Faith Affirmations ~ 2009 ConfirmandsResurrection Lutheran Church ~ Cary, North Carolina

OLord,open my lipsand my mouthwill declareyour praise.

Psalm 51:15

Dearest Resurrection Lutheran Church Family,

In the Book of Acts, Jesus’ words were put into action. The earlyapostles, many of whom had been with Jesus, lived among him, followed himand learned from him, spread the Word of God to all people. They were filledwith the Holy Spirit; they were tested; they were called to “Go and makedisciples of all nations,” as stated in Matthew 28.

The disciples could not be stopped. They encountered resistance. Theyencountered unbelief. Yet, the power of the Holy Spirit and their faith in ChristJesus kept them going strong. They knew they had a mission. Their lives weremeant to spread the Word of God. In Acts 5, the apostles were told to stopspreading the Word of God. The leaders of the Sanhedrin came to therealization that if the apostles were teaching lies and spreading rumors, itwould dissipate. However, as the apostles left rejoicing, they continued tospread the God’s Word to all who would hear. They knew their mission was notabout them, but it was Christ’s instructions. They knew that Christ continued tobe with them through the Holy Spirit… they could not be stopped. They werenot spreading lies. Rather, they were sharing God’s grace and love to the world.

Two thousand years later, our young Confirmands, have the samechallenge ahead of them. They will confirm their faith in the following pagesand on Confirmation Sunday. They have the obligation to live for Christ,spreading his Word in all they do. Their lives are a mission field. They willencounter resistance. They will encounter unbelief from friends and classmates.Yet, they are equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Be imitators of God,therefore, as dearly lovedchildren and live a life of

love, just as Christ loved usand gave himself up for us as

a fragrant offering andsacrifice to God.”

~ Ephesians 5:1-2

They are also equipped with the people that have shaped them andnurtured them along the way. Christ has worked through parents, pastors,teachers and church family to affirm what God has done for them. TheConfirmands have begun an incredible journey in their walk with Christ Jesus.This is the beginning of future development, growth and maturity in their faithas they confirm their faith.

As these young students gather stepping-stones of faith, they willcontinually be filled with the Holy Spirit. They will be strengthened andprotected. They will receive grace, repentance and be empowered to furthertheir work for their Lord. As the 2008-2009 class affirms their faith in thefollowing pages, may it be to the glory of Christ who has already affirmed themand confirmed them in the faith. They each have been blessed with unique giftsand talents that definitely add to the kingdom of God. They have assessed,grappled and take ownership for their faith in Christ Jesus. Praise be to God!

May we continue to support, pray and affirm these young believers. Maywe continue to share God’s grace and love with them. May we continue to lookfor Jesus in each of these young believers.

Serving Jesus with Joy,

Pastor Mark Drengler Pastor David Schleusener

Pastor Tim Lawson DCE Megan Flannery

Special thanks to the additional 2008-2009 Wednesday Night WorkshopSmall Group Leaders:

Jan BoyerJane DienesLori DurnbaughJay JohnIrene Lantry

Anjelica Bumarch

“The LORD ismy light and my

salvation; Whomshall I fear? The

LORD is thestrength of my life;of Whom shall Ibe afraid? When

the wicked, evenmine enemies and

my foes, cameupon me to eat up

my flesh, theystumbled and fell.”— Psalm 27:1-2

Hi. My name is Anjelica Ann Bumarch, but I go by Anjel. I am a 14-year-old girl with the greatest ambitions towards life. I

came into this world only being 2 lbs. 2 oz. I wasadopted into a grateful, one-of-a-kind, amazingfamily. I knew God was watching over me, placingme in His care. God gives me everything. He givesme family, friends, hope and last, but not least, theability to love and be loved. Without God Iwouldn’t be as strong as I am today. God, ifanything, made me worth something. Every day Ilook back on the situation that I was in when I was a baby, the why and how Iwas adopted. God always watches over me. God made the right choice; Hepicked the best family: my Mom, Irene; my Dad, Michael; and my two sisters,Kiersten and Erin; and my soon-to-be brother in-law, Andrew. I can’t forget mycats: Salem Sabrina and Gus-Gus. My family has helped me in good times andbad. I look up to each of them in my own special way; they taught meeverything. To tell you the truth, I couldn’t ask for a better family.

The Bible verse I chose is Psalm 27:1-2:“The LORD is my light and my salvation;Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of Whom shall I be afraid?When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, theystumbled and fell.” I chose this verse because it reminds me of all the things thatGod protects me from, including harm and hatred.

This verse tells me a lot about God. It tells me that He protects all, you cancount on Him, and He forgives for everything wrong in this world. God haspromised in this verse that because of their hatred and desire to harm, ourenemies and foes will stumble and fall. The verse states that the LORD is ourlight and salvation. God guides AND protects us. I picked this verse because Iknow that God is my light and salvation. I respond to the LORD through thisverse by letting Him know that I will try my hardest to act in His Word, and Iwill show respect, faith, bravery, honesty, and much more. I will try not to act insin, but know that if I do, God will forgive me.

God will lead me forever. No matter what I say or do, God will always love me.I know that every step I take after my confirmation, God will be with me. He isguiding and watching over me when the world puts me through tests. God gives

us direction. He is an Active God. To be stronger and healthier I know to lookto the Bible because God shows that He is true to His word. I know to lookwithin my dreams because I know God sends messages through dreams toanswer whatever you have on your mind. God is with me and so is the HolySpirit. The Holy Spirit is always beside me, guiding me and looking over me asmy own Guardian Angel.

I believe the Holy Spirit will always be with me, in good times and bad. I havefaced many hardships and putdowns from this world, but I still hold my head upstrong and keep going because if I put my faith into it, I not only will beprotected, but loved and cherished for the rest of eternity. I’ve learned to keepmy faith and trust upon the LORD and to not doubt His ways.

I will be starting high school this fall as a rising ninth grader at Green HopeHigh School. Many conflicts will come my way as I learn to take on challengesand as I mature. I will face reality in harsh ways. I know that when “bad” timescome, I will want to stop and give up. But that’s never the right answer. God’sWord and my faith, I am sure, will be enough to keep me going. I may be oneperson, but God has taught me to branch out, to learn, to try new things, and toface my greatest fears and hopefully learn from them. Without my faith andtrust in the Lord, I wouldn’t be the person I am today, nor the person I willhappily be in the future.

I know from this point on, I will find the greatest joy in serving in God’s ways.For instance, telling of His Word and sharing it with those who have yet tobelieve. In doing so, God will see that I am on His path, the Right path, doingwhat’s best for me and my peers, learning and fighting to never give in, lovingand not hating being the person He will WANT me to be. With all my faith, Iwill follow God’s Path. It’s how I was meant to be; I am meant to serve.

Charles Coley, III

Hi. I’m Charles Coley, and I am a member of a loving family consisting of my Mom, my Dad, and little sister, Gracie. I am

thirteen years old and in the eighth grade at SalemMiddle School. I play the trombone in the schoolband and jazz band. When I am not completingstacks of homework -- weighing in excess of ahundred pounds every day -- I play video games,read, or find ways to envelope myself in the latestautomotive statistics. Since starting Confirmationclasses in the fifth grade, I have learned manythings about the founding of the church, the Ten Commandments, God, Hisways, etc., and I now understand the essentials of all of these subjects. In thefuture, I plan to learn even more about the church and mature in myunderstanding of its elements.

The Bible verse that I chose is John 14:1-2: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, Iwould have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” I chose this versebecause Jesus promises me that there is plenty of room for me in heaven, andthat there will be a place waiting for me when I get there. This verse connectsme to God’s promise by telling me that a place in heaven is waiting for myarrival in the future, and that I have no reason to be troubled. This tells me thatI can trust in God, as Jesus says that He would tell me if there was no vacancy,but Jesus has prepared a place for me and will always be with me wherever I go.I respond to God through this passage by thanking Him for my place in heaven,and praising Him since I do not deserve anything from Him in the first place,yet it has been given to me anyway.

I will look to be fed and strengthened through my parents, all authorities overme, trusted friends within the congregation, pastors, and most importantly,God. The combination of all of them is the key to success in my world. I seeGod’s promises and presence in serving Him in Ignite meetings, church services,and in helping out around the community. Whether the task is simple or complex, Iknow that I am not only serving my neighbor, but also serving God.

“Do not let yourhearts be troubled.

Trust in God; trustalso in me. In my

Father’s house aremany rooms; if it

were not so, Iwould have told

you. I am goingthere to prepare a

place for you.”— John 14:1-2

Liana Dienes

“The LORD iscompassionateand gracious,

slow to anger, andabounding in love”

— Psalm 103:8

Hello. My name is Liana Dienes, and I go toDavis Drive Middle School. I have awonderful family. We do have our fights

but, really, what family doesn’t? I have a twinbrother Logan and a big sister named Tiara who issixteen. My parents are Jane and Jim Dienes. I’vebeen attending this church ever since I canremember. So many new people have come intomy life only for the better from this church, and Icare for them with all my heart. I probablywouldn’t be who I am today without them.

I chose the bible verse, Psalm 103:8: “The LORD is compassionate and gracious,slow to anger, and abounding in love.” To tell you the truth, I was being lazy and atotal jerk the day we had to pick verses, and I didn’t want to go searchingthrough the Bible. In my anger, I dropped my Bible and it opened to this verse.For some reason I had highlighted this verse in the past, so I read it again. Theverse caught me because it shows me how much the LORD does for us out ofcompassion. He is slow to anger and loves us, but so many people get angry atHim and curse His name, including me. This verse tells me how much Godloves me no matter what and will never be mad and hurt me, but instead, carefor me and only do what is best for me. That’s how I know one hundred percentHe’s going to fulfill His promise to me.

This verse connects me to God because it is an example of how I try to be, butI am not nearly as good at it. I need God’s presence in my life. Because of whatGod is like, I put my life in His hands knowing if I fall, He will always catch meno matter what.

Completing confirmation doesn’t mean that I will stop studying the Bible andlearning how to become spiritually wise. When I struggle in a situation, I willpray for help and pray to be strengthened. I will continue to attend church andpay attention, and I will read the Bible to learn and understand it better than Ido now. I intend to see God’s promises and presence when I serve Him in myheart. I feel Him there. When I take communion, I feel His hand on myshoulder forgiving me. God is with us all the time. God will always be there foryou and me because God loves us. Thank you for listening to me.

Logan Dienes

Hi. My name is Logan Dienes. As you may know, my sister Liana is also being confirmed at this time. I also wish to

acknowledge my Mom and Dad who take care ofme and drive me to my classes. My mom was evenpart of my class this year. I wish the best of luckto all of my colleagues being confirmed. Eventhough they sometimes get on my nerves, they area group that I believe will follow God and His willfor them.

The verse I chose is from 2 Samuel 6:22. King David writes, “I will become moreundignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.” I first heard thispassage read at a church in Chattanooga, Tennessee while I was there on amission trip last summer. It was a verse in a song played at the church we werevisiting, and the pastor told us all about it after the band finished playing. KingDavid was bringing the ark to the city of Jerusalem. Once it arrived, Daviddanced in front of the ark. He wasn’t wearing his proud and respected royalrobes. Instead, he was wearing a linen ephod, a piece of clothing a servant inthe tabernacle would wear. David is a very highly accomplished man and isrespected by his people. Somehow I don’t see how he could humiliate himselfin this way.

I chose this verse because I feel everyone could use the kind of enthusiasm thatKing David had toward worshiping our God. God loves us to love Him. God’slove is a promise, and yet it shouldn’t be. We don’t deserve it, but He loves usanyway. It is challenging for us to realize, but it is true that God shows usundeserved love. If the highest man in the kingdom can embarrass himself infront of citizens for our God, than anyone can do whatever it takes to pleaseour God.

I will try my best to follow God and do the work He wants me to do throughHim. I will follow His Word and continue to love Him in exchange for the loveHe has shown me.

“I will becomemore undignifiedthan this, and I

will be humiliatedin my own eyes.”

— 2 Samuel 6:22

Micah Drengler

“I will lift upmy eyes to the

mountains;From where shall

my help come?My help comes

from the LORD,Who made heaven

and earth.”— Psalm 121: 1-2

My name is Micah Drengler. My parents are Mark and Elizabeth Drengler. I have been a member of Resurrection

Lutheran Church for about three years.

My Bible verse is Psalm121:1-2: “I will lift up myeyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? Myhelp comes from the LORD, Who made heaven andearth.” I found this verse over the mission trip lastsummer and it spoke to me. This verse tells methat God will always be there even when I don’twant Him, or when I try to hide. In this verse, God promises to love me nomatter how I fall into sin and temptation and to help me in all needs. All I haveto do is call on Him. This verse reveals to me an infinite source of love,forgiveness, and consolation to turn to in need and in plenty. His love for me isbigger than the mountains. Therefore, I give Him my life, soul, and my all. Ifully give myself over to Him.

I know that God will lead and guide me beyond confirmation because Hepromised to be my aid. I will look to God’s Word and to prayer for assistance inmy faith. God constantly shows me His promises being fulfilled and His presence inthe way He works through me. I am an instrument of God’s love in all that I do.

Garrett Durnbaugh

“God is ourprotection and

our strength;He always

helps us in timesof trouble.”

— Psalm 46:1

My name is Garrett Durnbaugh, and I am fourteen years old. I attend Reedy Creek Middle School. I have been a

member of this church for seven years. One thingI look forward to is driving a car, even though myparents aren’t really sure about it. My Dad is DougDurnbaugh, and he plays in the Reign band.Sometimes he plays drums and sometimes he playsbass. My Mom is a Children’s Church helper andone of the small group leaders for our eighth gradeCatechism class. My brother’s name is Jacob andhe is ten years old. He is my best friend and makes me laugh. Both my parentsare involved in the church, and they have very important roles.

God has made me a strong person to face many challenges in my life. Duringbasketball season, for example, He gives me the ability to run, and He watchesover me so I won’t get hurt. He also protects me against one of the mostimportant things for teens — peer pressure. We all want to fit in and do whateverybody else is doing, but it doesn’t make it right. God gives me the will tostay in school, say no to alcohol and drugs, and to stay away from violence.You may not think that God helps you every day, but He does, even with thesmaller problems that we deal with.

I have been talking about protection and strength, so you might guess my Bibleverse. I chose Psalm 46:1: “God is our protection and our strength; he always helps usin times of trouble.” I chose this verse because every time I think of it, I feel safein anything I do because I know that He is by my side. In this passage I seeGod’s love more clearly because He really cares about us and will help us intimes of trouble and sorrow. What’s remarkable about this is that God doesthese things for us even though we are not worthy. He does these thingsbecause He is the Almighty Savior. God gives us the gifts of His patience andlove. He cares about every one of us; through the gift of the Holy Spirit, weaccept God’s gifts. I respond to God through prayer, and I realize that He is myprotection and He will be there when I need Him.

He will lead me down a better path, a path where I can succeed in life and feelsafe doing whatever I am doing. God is a spiritual guider. You can also think ofHim as a counselor. He guides us toward many things. We may have obstacles

along the way, but we will find a way to get around them with the help of theHoly Spirit. I will look to Jesus for strength and to be fed by His glory andsalvation. God can do great things and can make us into better people, but wehave to try. That connects us back to being safe and not making the wrongchoices that will cost us in the long run. We can feel protection every day fromGod in anything we do -- when we go to work or school, when we participate inschool activities, and when we are in the work of God.

I see God’s promises in all of us. We serve Him when we go to church,catechism, and whenever we receive the bread and wine. We should not testGod, but try to stay out of harm. In case we do slip up and get hurt in any way,God will always be our protection and our strength. He will help us cope withthe battles in everyday life. This passage has given me hope that we can lookforward to knowing that God is there in time of help. That is a promise thatGod gives us all. I will follow in God’s footsteps for the rest of my journey onthis earth.

Maureen Gallagher

My name is Molly Gallagher. I have lived in Raleigh, North Carolina my whole life. My family consists of my Mom,

Vicki, my Dad, Pat, and my older brother, Danny.Our family has been a part of ResurrectionLutheran Church for almost twenty years, andboth my brother and I were baptized here. MyMom sings in the choir, and my Dad teaches theadult and high school Sunday School classes. I amactively involved with Third Day (Drama),Harmonium Deum (Youth Choir), Exodus, andthe Middle School Youth Group.

The Bible verse that I chose for my faith affirmation is Micah 6:8: “…Act justly,love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” I chose this verse because it showshow we should live our lives as Christians and children of God. This verseconnects me to God because it helps me gain a better understanding of how Ishould live my life every day. In the verse it says that we should “Act justly.”This means that we should not take advantage of others or be cruel to them,but instead, treat them like we would want to be treated. The next part of theverse, “love mercy,” means that we should rejoice that other people’s sins areforgiven and be glad when good things happen to others even if in our eyesthey might not deserve it. The last part of this verse, “and walk humbly withyour God,” tells us that we should be happy that God is in our lives and keepHim at the center always.

I believe that after taking confirmation instruction for four years, I have learnedabout God’s love, mercy, and how to be closer to Him in my life. After beinginvolved with groups at the church, I have found ways that I can reach out toothers and spread God’s Word in ways I had never thought of before. Whetherit be inviting friends to youth group, singing in church, acolyting, or performingin Third Day, I enjoy being able to serve God with my friends and churchfamily.

Over the years I have been greatly influenced by my grandfather who is aLutheran pastor in Detroit, Michigan. He is always very strong in his faith andserves the Lord willingly. Even now, though he is old and can’t get around verywell, he will climb up the pulpit stairs and give a wonderful sermon. He visits

“...Act justly, love mercy, and

walk humblywith your God.”

— Micah 6:8

people in the hospital and helps share with them the gift of Holy Communion.He keeps a notebook in which he writes down people’s problems orcelebrations, and every night before he goes to bed, he prays for each and everyperson. This has always encouraged me to stay strong in my prayer life andalways trust that God will help me when I am in times of trouble. Mygrandfather has been a big part of my family’s faith life; he baptized both mybrother and me, came to our first communions, and attended my brother’sconfirmation. He has inspired me through his strong faith, and I will look tohim, my family, pastors, and brothers and sisters in Christ as I continue myspiritual journey.

William Horne

Hi. My name is William Horne, and I am in the eighth grade at Apex Middle School. My sister is a junior at Holly Springs High

School. My family joined Resurrection lastNovember.

The verse I chose is from the book of Joshua. It isa commandment given to Joshua by God before heled the Israelites into battle. It is related to myinterest in the military.

My verse is Joshua 1:9: “This is my command -- bestrong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with youwherever you go.” I chose this verse because the words are encouraging in my life.The verse tells me that God is faithful, and I can always depend on Him.

This verse is a command and a promise. The command challenges me to live adifferent kind of life, to do God’s will and not my own. The promise is that Godwill be with me in whatever is going on in my life. He is with me now and forever.

The part, “The Lord your God,” means He should be my God, and I shouldmake Him the most important part of my life. I will look to God to be fed andstrengthened through prayer, scripture, and friends at church.

My verse is all about service to God, and how He wants me to respond to Hiswill. When He asks something of me, I should be brave and determined to do it.

“This is mycommand —

be strong andcourageous! Do

not be afraidor discouraged.

For the Lord yourGod is with you

wherever you go.”— Joshua 1:9

Lindsey Howland

My name is Lindsey Howland. I live with my Mom and Dad and my younger sister, Sabrina. I am in eighth grade at West Lake

Middle School, and I’m a dancer at the TriangleAcademy of Dance. I love to learn about what Godhas planned for me and others after life on earth,because I like the promising aspect of it. I can betterenjoy life to its fullest if I know that life on earth isnot the end.

That’s why I chose the verse Matthew 28:20: “Teachthem to obey everything I have told you. You can be sure thatI will be with you always. I will continue with you until the very end of the age.” This versegives me hope for the future, because it states God’s promise for eternal life. Iknow that eternal life is only for us Christians who believe and are saved, and thatit is a place where there is no pain or suffering. This verse also promises that Godwill be with me always and through everything. When something upsettinghappens, like a bad grade, a problem with my friends, or even a death, I know Idon’t have to go through it by myself. I also know that when good things happenin my life, God is with me then, too, like during a dance performance I’m feelingconfident about. I will respond to Him by teaching others about Him. Just beingkind to others and treating them with respect is a form of teaching them aboutGod and serving Him.

Beyond confirmation, I will look to God for strength throughout my life throughthe Holy Spirit, since I know that I cannot come to God by myself. The HolySpirit will be with me always, calling me to Christ. I will especially look to God forstrength when I move on to high school where I have to start at a new school andmake new friends. I will see God’s promise for eternal life with me always, and Iwill look to His promise for strength and hope in the future.

“Teach them toobey everything I

have told you. Youcan be sure that I

will be with youalways. I will

continue with youuntil the very end

of the age.”— Matthew 28:20

Alexander Jansch

Hi! I’m Alex Jansch. I’m a Lutheran who goes to church a lot less than I should, but without God’s presence in my life, I

would have a harder time telling right from wrong,I would have nothing to expect in the afterlife andI would feel pretty lonely. (I also wouldn’t behere.) I believe Jesus is kind and selfless.

Jesus has been my salvation by protecting me,giving me life, giving me an education and lettingme go to heaven when I die. The Holy Spirit’swork and power is to shape us into the image ofJesus. He wants us to be like Him. We try, but we aren’t perfect; we only wishwe were. When I look at the cross, I realize how much Jesus loves me and thatHe died on the cross for me.

I intend to serve God by donating to churches and charities. In addition, I mightgo on an occasional mission or two. My belief in Jesus is seen in my life bygoing to Catechism and seeing me pray. Jesus has given me life. I know I’m notperfect, but Jesus died for me and gave me new birth through his resurrectionfrom the dead. Praise be to God!

“Praise be to theGod and Father

of our Lord JesusChrist! In his

great mercy hehas given us newbirth into a livinghope through the

resurrection ofJesus Christ from

the dead.”— 1 Peter 1:3

Lily John

Hi. My name is Lily John. I am thirteen years old and I attend Daniels Middle School. I live with my Dad, brother,

sister and grandparents. I also have two dogs. Myfamily and friends have been a great and positiveinfluence in my life. I have many friends at churchwho have been there to help me during some verydifficult times in my life.

The Bible verse that I have chosen is John 14:1-2.Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust inGod; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are manyrooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

I picked this verse because it strengthens my relationship with God. It assuresme that Jesus’ death on the cross has secured my place in heaven. This makesme feel good, because I will be able to see my special loved ones who havegone to heaven before me. It is also comforting to know that all of my lovedones are in heaven, because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

After I am confirmed I will look to strengthen my faith and to be guided by God. Iwill look to my family and friends for help and wisdom as I grow into an adult. I feelclosest to God when I am serving others. I feel this way because Jesus loved andserved us. I gather strength from my religion, and I know that God will always bethere to watch over me and take care of me, no matter what happens.

“Do not let yourhearts be troubled.

Trust in God; trustalso in me. In my

Father’s house aremany rooms; if it

were not so, Iwould have told

you. I am goingthere to prepare a

place for you.”— John 14:1-2

Morgan Jones

Hi! My name is Morgan Jones. I am thirteen years old, and I am a member of a family of five. I also have an older half sister

named Erica and an older half brother namedJustin. They both are in their twenties and live inOhio. Along with the two older siblings, I havetwo younger sisters named Taylor, who is in sixthgrade, and Addie. My whole family is a really greatinfluence on me because they are always there forme and are always encouraging me to do my best!

I chose the Bible verse Psalm 100:3 because it wasincluded in a song I once sang in the church’s children’s choir. The verse is“Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, thesheep he tends.” I really love this verse because it reminds me that God is alwaysgoing to be there for me and is always going to help me no matter what I need.The verse also means to me that God’s love is going to be endless for me, andHe is always going to forgive me no matter what I do. The verse also tells meGod is going to do anything to take care of me.

After my confirmation I hope that God is going to help me succeed at schooland my life beyond it. When I begin my adult life, God is still going to be therefor me and is still going to forgive me. I see God promising to help me andstrengthen me throughout my life now and after my affirmation to the church.Also I feel Psalm 100:3 connects me to God because it reminds me that Ibelong to Him and His Kingdom.

“Know that theLord is God.

He made us, andwe belong to him;we are his people,

the sheep he tends.”— Psalm 100:3

Robert Lantry, III

“Yet I hold thisagainst you: you

have forsakenyour first love.Remember the

height from whichyou have fallen!

Repent anddo the things

you did at first.”— Revelations

2:4-5

Good Morning. My name is Robert Lantry. I’m in the eighth grade at Apex Middle School. I live in Holly Springs with my

Mom, Irene, and in Apex with my Dad, Bob. Iparticipate in the Third Day Players.

An interesting fact: my faith verse shows me howmuch I need God’s love and forgiveness becauseit’s so easy to mess up!

The Bible verse I chose is Revelations 2:4-5: “Yet Ihold this against you: you have forsaken your first love.Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”I chose this verse because I’ve always thought Revelations is a good book, andwhen I read this verse, it shows what has happened to us, to God’s people.What this verse tells me about God is that He will never give up on us. Eventhough we were created in His image, we are often nowhere close to reflectingthat image well. God sent Jesus to earth to die for us, and I know that because Ibelieve in Jesus, I will not go to hell. God says to repent and do the things youdid first. He’s asking us to do the things we did when He first created us.

After Confirmation it is not, “That’s it. I’m on my own.” God will always be inmy life, and it’s because of my faith that I will continue to read the Bible andlook to understand what God wants for my life.

When I am busy helping other people for God, I don’t always notice that I’m reallyhelping them. But when I finish, I step back and look at what I did and see thatothers have benefitted from that work. I realize, “Wow! God has really used me tohelp someone!” It is then that I see that I am working to reflect God’s image.

Jacqueline Leyrer

“For the LordGod is our light

and protector. Hegives us grace and

glory. No goodthing will the

Lord withholdfrom those who do

what is right”— Psalm 84:11

My name is Jackie Leyrer. I was born in Raleigh and am the youngest of four children. My brother Marc is 23 and

recently graduated from NC State. My two sistersboth go to NC State. Kathryn is a junior andStephanie is a freshman. I am in the eighth gradeat Cary Christian School. I play soccer and enjoyreading and spending time with my friends.

The Bible verse I chose is Psalm 84:11: “For theLord God is our light and protector. He gives us grace andglory. No good thing will the Lord withhold from thosewho do what is right.” I chose this verse because it reminds me of what God doesfor me every day. He watches over me and shows me the way to live. All Heasks in return is that we have faith in Him, follow Him and try to do what isright every day. God has a plan for me, and He wants me to trust and followHim. Decisions about what I should be doing when going out with friends, orchoosing friends involve putting my trust in God. Also, I had a knee injury inJanuary that took me out of both school and CASL soccer. I was verydisappointed, but trusted that it was part of God’s plan and things would workout. He has a good life planned for me, so I should follow Him.

I believe God wants me to have a happy and fulfilling life. As long as I followHim and try to make good choices, He will lead me down the right path. Godloves me whether I make a good or bad decision. It is comforting to know Hedoesn’t love us more or less, but loves us unconditionally. I can be strengthenedin following His path by attending church, participating in activities that serveHim and others (like Appalachian Service Project and Teen Korp), and tryingto associate with friends who feel the same way. Doing what is right is servingGod. When I make good choices, I know He is watching. This is challengingbecause I don’t want to make a mistake and disappoint God. This is comfortingbecause I know that God is always watching over me.

Emily Morgan

“Be strong andbrave. Don’t beafraid of them.

Don’t be fright-ened. The Lord

your God will gowith you. He will

not leave you orforget you.”

— Deuteronomy31:6

My name is Emily Morgan. I go to Holly Ridge Middle School. I live with my Mom, Cheryl. My family has been going

to Resurrection Lutheran Church for about eightyears. My brother Kevin is currently touring theEast Coast with a Christian youth band, CaptiveFree. Interest in the fine arts runs in the family. Iam in Third Day (RLC’s drama group), HarmoniaDeum (RLC’s youth choir), and Exodus (RLC’syouth band). I don’t know where my life will lead,but I know for sure it will include music becauseit’s a big part of who I am. Music is one of the most amazing gifts Godgives us. My mom has greatly influenced my faith life because she is a verystrong Christian. She reminds me all the time that God should be the centerof my life. She doesn’t necessarily say it in those words, but she shows methat with her actions.

My confirmation verse is Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraidof them. Don’t be frightened. The Lord your God will go with you. He will not leave you orforget you.” What this means to me is that God will always be there for me andhelp me. Whether I’m having problems with friends or with family, or anythingelse, He is there for me; I just have to pray, listen and believe. You shouldn’t beworried about things like school and friends because God will help you. When Istarted working on my faith affirmation, I couldn’t think of what to say, and Iworried about it for days. I suddenly realized I should be praying about it,because that’s exactly what this Bible verse is saying. Now I need to apply it tomy everyday life. I know it won’t be easy, but it will make me feel a little betterabout the things I do because I know God is helping me.

God isn’t just there during the bad times. He’s always with me. Sometimes ifyou’re happy, you tend to stray from God. To prevent this from happening, Ican do the same things as when I’m worried or sad: pray, listen and believe.God has put people in my life to show me this. My mom is one of these people.God can stay the center of my life, just as my Mom has modeled for me. Mybrother is also someone whom I look up to when thinking about my faith. As amember of the Christian band, Captive Free, Kevin does daily devotions withhis team members. He has very strong faith. I look to Kevin as an example ofways that will help me keep God at the center.

I know God will always be with me, even in the unknown future. He’ll be therefor high school, college, and the rest of my life. God will guide me to make theright decisions when it comes to what I’m going to do with my life, as long as Iremember to praise Him, thank Him, and ask Him for help with everything.

John Padden

“Keep me safe,O God, for in you

I take refuge.”I said to the

LORD, “You aremy Lord; apartfrom you I have

no good thing.”— Psalm 16:1-2

Hi. I am John Padden. I have two brothers, Tom and Bobby; a Mom, Patsy; and a Dad, Jerry. All of my brothers and I play

lacrosse. My Dad, brothers and I like to go fishing.During confirmation I was taught by all threepastors, DCE Megan, and Mrs. Boyer. Inconfirmation I learned about the TenCommandments, the books of the Bible, stories inthe Bible, the Lord’s Prayer, and Jesus’ life.

For my verse I chose, Psalm 16:1-2: “Keep me safe,O God, for in you I take refuge.” I said to the LORD,“You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I chose this verse because Iliked the message. It says that without God nothing is good; we are not wholewithout Him. It also says that God is our permanent shelter, and He willprotect us. You can always use this verse when you have no one else to turn to,when you feel that God has abandoned you. Now that I have learned this verseand what it means, I am going to turn to it more. My response to this verse isthat God is my Savior, and He will never abandon us. He will always be myrefuge no matter what happens to me. After confirmation I believe God willlead me where I need to spread His Word and be a fisher of men.

Sarah Peterson

“Be strong andcourageous.

Do not be afraidor terrified because

of them, for theLORD your God

goes with you; hewill never leave you

nor forsake you.”— Deuteronomy

31:6

H i. My name is Sarah Peterson. I’m in the eighth grade at West Cary Middle School. I have a Mom named Brenda

and a Dad named Grant. My sister Hannah is ajunior in high school.

I’ve been a member of Resurrection LutheranChurch since I was born. I’m currently in the ThirdDay drama group and the Middle School YouthGroup. I love acting, exercising and sometimesreading! I was born on October 12, 1994 and wasbaptized by Pastor Paul on October 14, 1994 atUNC Hospitals. On Christmas Day 1994, I had a presentation baptism atchurch -- no water was used the second time as I had already been baptized.This was for the congregation to take part in. After I was born, I had threesurgeries before 2007 and then another one in the summer of 2007. This is howI know God will always be with me all the time. I know this because ofImmanuel, which means God with me. His promise is true! He is always withus -- like when He led the Israelites out of enslavement in Egypt.

My affirmation verse is Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not beafraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will neverleave you or forsake you.” This verse taught me that all the times I was in thehospital God was right there next to me and never left me. He gave me faithand the strength I needed to go through all the surgeries I’ve had in my life. Inthe summer of 2007, the pastors and DCE Megan came to visit me at UNCHospitals. My family and my church family and friends were right there next tome, praying with me and encouraging me to get better. If it weren’t for them,and definitely God, I would never be here! It took a lot of strength and effort toget better. That’s why I will always remember that God will never leave me!When you worship, read the Bible and go to communion, you are alwaysreassured that Jesus is the God who is with you!

Nicholas Schaefer

Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Nicholas Schaefer. I am in eighth grade and attend Salem Middle School. I

have an older sister, Kaitlyn, and a youngerbrother, Aaron.

I chose Ephesians 2:8-9 for my Confirmationverse: “For it is by grace you have been saved, throughfaith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.”

I have read that Paul wrote the book ofEphesians, and he wrote it to the Church of Ephesus. Ephesus is near Selçuk,Turkey. I chose this verse because it reminds me of this part of the Apostle’sCreed: “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our LORD, who was conceivedby the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, wascrucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day herose again from the dead.” The Apostle’s Creed states that Jesus died to save allwho believe in Him, and without faith that cannot happen. Faith is in our heartand in our head. We must believe with our soul and our mind, and that is a giftfrom God. Jesus Christ died on the cross and suffered for us, sinful people. Thisshows that God is a very selfless entity. His selflessness makes us forgiven. TheApostle’s Creed was written as a teaching tool to show others what Christiansbelieve and how to live their lives under God.

Our study of the Bible and the Catechism has taught us many things, some ofthese things are not easy to understand. For me, Confirmation is not an end; itis a beginning. It is the beginning of my adult life in faith and service underGod. I know that with the support and guidance of my family and thecongregation, my spirit will continue to grow, my faith will become strong, andthe grace of God will watch over me.

By Grace, through faith, I AM SAVED!

“For it is by graceyou have been

saved, throughfaith — and this is

not from your-selves, it is the giftof God — not byworks, so that no

one can boast.”— Ephesians 2: 8-9

Tanya Van Dyk

Jesus said to him,“I am the way, the

truth, and the life.No one comes to

the Father exceptthrough me.”— John 14:6

Hi. My name is Tanya Van Dyk. I am fourteen years old. I go to Daniels Middle School. I was born in Pretoria, South

Africa. I was born on January 3,1995. I live withmy mother, father, and two sisters. My mother’sname is Magda. She works in the medical field. Myfather’s name is Machiel. He works withcomputers or something like that. I have threedogs and their names are Vlekkie, Mickey, andSusie. One of my best friends, who is also in myconfirmation class, is Lily John. I love her andappreciate her a lot because she has to deal with me almost every day, and wehave gone through some hard times. I’m fluent in both English and Afrikaans.Currently, I am learning Spanish. At Daniels, I’m playing softball again for thesecond year. This year I’m the starting pitcher. When I grow up I want to beeither a forensic scientist or a heart surgeon. Before I achieve one of thosegoals I want to be the starting pitcher for the USA Olympic team. I know thesegoals are big, but I hope and pray that God will help me achieve them.

For my confirmation verse I chose John 14:6. My verse reads, “Jesus said to him,“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Ichose this verse because it tells me that Jesus is going to take me to heaven tomeet my Father. I will get to live in His eternal presence for all of eternity. Hewill love me and take care of me because I am his child.

My verse gives me reassurance that God will keep His promise and come andsave me and all people and welcome us into eternal life. When He does, He willtake my friends, family, and loved ones with Him.

The day that Jesus welcomes me to heaven will be the best day in all my life.This passage also tells me that God is watching over me and making a plan formy life. I know no matter what I do or who I become, God will love me nomore or no less than He already does. I want to put all my faith and trust inHim so that He can work through me so I can please Him and make HisKingdom better. When I get to heaven I hope that God will say, “Welkom mydogte,.” which means “Welcome my daughter” in Afrikaans.

Olivia Wood

“This is mycommand:

Love each other.”— John 15: 17

Hello. My name is Olivia Wood. I am part of a family that contains five human beings and a cat. In the past year or so,

I’ve become very interested in different religionsand have learned a lot about other people’s beliefs-- like my friend Quin’s, who is a Jehovah’sWitness. Despite my exposure to other faiths, Ikeep coming back to Christianity because I knowdeep in my heart that it is the Truth, and that’sTruth with a capital T. Jesus is the Way and theTruth and the Light.

The Bible verse that I have chosen is John 15:17: “This is my command: Love eachother.” I chose this verse because it applies to everyone on the planet, not justChristians. After all, God loves everybody. When I was searching through theBible for a verse, I wanted something that proved that whether you believeJesus was divine or not, He was still a truly good person that should berespected and looked up to. Yes, He is also, of course, the true God. The pointis, He is a good role model for everyone, not just followers of the Word. Thisverse also says powerful things about God. He loves everybody in the wholeworld -- all nearly seven billion of us and counting. This must be true becauseif He didn’t love everybody, why would He tell us that we should? That’s beinghypocritical, and God is most certainly NOT a hypocrite. Despite the utterimpossibility of it, I think loving everyone is a good goal for someone to have.

As what math teachers would call a corollary to the verse, it says God loves usno matter what we do. There is no way I can make Him love me more, andthere is no way I can make Him love me less. This verse, and the universality ofit, makes me want to do what Jesus is commanding and make a sincere attemptto love everybody. Every human life is equal to every other human life. Since itis utterly impossible for normal humans to love absolutely everybody the sameamount, and Jesus did, that means He must therefore also be God. There is nomortal (besides Jesus, who was 100% human as well as 100% God according tothe Bible [which is, of course, a holy text]) who is superior in the grand schemeof things. How can I attempt to love all in Christ, regardless of their beliefs? Ican respect them and their ways, but not try to convert them. I think it is theirown choice what to believe, as it is my own. I should not conform to theirbeliefs nor should they to mine. Spirituality is a personal choice everyone has to

make for themselves. As long as they know they can turn to Jesus at any time,that’s good enough for me.

After I am confirmed, I intend to continue living a spiritual life in Christ and tokeep the Holy Spirit in my thoughts throughout life. Where will you look to befed and strengthened? If an atheist were asked that question, he would saysomething along the lines of, “I will depend on myself, my job and my talents.”Yes, that is true for the majority of us, but do not jobs and talents come fromthe Divine?

God promises to look out for those who believe in Him. In my thirteen years ofservice, I see myself as being looked out for and taken care of. I have a lovingfamily, a house, food, water, and a surplus of things that are not needed forsurvival but are nice to have anyway. I see God everywhere in my life right now,and I feel blessed.