This is Candyce Montana. She is going to be on the Disney Channel one day.

Name

Candyce Nalley

Age

20

What is it you do?

So my name is Candyce like I have said earlier, and my favorite thing to do (as weird as this is) I love to dress up as Hannah Montana and perform her songs. I did it for kid’s camp and also for about 200 troops on the Travis Air Force Base. Despite it’s ridiculousness it’s a complete blast!

Candyce’s Scripture
Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB
Trust in the Lord  with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

What does that actually mean?

This scripture got me through a really tough time when I was a junior in High School. I had a big blow out with a great friend and had no idea what to do. This scripture was what I based that year off of. It helped A LOT!

What does it mean to you?

This scripture got me through a really tough time when I was a junior in High School. I had a big blow out with a great friend and had no idea what to do. This scripture was what I based that year off of. It helped A LOT!

“My Spot”

I have a lot of spots that I like to be. But there is one that tops them all. I love to sit in my dad’s lap. And as awesome as it is to sit in the Savior’s lap I am actually talking about my earthly father. That is the only spot in this earth where I can be and literally feel the weight of stress and frustration lift off of me and just be content. It’s amazing.

Favorite food that you don’t really want anybody to know about

I don’t really have a favorite food that I don’t want anyone to know about. I LOVE deer sausage spaghetti! It’s my dad’s specialty and it’s amazing. Sorry you’ve missed out.

Favorite God moment

My favorite God moment happened last year during my first year of MTI. I remember telling God my secret wish. My secret wish was to be a woman and to set aside this tomboy act I’d kept up for years. He told me to close my eyes, so because he’s God and I wasn’t gonna tell him no, I shut my eyes and he gave me a life changing picture. He gave me a picture of a girl sitting down on my property by a tree, that has always been my favorite, in the cow pin. Kinda funny but stay with me. So it’s a young woman by this tree, wearing a skirt, she has along hair braided to one side, and she’s reading. I remember asking “who’s that God?”  I could almost see the smile on his face as he responded “That’s you beautiful.” I laughed and said “Yeah. Ok. Not! Who is it really” I could feel that grin again as he said “it’s you. This is how I always see you. In your best times and in your worst. You are this young woman. Every time.” So now just recently i have gone through what we call a “name change” process. I used to go by Candy. But i’ve come to the realization that that was the old me. That name represented everything I was and not everything that God wanted me to be. And he wants me to be Candyce.

Something you are waiting for God to do in your life

Right now I’m praying for my newest dream to come true. I have a dream to be on the Disney channel. And as funny as it is I believe it’s a God given dream. I have always had a hear for kids, and I want to be part of the entertainment they are addicted to so I can be a good example for them.

This is Travis. You can book him to rap at your summer youth camp

Name

Travis Wolf

Age

15

What is it you do?

I Go to Rodriguez High.  I love playing guitar and water polo.  Skateboarding, snow boarding, skim boarding, surfboarding, and really anything to do with riding a board is what I’m doing in my free time.  That is if I’m not eating more food that you thought possible or doing more English homework than you thought possible.  But above all I pursue God with my life.

Scripture

Romans 6:14  “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” NIV

What does this ACTUALLY mean?

This verse literally means that sin shall not rule, be lord of or have dominion over your life simply for the reason that we are not being judged under the moral instruction of Christ but under God’s good will, loving-kindness and favor. The word law in this verse can be translated as the moral instruction of Christ. However, even though we are under grace we still need to obey the moral instruction of Christ.

What does it mean to YOU?

This verse blows my mind every time I read it.  It is the core of Christianity. The whole reason that you and I get to enter the kingdom of heaven is because of God’s grace. All people are sinners and under law not a single one of us would have the ability to enter God’s presence. When Jesus died on the cross the veil was broken separating mankind from the presence of God.  Grace is the only thing keeping me in relationship with and in favor of God. Without it, sin would be the master of my life.

“My Spot”

Anywhere in Cordelia with my skateboard, iPod and good friends

Favorite food that you don’t want anyone to know about

umm… I love meatloaf. Is that weird? Idk. I have a strange habit of smothering my pancakes with peanut butter. :D

Favorite God moment

My favorite god moment would definitely be during life change retreat. (if you haven’t gone… GO!!!!) During the retreat God gave me such a revelation of his love and acceptance that I literally broke down. It all goes back to that verse about grace.  Every time I’m amazed at his love and grace.

Something you are waiting for God to do

I’m waiting for the day that atheists stop seeing Christianity as a set of rules and condemnations but as a relationship and opportunity to experience love and grace.

This is Christina. So much personality wrapped up into one small bundle of an amazing person…

Name

Christina Alexander Irwin

Age

24

What is it you do?

I love to create “moments” out of ordinary life. I really enjoy cooking vegetarian food too, especially for people I love. I like to hang out in the travel section at borders and dream, I love sleeping in my station wagon, riding my bike with no helmet and sometimes getting hit by a car, painting, picking wild flowers, and hugging my mom.

Scripture of Choice

Psalm 51:16-17 ESV: For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise

What does this scripture ACTUALLY mean?

 David wrote this Psalm during one of the hardest times of his life, dealing with the aftermath of having an affair with Bathsheba. David was filled with guilt and shame for what he had done and in this Psalm he is crying out for mercy and praying God would wash him clean from the sin that was entangling him.

In verses 16 and 17 David speaks of the type of sacrifices God desires and the kind he doesn’t.  Not everything we offer to God is acceptable to him, and he has no desire in our animal sacrifice and burnt offerings. We obviously don’t kill animals on the alter anymore as a payment for our sin, but there are plenty of other external religious activities we try and offer to God when we’re feeling bad about the way we’re living.  Sometimes we try and “do” better, run faster, harder, and longer to try and make up for our sin. We show up to all the meetings, worship, pray, give, smile, wave, all the while never really coming to a place of true brokenness and repentance before God.

That’s what God desires of us, to take off our Sunday “I’ve got it all together” masks and get real with him. He asks us to be broken open before him and to come out from hiding. In verse 3 David says that he acknowledges his sin, he takes notice of and is aware of it. He didn’t push it aside, cover it up and pretend it didn’t exist.  When we come to terms with the reality of how jacked up we are and that we can’t fix ourselves then God can come in and heal and restore. In Isaiah 1 God rebukes the children of Israel for their works and dead religion. He tells them that he hates their feasts and that he’s had enough of their burnt offerings, “to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me?” Isaiah 1:11. God is telling us that he’s not impressed with our performance and that what he really desires of us is true repentance and heart change, apart from that our works are useless and annoying.  We must get off the stage and get on our knees and cry out in the likeness of David “wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.”

What does this mean to YOU?

There have been many times in my life when who I became was very different than which I actually was.  I’ve lived my life as a self created Christina molded and shaped to fit and uphold an image that I wanted the world to see. It’s crazy how far we can stray from our authentic self, and sometimes it’s not until we become unrecognizable in the mirror that we even realize we’ve drifted. I think it starts with the need to try and meet people’s expectations and draw meaning and purpose for my life from accomplishments and pats on the back. Suddenly I’m striving to be and keep up with this person I’ve created in my head and when I’m falling short I feel  discouraged and guilty.

There was a time reading these verses that God told me that nothing but my real self would due. He didn’t want an imposter Christina, he wanted the one that he made and loved.  There was so much freedom in being released just to be my wobbly kneed, unpredictable, crazy self and know that’s who he wants. I can be ME and in all my weaknesses and short comings still be His priestess, daughter, and ambassador. He wants brokenness not perfection.

“My Spot”

I really like to hang out in other nations, especially in kitchens full of women. Even though we look different and don’t speak the same language, the fact that we are all women creates a common bond between us and our cultural differences become trivial. We laugh and cook and clean together and I begin to feel like “just one of the girls” instead of a foreign outsider. Some of my favorite times have been spent in the kitchens of the world.

Favorite food that you don’t really want anyone to know about

Strawberry rhubarb pie. It’s not the pie that I wouldn’t want anyone to know about, it’s the amount of strawberry rhubarb pie that I can and have consumed in one sitting. I’m pretty sure it’s sin.

Favorite God moment

When I was in Australia I went on a speech fast for a day and sat out by a waterfall for hours hanging out with Jesus in silence. That was the day God gave me a new name! It was Mary.

Something you are waiting for God to do in your life

I’m waiting for God to use me to serve the persecuted church in the Middle East and bring thousands of Muslims to the knowledge of Himself. I have a God dream to stand before kings and religious leaders and speak the word of God with boldness and authority and see entire Islamic nations turned upside down for Jesus…masses of women singing and dancing before God, tearing off their veils and celebrating their freedom.

This is Alyssa. She can be found sippin an iced tea at Peets Coffee anytime of any day of the week. It’s probably why she’s so cool…Get it.. like iced tea…

Name

Alyssa

Age

Proud 15 and 1/2

What is it you do?

I enjoy writing, laughing, singing, talking, reading, watching The Office, drinking tea, and falling in love with Jesus.

Scripture of choice

Ephesians 5:2 “Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him.  (NLT)

What does it ACTUALLY mean?

“And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” (ESV)

What does it mean to YOU?

This is going to get real.

When you first read this verse, its all about love and perfume, which are weird and different subjects. But let’s look at the love part.

God is saying to live a life filled with love, a love so intense, you would die for someone you had never met. This realization came to me recently. Really, Jesus didn’t know any of us when He died on the cross. Sure, he knew we were going to exist and what was going to happen in our lives, but He didn’t know us personally. It was like a fan girl dying for Robert Pattinson. It sounds crazy, insane, and stupid, yet that’s exactly what Jesus did for us. He didn’t know us yet. We weren’t even thoughts to our ancestors. And He gave His life. Jesus was (and is) the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. He spoke us into motion, and He died for us.

Most people (myself included) have a handful of people they would die for, maybe. When Jesus was perishing on that cross, he even thought of atheists and drug addicts and prostitutes and gays and children starving to death without knowing Him. This blows my mind every time I think about it.

All my life, I have never felt good enough. Because I was the “good child”, I didn’t cause trouble; I listened to my parents, got good grades and did as I was asked. I was the oldest, and both my sisters had issues and problems with everyone in the family. And even though it was wrong, I wanted to be like them. Bad enough for a minute, so someone would pay attention to me. I went to a private school most of my life, I knew the concept of Jesus, but God always seemed cruel to me, willing to kill us all for sin.

After I switched to a public school, I started going to Genlife (recently renamed) because my best friend had a crush on someone who worked there. And I fell face first in love with Jesus at Encounter 2008. Something I always keep with me though, no matter how hard it gets and how much I need help, is that I am worth dying for. I am beloved, and I am worth a life.

My spot

In a mosh pit full of people singing the same song. Whether it’s a worship song or some pop ditty about girls. As long as everyone in the room is on the same page you are.

Favorite food that you don’t really want anyone to know about

Me and my sisters started making potato wedges (they’re like fries, but thicker). We smother them in garlic and salt.

Favorite God moment

In Genlife a while ago, Pastor Tim started talking about healing during a service. At the end, he asked anyone who wanted to be healed to come up and receive prayer. I didn’t have anything, so I was sitting and talking to my friends when I saw this kid (Luke) go up. His arm was in a sling. 2 minutes later, he turns around, wads up his sling in his hand and goes over to Kinsey. They both nonchalantly regarded that he was healed and gave each other high fives. I sat in shock for a few minutes.

Something you are waiting for God to do in your life

I’m avidly waiting for God to show me my path in life. He’s already shown me His gift on my life and my passions. I’m excited to see my next step and what He is going to do with me.