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A monthly columnfor youth by youthBY INDIANA MELENDEZMy Walk With GodI ATTRIBUTE MY WALK WITH GOD to the transformation of my older brother. If it weren’t for what God did for him, I wouldn’t havewitnessed God’s power as I know it today.During high school, life at home wasn’t always the best. MyThere was a retreat coming up and my mom didn’t want myparents were constantly fighting, and my older brother would sister and me going alone, so she made my brother join us. Dreadbring home problems with his rebellious nature. He was going fully, he came but was acting completely indifferent the entirethrough a phase where his focus was completely on himself and time. During worship, everyone stood up to sing, and my brotherhow he could get away from home. Although he was a bit reckless, stayed seated with his arms crossed tightly against his chest. As theI always looked up to him. If he was nice, I was nice. If he talked songs continued to play, though, I noticed him standing up andabout how he couldn’t wait to getmaking his way toward the altar.as far away from home as possible,I immediately looked toward him,I did the same.wondering what he was about toMy mom tried her best to raisedo, and when I realized what wasus with good Christian values, but Ihappening, my heart sank. He benever really knew what I believed in.gan to cry and just collapsed on theI even remember telling my momsteps of the stage. I was completelyI was an atheist when I was 14. Itin shock and stood there frozen.broke her heart, but she continuedMy brother was the last one Ipraying for us to know Christ. Sheever thought would give his life towould drag us to church every SunChrist, and when I saw him thereday and made us sit through Bibleon his knees trembling and cryingstudies at home. My brother hatedlike a baby, it was at that momentthose. One time he was so frusthat I knew God was real, becausetrated with my mom and her beliefsonly God could have transformedthat he threw her Bible across thehis hardened heart.room and stormed out of the houseSince that moment, our liveswith rage and fire in his eyes. Hehave changed completely. We werewas always angry and wanted nothnow actually willing to study theing to do with God. He was goingBible with my mom, and a fewto school at Angelo State Universitymonths later, an Adventist coupleand was failing every class. He gotfrom Argentina came to our door.involved with drugs, alcohol, andThey were Colporters, sellingexcessive partying. After flunkinghealth books. They offered Bibleout of his first semester, my parentsstudies, and within a few monthsbrought him back home to the lowe were baptized into the Advencal community college, so that hetist church.Indiana Melendez (right) knew God was real when her brotherJavier (left) unexpectedly gave his life to Christ.could get his act together.Now, all having graduatedAt that time, we were goingfrom Adventist universities thisto a non-denominational church,past summer, my siblings and I arewhere my sister and I got involved with the youth group, mostly all starting very new chapters in our lives. My brother still remainsbecause of my mom’s wishes. I was still skeptical of God’s exis- a great role model for me, but instead of ignorantly pointing metence but went to make her happy.towards destruction, he always points me towards Christ.www.swurecord.org NOVEMBER 20155

Pass it On.A Monthly Focus on Evangelism in the SouthwestBY ROCÍO ARMSTRONG »RECORD CIRCULATION MANAGERFocus on Jesus—Not Fear!Was I ready to preach an evangelistic series? Of course I because they shared who Jesus is, His plan for them, and how Hewas! I worked for the church. I pray and talk with God will one day bring an end to all their pain and sorrow. I had todaily. I have preached before, and most of my friends understand Jesus’ plan to save me. I could then share with themare Christians.passionately and with conviction what Jesus had done for me. IThere I was, in Harare, Zimbabwe, Africa, with a group of felt the presence of the Holy Spirit leading me that night, and my“international evangelists” ready to preach the series, but after the whole focus changed. Every message had a personal connection tofirst presentation I was terrified. Granted, most of us had never Jesus. My previous fears began to fade, but they only gave way to apreached an evangelistic series, nevertheless, we had all heard new fear; Was my relationship with Jesus strong enough to touchand studied this topic, so what was the problem? Why did I feel anyone else?so afraid?I was in constant prayer, and I felt physically sick from theIt is one thing to work for theburden of responsibility I had been givchurch, mingle with Christian friends,en. I wanted to leave, and be back homeand preach once in a while on a topicwhere I felt safe and comfortable. I didyou are comfortable with. It’s an entirenot want to be accountable to God forly different experience sharing the enfailing. This was my struggle each daytire Adventist message, especially whenfor the first seven days.there are doctrines we don’t completelyOnce I realized my situationunderstand, and dare I say, even avoid.was not going to change, I begged JeHaving to deliver these messages withsus to change me. I pleaded for Himpower in Harare, with the expectationto cleanse me, to heal my mind, myof many baptisms was an experiencethoughts, my wishes, and my desires.like no other.For seven painful days I struggled whileAfter the first meeting the weightHe quietly worked to transform me,of my own inadequacy felt like an elfrom the inside out, into a free agentephant on my chest, and I couldn’t waitfor His service. He touched my heartto get back to my room to study. As Ias I studied the messages with heartfeltwas being driven back to the hotel Iconcern for those who would listen tobegan to question God. In my frustrathem. When the electricity went outThis youth (right), pictured with me here, was a joy tobe with and she was inspired to participate in the lasttion I asked, “Why am I here? Why didHe gave power to my voice so every earSabbath program.you bring me? There are others morecould hear His message. Every nightcapable than I am.” I felt so unqualified.when I made the call for baptism it wasWhen I realized my responsibility to share these messages God leading them by the hand. My heart ached for my brotherswith people starving for salvation, and longing for deliverance and sisters in Harare, as they had become my passion. I devotedfrom the anguish of their daily struggles to survive, I was gripped my time to praying with them, visiting with them, and holdingby the fear that I wouldn’t have enough time to prepare for the special prayer meetings. It was such a joy watching them as theynext meeting. I thought to myself, “How am I going to convey the began to participate more and more in the evening programs.love of Jesus to them in a way that is meaningful when I know litBefore I knew it our time in Harare had come to an end, but Itle of their culture and way of life?” Harare has an unemployment was not ready to leave. There was much more to do! I came homerate of 80 percent, and the things most of us take for granted, like with a fire in my heart and a renewed desire to serve Jesus. Havingfood, water and basic utilities, are in short supply there.been changed forever by my experience with God in Harare, moreAs I prayed, I suddenly realized that I was not there simply to than ever I am striving to serve others with the talents He entrustteach them a series of doctrines. The messages were so important, ed to me, and passionately sharing what He is doing in my life.6Southwestern Union Record

Visión HispanaUN BREVE NOTICIERO MENSUAL DEL SUROESTEEnfócate en Jesús—¡No en el Temor!¿Estaba dispuesta a predicar una serie de evangelización? para ellos, y cómo Él algún día acabara con todo su dolor y tristeza.¡Por supuesto que estaba! He trabajado para la iglesia. Tuve que entender el plan de Jesús para salvarme. Entonces yo poOro y hablo con Dios todos los días. He predicado an- dría compartir con ellos con pasión y convicción lo que Jesús habíates, y la mayoría de mis amistades son cristianos.hecho por mí. Sentí la presencia del Espíritu Santo que me guiabaAllí estaba yo, en Harare, Zimbabue, África, con un grupo de esa noche, y todo mi enfoque cambió. Cada mensaje tenía una co“evangelistas internacionales” listos para predicar la serie, pero, nexión personal con Jesús. Mis temores anteriores comenzaron adespués de la primera presentación quede aterrorizada. Por su- disiparse, pero, sólo dieron paso a un nuevo temor; ¿era mi relaciónpuesto, la mayoría de nosotros nunca habíamos predicado una se- con Jesús lo suficientemente fuerte como para tocar a alguien más?rie de evangelización, no obstante, todos habíamos oído hablar deYo estaba en constante oración, y me sentía físicamenteeste tema, así que ¿cuál era el problema? ¿Por qué estaba temerosa? enferma por el peso de tal responsabilidad que me habían dado. YoUna cosa es trabajar para la iglesia, charlar con mis amigos me quería ir, y estar de vuelta en mi casa donde me sentí segura ycristianos, y predicar de vez en cuando sobre un tema interesante. cómoda. Yo no quería ser responsable ante Dios si fallaba. Esta fueEs una experiencia muy diferente compartir el mensaje adventista, mi lucha diaria durante los primeros siete días.sobre todo cuando hay doctrinas que no entendemos por compleUna vez que me di cuenta de que mi situación no iba a camto, y me atrevería a decir, e incluso evitar.biar, le rogué a Jesús que me cambiara.Tener que presentar estos mensajes conLe supliqué me limpiara, que sanara mipoder en Harare, con la expectativa demente, mis pensamientos, mis ideales, ymuchos bautismos, fue una experienciamis deseos. Durante siete días dolorososcomo ninguna otra.luché mientras Él trabajó silenciosamenDespués de la primera reunión, conte en transformarme, de adentro haciael peso de mi propia insuficiencia sentíaafuera, en un agente libre para Su servicomo que un elefante estaba en mi pecho,cio. Tocó mi corazón mientras estudiabay estaba desesperada para volver a mi halos mensajes con sincera preocupaciónbitación a estudiar. Cuando estaba siendopor aquellos oyentes. Cuando la electriciconducida de regreso al hotel empecé adad se fue, le dio poder a mi voz para queLos niños eran los primeros en llegar cada noche,cuestionar a Dios. En mi frustración letodo oído pudiera escuchar Su mensaje.desde una hora a hora y media. Los recibía conpregunté: “¿Por qué estoy aquí? ¿Por quéCada noche durante la llamada al bautiscantos e historias para ellos.me has traído? Hay otros más capacesmo fue Dios quien les llevó de la mano.que yo.” Me sentí tan incapacitada.Me dolía el corazón por mis hermanos yCuando me di cuenta de mi responsabilidad de compartir hermanas en Harare, Él los convirtió en mi pasión. Dediqué miestos mensajes a las personas que están agonizantes buscando sal- tiempo a orar con ellos, visitando con ellos, y teniendo reunionesvación, que anhelan la emancipación de la angustiosa lucha diaria especiales de oración. Era grande la alegría al verlos involucrarsepor la sobrevivencia, me sentía sofocada por el temor de no tener más y más cada noche participando en los programas.tiempo suficiente de preparación para la próxima reunión. Me dijeAntes de darme cuenta; nuestro tiempo en Harare había llea mí misma: “¿Cómo voy a transmitir el amor de Jesús por ellos gado a su fin, pero yo no estaba lista para partir. ¡Había mucho másde una manera significativa cuando sé poco de su cultura y forma que hacer! Regresé a casa con un fuego en mi corazón y un deseode vida?” Harare tiene una tasa de desempleo del 80 por ciento, y renovado de servir a Jesús. Después de haber sido cambiada paralas cosas que la mayoría de nosotros damos por sentadas como la siempre durante mi experiencia con Dios en Harare, hoy más quecomida, el agua y los servicios básicos son escasos allí.nunca, me esfuerzo para servir a los demás con los talentos que ÉlMientras oraba, de repente me di cuenta de que yo no estaba me ha confiado, y apasionadamente deseo compartir lo que estáallí simplemente para enseñarles una serie de doctrinas. Los men- haciendo en mi vida.sajes eran tan importantes por que describen quién es Jesús, Su planRocío Armstrong, Record manager de circulaciónwww.swurecord.org NOVEMBER 20157

Holding on toYour First LoveEduardo Canales, Southwestern Union vice presidentHave you ever felt like you don’t have the same enthusiasmfor spiritual things that you had when you accepted Jesusas your personal Savior? You go to church, you study theBible, or you pray, but you don’t feel like doing it? If that’s yoursituation, you’re not alone. The same thing happens to many ofus at one time or another. In our Christianjourney, we experience a sense of spiritualstagnation.Let me share with you a little bitof my journey. I didn’t grow up in aSeventh-day Adventist home. I was 15years old when my father died, and thatleft me with a tremendous emptiness in mylife and a great sense of loss. Right at that pointin my young life, I was trying to makesome sense of it. It was then that Godused a dear Adventist Christian family to bring me hope and to teach meabout God’s love and about the salvation we can have in Jesus. At thattime, I was living in a town close toSan Jose, California, and I met somemembers of this Adventist family who held a small groupministry in their home,which they invited meto join. From the first time Iattended, I began to experience God’s presence in mysoul and hope and peacecame to my life. The moreI continued attending thesemeetings, the more I experienced God’s blessings. What a8Southwestern Union Recordjoy it was for me to participate in the small group program. Whenwe prayed, I would feel God’s presence in our midst. The songswe sang brought joy to my heart. In the meeting, they sharedtestimonies and praises about the prayers that were answered intheir behalf and the blessings they had received. This experienceincreased my faith in God. I learned to trust in a God who is realand who is interested in our needs and always ready to answer ourprayers.Soon I was attending church. I remember the great joy I felt thatSabbath morning when I accepted Jesus as my Savior through baptism. What a delight it was to attend prayer meeting on Wednesdaynights, Sabbath School, the worship service on Sabbath morning,and the youth program on Sabbath afternoon. And believe it ornot, I used to find delight in going out witnessing, distributing literature, giving Bible studies and inviting people to attend churchwith us. Later, I found joy in serving the Lord as a literature evangelist. I used to go door to door selling Christian literature, givingBible studies, and praying with people. However, as the years wentby, I started losing that enthusiasm for the spiritual things thathad brought me such joy before. I was still attending church on aregular basis and was serving God in the literature ministry, butsomething was missing. I wasn’t experiencing the same joy I hadexperienced before. I felt I was not growing spiritually.Maybe you’re going through a similar experience in your life.You feel spiritually stuck. Maybe you feel that rather than progressing spiritually, you are regressing.The real issue is not the fact that you are experiencing spiritualstagnation, rather, the issue is why it is happening to and findingthe way to overcome it.The apostle Paul writes to the Christians in Ephesus and advises them the following, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, weare to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ”(Ephesians 4:15).To begin with, notice that our model for our spiritual growth

should be ourLordJesusChrist. A lotof Christians getdiscouragedwhenthey see other Christiansnot living up to whatthey profess to believe.When the Lord JesusChrist sends the messages to theseven churches in the book of Revelation, notice how He rebukes the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:4, “NeverthelessI have this against you, that you have left your first love.” But ifyou notice in verses 2 and 3, He commends them for their faith: “Iknow your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannotbear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say theyare apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you havepersevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’ssake and have not become weary.”At the beginning, they did things right. They held on to thefaith, even under persecution and hardships. But, evidently, astime went by, the Ephesians lost their enthusiasm in their dailyliving. As the Lord put it, “they had left their first love.” But it isinteresting that when the Lord Jesus points out a problem to us, atthe same time, He provides the solution. In verse 5 He says, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do thefirst works.”Let us look at you and me. What were the things that you andI did at the beginning of our Christian walk that kept us motivated and excited in our Christian journey? Among the first thingsI did, I can think of four that kept my faith kindled andbrought joy and happiness into my Christian journey.Pray regularly: Prayer played an important role in my spiritual growth. Early in my Christian life I learned that there is power in prayer and that God answers prayers. Jesus said in Matthew7:7, 8, “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock,and it will be opened to you; for everyone who asks receives, andhe who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”Prayer is the breath of the soul. Let me explain what I mean bythis. I read an article in an American Airlines magazine about theimportance of learning how to breathe deeply. I didn’t know thatthrough breathing we eliminate 70 percent of our body’s toxins aswe exhale. Sixteen percent is eliminated through perspiration andthe other 14 percent by other means. When the toxins of doubt,problems, temptation, and sin arepoisoning us, we need to fall on ourknees and open our heart to God. Weneed to tell Him what we are feeling,what we are suffering and experiencing, and then we will discover that weare in fact starting to get rid of thosethings that are causing us worry, sadness, fear, and pain, and we will findrelief for our souls.Read the Word daily: I feedmyself from the Word of God on adaily basis because I learned earlyon that Bible study is the food ofthe soul! I learned, also, that there ispower in the Word of God! And thereason for this is that He inspired it.In Timothy 3:16, 17 we learn the following, “All scripture is inspired byGod and profitable for teaching, forreproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man ofGod may be complete, equipped forevery good work.”www.swurecord.org NOVEMBER 20159

Share your testimony: In my limitedBible knowledge, I was telling others about myfaith and about what Jesus meant to me. Theother day I was talking to a friend of mine aboutthe importance of testifying about what Jesus hasdone for us. He said to me, “Eddie, I don’t havea testimony to give, I wish I had one! I grew upin a Seventh-day Adventist home, attended SDAschools. I have always been in the church, never inthe world.” As you read this article, maybe you feelthe same way. You think like my friend, that onlya Christian that used to be a drug addict, a drunk,or a prostitute, has a story to tell, a testimony togive about what Jesus has done for them. My response to my friend was, “You do have a testimony to give! Just think of all the people you grew upwith—at the SDA schools, at church, and even athome who no longer remain in the faith, but youAttend church: I was excited about attending church. I wouldn’t miss church service foranything in the world. We need to be careful andnever neglect church attendance. I can’t explain it,but there is a special blessing we receive when weworship God corporately. On Sabbath, I can stayhome and worship alone, if I choose to, but I willlose that speci

daughter, Angie, and we have been married for 40 years! I hope that you decide to invest time in others. Maybe you have relatives, or people in your neighborhood, or co-workers, whom no one sees hope in. But, remember, Jesus said, “The things which are