By Your Side

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go
This song has a lot of depth and meaning to it. Don't chase what the world gives. Don't seek what sin offers. But search Christ with a passion in your heart. He's always there, never letting go. He's just waiting for you and the only thing you have to do...


...is to let go

Camp to SEMP to Mission Arlington

DCCYC is a camp I go every year. Lasting for a week, we basically worship, study God's Word deeply, and hang out with a bunch of friends. The theme for this year was the "Relationship Element." We learned how important it is to build a relationship with people, learn their customs and culture, and much more. The day of coming back from the exhausting yet wonderful camp, I had to pack up for the next morning to go to the mission trip in Chicago. The organization we were in was called SEMP (Students Equipped to Ministry to Peers). This missions was a bit different than the previous missions I have been going to. Where most mission trips tend to be about building houses, painting fences, mowing people's lawn, this was in the territory of Evangelism.

In this SEMP, there were about 500 students and we were all placed in 20 different pod groups. Not knowing any of the people in the pods, but required to work together was a big task. Throughout the week, each pods went to different areas of Chicago. Either it was the pier, park, or even at the train station, we went to share our testimony, the story of Jesus Christ and much more.

A week later, we went to another missions, but this missions was where we lived. Mission Arlington. Staying at church throughout the week, our youth became closer to each other.

We would hand out flyers, go to apartments and invite anyone who would like to come join us in VBS. We would set up outside in a small field near the apartments and we would do songs, memory verses, small group, games etc.

Our youth had to do some major teamwork throughout the day. We would have to help each other when one got stuck in praying, singing or just hanging out with the kids.

The first day, a speaker was telling us a story and i dont really remember it all:

An old lady was experiencing some kind of symptoms and some stranger who was a nurse or something told her she was going through a heart attack soon. He called the ambulance, provided her some comfort and when the ambulance came to take her, she refused. She stayed calm and told them she didn't need them and walked away. Confused, the medics and doctor just stood there wondering why she wouldn't want the things she needs to be saved.

As she walked away, she bumped into her friend and she just started to freak out and told her to take her to the hospital and stuff. What the medics and the doctor didn't realize was that her mom died in the ambulance's car and she just didn't want to die in ambulance car.

The main message in this story was you could give someone everything, the bible, the wisdom, the prayer, lessons, but they won't take it. They are looking for a relationship and by God's plan, we've been learning the Relationship Element in camp and we also learned how to talk to people through SEMP.

As a game leader, I decided to build a relationship with the kids instead of forcing the songs and lessons on them. I could do whatever games they want and I became the "cool" person to hang out. There were always these group of "kids" who would be trouble makers. Our youth pastor, youth and other supervisors were irritated and annoyed by them. Knowing they wouldn't participate in any of the activities we would hand them except for the games, they just wouldn't sit down quietly and pay attention. Trying to discipline

Every morning, I would wake up at 6 and pray. Pray that the holy spirit would use me throughout this week. And on the last day, I was like "Today is the last day, Lord, use me and let these people hear the wonderful story of Jesus Christ and plant a seed in their heart"
During VBS, before small group started, I pulled our youth pastor aside and asked if I could lead a small group. He said yes and I specifically asked for all the trouble-makers

Surprised, he said, yeah.

Through the work of God, 3 people accepted Christ that morning. 10 kids accepted Christ that week. 10. Zeph apparently prayed for 5, but I was pretty sure he said 10, God faithfully answered our prayers.
It's been a great summer, from God changing my bitter heart to a loving heart, I know God has a plan for me.

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20