĂ&#x20AC;OO WKHLU dreams early. Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Talent allowed Jackie Ibanco, the opera phenomenon, to be heard and become worldwide star.

American Idol contributed to the stardom of Carrie Underwood and Scotty McCreery. Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M University was the youngest to win the Heisman Trophy.

Lutzer takes you through an insightful and refreshing look through Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story with quotable quotes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those who are content with the tragedies of life bear eloquent testimony to the faithfulness of God. Those who have their GUHDPV VKDWWHUHG E\ RWKHUV FDQ VWLOO Ă&#x20AC;QG WKDW *RG KDV VRPH special dream to share with them. What cannot be cured can be faithfully endured.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;A mark of Christian maturity is that we allow God to choose our dreams for us. Often He chooses a dream that we would never choose for ourselves. It may be a dream of pain, not power; of character, not comfort. But if we have faith to believe that He knows best, we will leave it in His loving hands.â&#x20AC;?

What is your current dream?

Whether they believe in God or not, God has them right where He wants them.

Erwin W. Lutzerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book, Keep Your Dream Alive takes a look at the life of Joseph from the book of Genesis. Joseph was a young man when he had some dreams about being ruler over his family. The dreams disturbed his brothers so much that they wanted to kill him. Instead they sent him down a path to a foreign land as a slave. They tried to destroy his dreams. But God would have Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dreams eventually FRPH WR SDVV WR IXOĂ&#x20AC;OO +LV SXUSRVH

Bookw Revie by

Beyond Ordinary

By Justin Davis & Trisha Davis

Perhaps you have a dream and you feel like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taking too long to get there.

Maybe God is in the process of working out His dream for you right now.

Lutzerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book can help you walk through Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey.

Along the way, with prayer and discernment, you may begin to see how God has been working in the past and is working in the present as He takes you into the future He has for you.

Miguel Paredes Is a teacher at Edinburg North and earned his Masters in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary.

He is married to Brenda and has four children: Diego (10), Karla and Andrea (7) and Charis (3).

How safe is your marriage?

The answer may surprise you.

The biggest threat to any PDUULDJH LVQ¡W LQĂ&#x20AC;GHOLW\ RU PLVcommunication. The greatest enemy is ordinary. Ordinary marriages lose hope. Ordinary marriages lack vision.

Ordinary marriages give in to compromise. Ordinary is the belief that this is as good as it will ever get. And when we begin to settle for ordinary, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to move from â&#x20AC;&#x153;I doâ&#x20AC;? to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m done.â&#x20AC;?

Follow Me

By David Platt

In this new book, David Platt, author of the New York Times bestselling book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, contends that multitudes of people

Justin and Trisha Davis know just how dangerous ordinary can be. In this beautifully written book, Justin and Trisha take us inside the slow fade that occurred in their own marriageâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;each telling the story from their own perspective. Together, they reveal the mistakes they made, the work they avoided, the thoughts and feelings that led to an affair and near divorce, and Ă&#x20AC;QDOO\ WKH KHDUW FKDQJH WKDW had to occur in both of them before they could experience the hope, healing, and restoration of a truly extraordinary marriage.

/ 32 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

around the world culturally think they are Christians yet biblically are not followers of Christ.

Scores of men, women, and children have been told that becoming a follower of Jesus simply involves believing certain truths or saying certain words. As a result, churches toGD\ DUH Ă&#x20AC;OOHG ZLWK SHRSOH ZKR believe they are Christians . . . but arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. We want to be disciples as long as doing so does not intrude on our lifestyles, our preferences, our comforts, and even our religion.

Revealing a biblical picture of what it means to truly be a Christian, Follow Me explores the gravity of what we must forsake in this world, as well as the indescribable joy and deep satisfaction to be found when we live for Christ.

The call to follow Jesus is not simply an invitation to pray a prayer; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a summons to lose \RXU OLIHÂłDQG WR Ă&#x20AC;QG QHZ OLIH in him. This book will show you what such life actually looks like.

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, VHH WRR PDQ\ FDVHV ZKHUH D 0RUWJDJH /HQGHU ZLOO DSSURYH D SRWHQWLDO KRPH EX\HU EXW GLG QRW SURSHUO\ XQGHUZULWH WKH KRPH EX\HU·V Ã&#x20AC;QDQFLDO LQIRUPDWLRQ /DWHU WKH KRPH EX\HUV Ã&#x20AC;QG WKHP VHOYHV LQ D VLWXDWLRQ ZKHUH WKH\ FRXOG ORVH WKHLU GRZQ SD\PHQW WKHLU ORW DQG HYHQ WKHLU FUHGLW

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Joe Cuellar, Manager for Castle & Cooke Mortgage, LLC 1 WK 6WUHHW 0F$OOHQ 7; 2IÃ&#x20AC;FH 0RELOH

/ 33 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

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Daniel Bashta 1. MercyMe You Are I Ame CD: The Hurt and The Healer

The Invisible

2. Chris Tomlin 3. Passion featuring 4. Big Daddy Weave Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)

.ULVWLDQ 6WDQĂ&#x20AC;OO One Thing Remains

Redeemed CD: Love Come To Life

CD: Burning Lights / 36 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

5. Matthew West Forgiveness CD: Into The Light

To believe, in the thick and thin of your life, that there is an invisible, immortal God orchestrating redemption beyond human imagination... to SEE your belief become reality completely dismantles life as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve known it. Everything is undone.

But in the ruins, there will be singing...there will be healing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My whole life, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been part of these revival meetings, seen healings, all these crazy, beautiful things happen,â&#x20AC;? Daniel says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even in all that, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still searching for the real Jesus in my life. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care about feelings. I want the real Jesus. ...The Invisible is full of songs for a generation sick of singing songs,â&#x20AC;? he continues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really care about building mega churches. They care about revolution. They want to see their cities changed. God is looking for a generation full of conviction.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I speak to barrenness, I command life within, open up your walls, hope conquers all, let hope in.â&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let Hope Inâ&#x20AC;?

A song of healing written from a personal place of desolation, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let Hope Inâ&#x20AC;? expresses the literal, spiritual devastation of infertility and the miracles that sprang out of their desert.

0DUULHG Ă&#x20AC;YH \HDUV 'DQLHO DQG his wife, Taylor, like millions of young couples, had experienced infertility and were checking into their medical options. Beneath the surface, they knew God had always planned for them to adopt.

So instead of waiting for answers that might not come, the Bashtas created their family SURĂ&#x20AC;OH ZLWK 3RODURLG SLFWXUHV LQ a composition notebook and turned it in to Bethany Christian Services on a Thursday afternoon. Within a few weeks, they got a call: a birth mother had chosen them to be her babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family.

6. Meredith Andrews Not For A Moment (After All) CD: Worth It All

Around this same time, Daniel had written â&#x20AC;&#x153;Like A Lion,â&#x20AC;? an DQWKHP WKDW ZRXOG Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLDOly, make adoption possible. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When God places a mission inside of you, when he gives you a heart for something, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faithful to take care of it,â&#x20AC;? Daniel explains, â&#x20AC;&#x153;in ways you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even begin to understand.â&#x20AC;?

Months later, in the hospital on the day of their son Phoenixâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birth, the Bashtas would begin to get a glimpse of the care with which God had been writing their story. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were sitting there with the birth mother, and my sister brought in a little lion.

I told Phoenixâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birth mom, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do teddy bears in our family; we do lions.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; And then she told us a part of her story we had not heard. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been given an ultimatum: either have an abortion or get out of the house. So she moved to Atlanta, heard about Bethany Christian Agency on MTV and had the courage to walk in and check it out. Around that same time, a friend took her to Passion City church, she said, and some guy on stage (Chris Tomlin) started singing some song about a lion and a roar.

She remembered it clearly because during that song, she felt a presence come over her. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I never knew you could feel God, like I felt God in that moment,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; she said. She sat down and started journaling the lyrics to the song, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Like A Lion.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;We all started crying in the hospital room,â&#x20AC;? Daniel says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;To know that my son has such a calling in this life, even before he was born, that his dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s song was being sung over him... I thought I knew what God was capable of, but we experienced his faithfulness in such a miraculous way.â&#x20AC;?

And that miracle led straight to another. Within a few months, the Bashtas were pregnant, later giving birth to a daughter, Bravery Annette, now 11 months. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already started the process for their second adoption. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the pilot, so

7. Plumb Need You Now

weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just going to jump on board and see where he takes us,â&#x20AC;? Daniel says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not getting any sleep anyway, so letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just do it. We can sleep in a couple of years!â&#x20AC;?

Sleep-deprived and undone by the Invisible, the Immortal showing up in their lives, the Bashtas are forever changed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Healing works like a river,â&#x20AC;?

Daniel says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When it takes place, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just in one little area of your life, healing brings life to every area of your life. I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beauty of this record: it represents the healing that has taken place in our lives.â&#x20AC;?

Song after song, The Invisible gives voice to the faith of a generation willing to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;ruined for Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glory,â&#x20AC;? to choose conviction over control and open the door for miraculous, redemptive work of God to LQĂ&#x20AC;OWUDWH HYHU\WKLQJ 7R RSHQ blinded eyes to the wounds of the world, to open arms wide to the unloved, to reach out to take them in.

Perhaps best known for penning the modern worship anthem â&#x20AC;&#x153;Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Not Dead (Like A Lion),â&#x20AC;? recorded by David Crowder Band, newsboys and others, Daniel Bashta, a missionary kid who grew up immersed in ministry all around the globe, speaking life and hope into a dark world has been his life-long passion. Educated at the Worship Institute RI /RQGRQ DQG KHDYLO\ LQĂ Xenced by the ministry of Soul Survivor, Danielâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s path of ministry reads like an intertwining stream. Currently serving as worship pastor at RiverStone Church, just outside of Atlanta, GA, he launched GoMotion (www.gomotionworldwide.

FRP LQ D QRQ SURĂ&#x20AC;W PLQistry that marries music, media and missions for global impact.

And in 2013, he will launch The Roar, a missions training school aimed at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;rapid deployment of mission pioneers.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;With GoMotion, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an ever-

8. Third Day 9. Casting Crowns

I Need A Miracle Already There CD: Miracle CD: Come To The Well CD: Single / 37 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

(How Many Times)

evolving story,â&#x20AC;? says Daniel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done documentaries, partnered with organizations all over the world, producing new worship, missions agencies... but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much more we hope to do. With The Roar, our greatest accomplishment would be to see the Great Commission become the Great Completion.â&#x20AC;?

And yet, with all these ministries taking shape, the immorWDO LQYLVLEOH *RG UHĂ&#x20AC;QHV WKH Ă&#x20AC;UH inside the man, and from within WKDW Ă&#x20AC;UH HPHUJHV ZRUVKLS 7KH ,QYLVLEOH Ă&#x20AC;OWHUV WKH SURSKHWic cry of 2011â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Sounds of Daniel Bashta through a primal new lens. That impassioned call to wake this generation has been tempered by a season of hope and healing in his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and in his new role: fatherhood. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[The Invisible] is a deep record for me,â&#x20AC;? Daniel says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been moved from this John the Baptist cry, from waking hearts of this generation to an unknown place. When I became a dad, God poured out this brand new anointing over my life, gave me this fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heart, and for me thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s massive, epic.... The church needs more fathers, more pastors... Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much hurt happening all around us and not enough nurturing fathers among us to reach out.â&#x20AC;?

With each new song that emerged, he says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was completely wrecked with this idea that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough to wake dead people up. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here to help steer their lives, to show them the real Jesus, to represent the journey weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all on. Our personal worship should come out of that.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want it all, not just a portion, give me your presence, not just some feeling, stir up my passion with more of conviction...â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C;from â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Want It All (Just Give Me Jesus)â&#x20AC;?

www.danielbashta.com

Make Decisions Together By

Dave

Ramsey )RU PRUH Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLDO KHOS SOHDVH YLVLW www.daveramsey.com Dave Ramsey is a personal money-management expert and extremely popular national radio personality.

His three New York Times best-selling booksâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Financial Peace, More Than Enough and The Total Money Makeoverâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;have sold more than 6 million copies combined. His latest book, (QWUH/HDGHUVKLS 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches, releases in September 2011.

Dear Dave, My husband doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like dealing with money. For years, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve handled everything from paying the bills to making the decisions, and he just does whatever I tell him. This makes things really hard on PH EXW KH VD\V Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLDO LVVXHV FDXVH KLP VWUHVV 'R \RX KDYH DQ\ suggestions?... Carol Lee Dear Carol Lee, The plain truth is you need your husband to step up and be a man.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a nice guy, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unfair for you alone to carry the ZHLJKW RI DOO Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLDO DQG KRXVHKROG GHFLVLRQV ,W ZRXOG EH XQIDLU too, if he were the one carrying it all. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a gender issue.

My wife and I are involved in all the decisions in our home, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s especially true when it comes to money. We do a budget, and we decide together where the moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a situation where sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little girl, and her daddy named Dave takes care of her and everything else. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the kind of thing youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got going on now. You feel like his mom rather than his wife, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not what a healthy marriage is about.

You need to sit down with him and explain why this is so important to you and how it makes you feel. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not asking him to be a number cruncher, but he has to grow up and become part of the team.

You can play the role of CFO and write all the checks. But you and he together are the board of directors. You just need 15 to 20 minutes of his time each week, so you guys can discuss whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on and how to handle thingsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;together! ...Dave

Is this an emergency?

Dear Dave, 0\ ZLIH MXVW KDG RXU Ă&#x20AC;UVW FKLOG $V D UHVXOW ZH QRZ KDYH LQ PHGLFDO ELOOV QRW FRYHUHG E\ LQVXUDQFH :H¡YH JRW LQ RXU HPHUJHQF\ IXQG DQG , PDNH DERXW D \HDU 6KRXOG ZH GLS into our savings for this or set up a payment plan with the hospital?

Matthew Dear Matthew, Congratulations on your new baby! I know this is going to make the new year extra-special for you.

If I were in your situation, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d write a check today and knock out that KRVSLWDO ELOO 7KLV GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWHO\ IDOOV XQGHU WKH KHDGLQJ RI ´HPHUJHQF\Âľ LQ my mind, so pay the bill and jump back into rebuilding your emergency fund.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done a good job of saving on $25,000 a year, but letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look around and see what you can do about making more money, too. $GGLWLRQDO FODVVURRP HGXFDWLRQ RU H[WUD WUDLQLQJ LQ \RXU Ă&#x20AC;HOG FRXOG increase your income pretty quickly. Your emergency fund probably needs to be a little bit bigger as well, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a lot easier to make this happen if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bringing in more cash.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a hard-working guy, but the truth is itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be pretty tough for even a small family to make it on what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bringing home now. Life happens, and the unexpected can become a common occurrence when thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little one loose in the house! wore a younger manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothes, I was willing to do stuff and ignore the risk involved. Going broke years ago knocked that out of me in a hurry. Any deal that runs the risk of leaving you bankrupt, or the victim of a foreclosure, just isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worth it!...Dave

/ 38 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

Raul “Rudy” Rodriguez

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/ 39 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /

Raul â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rudyâ&#x20AC;? Rodriguez attorney at law

Some historians may argue that among the greatest restoration stories of mankind are the European Renaissance or perhaps the post-World War II era.

The cultural movement known as the European Renaissance roughly took place during the 14th through 17th centuries. This moment in history saw the face of Europe evolve with respect to its arts, architecture and long held science tenets. It also saw a rediscovery of the Greco-Roman classical knowledge and a rebirth of the study of Latin and vernacular languages. It served as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Modern Era. Closer to home, America saw its restoration take place in the years that followed World War II. During this era, couples who could not afford families during the Great Depression made up for lost time.

The mood in America suddenly became optimistic. At that time, the unemployment rate of the Great Depression dropped dramatically and the economy improved substantially. The G.I. Bill empowered many honorDEOH VHUYLFH PHPEHUV WR ÂżQLVK KLJK VFKRRO DQG DWWHQG FROOHJH $V WKHLU VNLOOV ZHUH LPSURYHG VR ZDV WKH Âżnancial well-being of their families.

But, without a doubt the greatest restoration that can take place is when a person does as Romans 10:9 instructs us to do. Romans 10:9 says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.â&#x20AC;? The message is simple: invite Christ into your heart and make him your personal Lord and Savior. At that time, your restoration will be complete.

Next He will do as Philippians 1:6 says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;And I am certain that God, who began the good work within \RX ZLOO FRQWLQXH KLV ZRUN XQWLO LW LV ÂżQDOO\ ÂżQLVKHG RQ the day when Christ Jesus returns.â&#x20AC;? As you seek and strive to honor God with your life, He will reward you by allowing you to take on His characteristics. Hosea 14:4 says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will bring my people back to me. I will love them with all my heart; No longer am I angry with them.â&#x20AC;? I pray that you will invite Christ into your heart and allow Him to restore you!

$W P\ RIÂżFH , DOVR ZDQW WR EH SDUW RI \RXU restoration plan, albeit in a different way. I pray that God will use me for His honor and glory in helping me address your needs. If you have been involved in an auto accident and/or other serious injury or if you have lost a loved one as a result of someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s negligence, I will do my best to restore some sense of normality to your life. I will also help you in matters involving family law, criminal law and real estate and will issues. As always, I bear in mind that in honoring God with the way I handle my business relationships I will be honoring you my esteemed client.

Raul â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rudyâ&#x20AC;? Rodriguez

www.raulrudyrodriguezlaw.com Phone: 956.380.1421 / Toll Free: 877.480.1421 www.raulrudyrodriguezlaw.com Fax: 956.380.2920 / Mobile: 956.655.5455

Phone: 956.380.1421 / Toll Free: / Fax: 956.380.2920 / Mobile: 956.655.5455 511 W. University / Edinburg, TX877.480.1421 78539 e-mail: anointed511@gmail.com 511 W. University / Edinburg, TX 78539 / e-mail: rrodlaw@hotmail.com / 40 /www.valleychristianmagazine.com /