The Message
I just got back to my home state of New Jersey from my recent trip to Texas. After a 2 hour flight delay and a three and a half hour plane ride back home, I had a lot of time to think about these past several days and what I experienced.
For those who may not know, I was in Dallas, Texas to attend a Christian conference for Singles for Family and Life (SFL). For those who know me, I am a person of faith, having been raised in a Christian household my whole life. My parents are very active in Couples for Christ (CFC), which acts as the overall head of SFL. I honestly have not been involved in the CFC/SFL community since my youth days. However, God really brought me through some pretty rough battles within the past year, and I feel that in that time, I got closer to God in my distress. I decided to make a committed effort to be more devoted to my faith and I eventually got involved in SFL these past few months. This past conference was enlightening and strengthening. I was also fortunate to meet and get to know young adults from all over the nation. One of my friends from the New Jersey SFL, Reggie Balbin, asked me during the last night of the conference, "What message do you think God told you through this weekend?" When he asked that, I honestly told him that the answer didn't arrive to me yet. However, finally back home, I think I understand what God was telling me through my experiences this weekend with the conference as well as the social outings with the people I met.
The message is, "You are NOT alone."
This past week, I've met other young people like myself who share the same core beliefs that I do. While we are all from different places and different backgrounds, I feel that I have found an organization of young people that truly desires to make a positive change in this world through their beliefs and values. The people I met at this conference all seem to possess the mentality that they are not here on Earth to settle for mediocrity--that they are here for a purpose. They emphasize the importance of family and life, which forms a huge basis for who I am as a person and allows me to put my faith in the proper perspective. They teach the importance of purity and integrity in thought, intention, and action.
This week, I've walked away with many things learned. I learned that while I am a strong person, true Strength comes from God the Creator, whose power is Infinite and through whom all things are possible. I've learned that one must step outside their comfort zone. I've learned that there are other young people like me who like to socialize without resorting to belligerence, drunkeness, or negative behavior. I've also gotten a better understanding of what I want my future relationship with my future wife to be like.
As an added bonus, I got the chance to eat some awesome Mexican and Texas BBQ (among other animals I never thought I'd eat), ride a mechanical bull (which I lasted over a minute and a half on, to my surprise), stepped into an actual rodeo stadium, saw where JFK got shot, and I even got to help a random stranger fix a flat tire.
I want to thank all of you who made this SFL Conference possible. Thanks to my household for their support. Thank you to all of the awesome speakers who inspired me to be a better leader. I want to say hello and thanks to all of the great people I met this weekend from Texas, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Chicago, whether in the conference or in fellowship socially. All I can say is I wish you all lived closer to me! But, don't worry...I'll see you guys here in New Jersey next year. :) I want to say fist pumping will not be in the agenda...but my brother Matt makes no promises.
For those who may not know, I was in Dallas, Texas to attend a Christian conference for Singles for Family and Life (SFL). For those who know me, I am a person of faith, having been raised in a Christian household my whole life. My parents are very active in Couples for Christ (CFC), which acts as the overall head of SFL. I honestly have not been involved in the CFC/SFL community since my youth days. However, God really brought me through some pretty rough battles within the past year, and I feel that in that time, I got closer to God in my distress. I decided to make a committed effort to be more devoted to my faith and I eventually got involved in SFL these past few months. This past conference was enlightening and strengthening. I was also fortunate to meet and get to know young adults from all over the nation. One of my friends from the New Jersey SFL, Reggie Balbin, asked me during the last night of the conference, "What message do you think God told you through this weekend?" When he asked that, I honestly told him that the answer didn't arrive to me yet. However, finally back home, I think I understand what God was telling me through my experiences this weekend with the conference as well as the social outings with the people I met.
The message is, "You are NOT alone."
This past week, I've met other young people like myself who share the same core beliefs that I do. While we are all from different places and different backgrounds, I feel that I have found an organization of young people that truly desires to make a positive change in this world through their beliefs and values. The people I met at this conference all seem to possess the mentality that they are not here on Earth to settle for mediocrity--that they are here for a purpose. They emphasize the importance of family and life, which forms a huge basis for who I am as a person and allows me to put my faith in the proper perspective. They teach the importance of purity and integrity in thought, intention, and action.
This week, I've walked away with many things learned. I learned that while I am a strong person, true Strength comes from God the Creator, whose power is Infinite and through whom all things are possible. I've learned that one must step outside their comfort zone. I've learned that there are other young people like me who like to socialize without resorting to belligerence, drunkeness, or negative behavior. I've also gotten a better understanding of what I want my future relationship with my future wife to be like.
As an added bonus, I got the chance to eat some awesome Mexican and Texas BBQ (among other animals I never thought I'd eat), ride a mechanical bull (which I lasted over a minute and a half on, to my surprise), stepped into an actual rodeo stadium, saw where JFK got shot, and I even got to help a random stranger fix a flat tire.
I want to thank all of you who made this SFL Conference possible. Thanks to my household for their support. Thank you to all of the awesome speakers who inspired me to be a better leader. I want to say hello and thanks to all of the great people I met this weekend from Texas, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Chicago, whether in the conference or in fellowship socially. All I can say is I wish you all lived closer to me! But, don't worry...I'll see you guys here in New Jersey next year. :) I want to say fist pumping will not be in the agenda...but my brother Matt makes no promises.
posted by Mike Pana at
10:43 PM
2 Comments:
Praise Jesus for this enlightenment! We are called to be the "light of the world", but we're NEVER alone to do His will. God blessed us in so many ways, all we need to do is bring that light everywhere we go and keep it burning.
By the way, I hope Matt didn't read that last part! LoL!
nice sharing
tita tess
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