Mental Health Awarness: Hope in the Word of God!

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 05:34:36 GMT

Reese giving a Message of Hope through the Word of God

Testing and grades are around the corner for most students. We have great encouragement from the word of God to overcome anxiety!

Happy Thanksgiving - RaceCityFCA

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:15:58 GMT

A Thanksgiving message from our Students

Greetings, FCA Family and Friends!!!

I stepped out onto my carport this Thanksgiving Eve only moments before a thunderstorm began to pass quickly through the area. My cell phone alerted me that lighting was nearby, which was affirmed by the rolling thunder in the distance. The wind began to pick up along with the increased intensity of rainfall. Gusts of wind started to flow sideways, and raindrops converted into hail size bullets pounding everything within its shadows. I was completely in awe of the moment because the Holy Spirit reassured me that despite all the calamity around me, I can forever rest in his peace, which produces a joy that makes me grateful. I am forever thankful for the wondrous work performed on the cross, the soothing Comforter that dwells in the hearts of believers, and a Father who is willing to go to great lengths to reconcile his creation! In conclusion, as I reflect on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, which says for us to "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I am immensely blessed on how the Lord has brought me out of calamity and into a new season of full-time ministry with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. My coaches, athletes, and students are the biggest joys in my life as I get to watch Christ flow in the hearts of young people. A year ago, there was only one FCA huddle and 45 students. At this moment we have 15 huddles that reach 300 students on a weekly basis!

God is so good, and I pray that time with family and friends will be richly blessed.

Very Respectfully,

Jeramy A. Smith

Race City FCA

Area Representative

770-468-7453

Email: jeramysmith@fca.org

Website: www.racecityfca.org

Book time to meet with me

The Grandson of a Preacher

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:47:22 GMT

Reflections at Blue Ridge YMCA in Black Mountain, North Carolina

As a young kid, I never went to church. My parents and I did not even attend church for Easter or Christmas. We just did not have an interest in these holidays. My mom is more apt to attend church because she is a firm believer, and dad is more hesitant. As the years went on, I started seeing my friends and hearing them talk about church. I didn’t understand faith and I never thought about God. It wasn’t until I was about 6, I heard my grandfather talk about God and church. My grandfather was a pastor at a church. When I heard him talk about it, I was always happy to listen to him. The only problem was that he lived about 5 hours away in Virginia. I was only able to hear the Gospel about twice a year. The problem with that is I would hear the word of God and I would feel great but then I would get home and just like that I would forget everything.

As I got older, I would see more and more of my friends going and talking about church. One day when I was about 10, I spoke with my parents and shared, “I want to go to church." After that we found a church. It was a very old church, no kids, nothing! Church would be boring and after a while, I stopped going to church. Years would pass by, but I still heard the Gospel about twice a year at my grandpa's church. I could not put my fingers on it, but there was a void inside of me that needed to be filled by something or someone.

I found the church that I attend now when I was in the 8th grade. The church has an amazing youth group, and I truly have found my community. Between the summer of my 8th grade year to my freshman year of school, my grandfather passed away. I had lost the final light of God that I was able to hold onto in my life. Yes, I attended church, but I rarely paid attention or cared about the messages, but the loss of my grandpa made it feel as if there wasn't a God. My freshman year started, and I decided to go with the flow of life. I was extremely stressed out and began to build relationships with new people. In my mind, these new people were perceived to be cool. Truthfully, they were some of the worst influences I could befriend. I started drinking every now and again with some of my friends. “Now & Again” turned into often and "often" turned into every day. My drinking went on for 8 months. I still would go to church with a friend. There were times I went, and I was honestly a little hungover and the only reason I went to church was so my parents wouldn’t notice. It wasn’t until April 30th, 2022, when I decided to quit. I quit because I ended up bringing it to a place where I shouldn’t have. I realized that it was a problem and that I had been living this Christian lie. I would tell my friends every day that I believe in God and his instructions. It was all a lie until that moment when I realized that I was presenting myself in a way that doesn’t suit him. I had thoughts of my grandfather being disappointed in me as he looked down at me. The thoughts encouraged me to stop drinking and began working on myself.

A couple months later I was preparing to go on a Boy Scout Trip. The trip was a very long and difficult hiking trip in the back country of New Mexico. I was the chaplain's aid. A chaplain aid is a person who supposed to lead prayers and make sure we complete all the devotionals every day. It wasn’t until the seventh day of the trip something impacted me. We had the hardest part of our hike that day where we went to the highest mountain in all of New Mexico. I opened the bible I got from the camp, and I opened it. Not knowing what I was about to do would change my life forever. I just started flipping through pages and I read 2 quotes. First Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and then John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son, that whoever believes in me shall not perish but have eternal life.” It was in that exact moment I accepted Christ into my heart, and I was saved! I realized that even though I was drinking it didn’t matter, because that light I thought I had lost never went away. If anything, it was getting brighter and brighter throughout time. When I came home from the hiking trip, I was stuck to myself to study the word of God. I began to read my Bible and understand how to have a walk with Christ. A couple months later I heard from a friend named Vern, who told me I should come to FCA. Well, I was apprehensive at first because I didn’t want to wake up earlier in the morning. I went to FCA and enjoyed the Huddle, and I haven’t stopped going since the invite. I am truly thankful to Vern because without him I would never have been introduced to FCA. In February of 2023, I started speaking and sharing the Gospel. I was baptized for the first time on March 12th, 2023. I felt free! I felt clean! After that day I continued to grow in Christ. My day of baptism led me on a journey to connect with wonderful friends and become more grateful for His blessings.

In conclusion, I want to leave everyone with this final message. I understand that everyone is going through something, whether it is drinking, drugs, sex, pornography, or anything at all. I promise you there is always a light! Remember that no matter how hard the devil will try and go into your soul and close you off from God, there will always be away back to Jesus. Jesus is always the person ready to rescue you!

Blessings,

Jacob Seyler-Schmidt!

Race City Blog

Mental Health Awarness: Hope in the Word of God!

Reese giving a Message of Hope through the Word of God

Happy Thanksgiving - RaceCityFCA

A Thanksgiving message from our Students

The Grandson of a Preacher