Confirmation Statement of JZ

What does Jesus mean to me?

Jesus to me is like the Colorado River. Most rivers only form valleys but the Colorado formed the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s 8 or 9 natural wonders. It is truly magnificent just like Jesus. Jesus formed our Christian faith and always puts you in a better mood for the rest of that day when you hear His word, it leaves you in a good mood just like what happens to you when you go and see the Grand Canyon. One of the best things that Jesus did was teach His word. He would go up to a rock and teach to hundreds or thousands of people. I don’t know about you but to me, teaching to a couple of people is hard; imagine teaching to hundreds or thousands of people. Also, many people think Jesus was a perfect man, but to me he wasn’t. For example, people were using the Temple as a marketplace and selling things in it. When Jesus found out about this he stomped in the room and flipped all of the tables over with all the money that the people were collecting. After that he yelled at the people, “Why are you turning my father’s house into a marketplace!” All the people just stood quiet as a mouse and left the building after that. This shows me that I don’t have to be perfect to be a good Christian. Jesus had many people that followed him and he sent them to places to tell other people about His word and about what he does. These people were called the 12 disciples. One of the other things that Jesus was good at was performing miracles. Some examples are when he fed the 5,000 out of two fish and five loafs of bread and when he walked on water and got Peter to walk on water too until he questioned his faith. I believe I can do miraculous things by following and believing in Jesus. These are a couple reasons of what Jesus means to me.

How have I grown in faith and understanding of God’s grace these past few years?

I have grown in faith these past few years by learning more about the Christian history and some of the events that occurred in there like the Stoning of Steven, the 95 Thesis of the Catholic Church by Martin Luther, and much more. I have also grown by reading the Bible more often and getting to know Jesus’ word better. I have prayed more in my time and as a result I have felt God’s presence with me more often than usual for certain things. I feel like a much stronger Christian now that I know more about the history and this is an example of how I have grown in faith over the past couple of years. I used to think that church was boring because all you do was just sit there, but now I think different. Now, I think church is a time when you have God forgive your sins, get Holy Communion, and get more familiar with Jesus’ word and the Bible from the First and Second Readings and the Holy Gospel. Also, in Confirmation, I have got to know the meanings of some of the verses are in the Bible. One of my favorite ones is James 1:19-22. These verses say, “ 19 you must understand this my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. The main idea of this is that most people want to speak during a conversation, but everyone should listen to the other person carefully. You should do this because you can only learn when you listen. Also, do not let your anger come out quickly. By slowing down angry thoughts, you may prevent behavior that is not Christian-like. The teachings and Bible study that I have listened to and understood have given me the foundation for Christian behavior.

Why do I wish to affirm your faith in baptism at this time?

I wish to affirm my faith in baptism at this time because I feel like I have a better understanding about the Christian faith and what it is about. At baptism my godparents and parents spoke for me. While they wished and hoped I would become a good Christian it was up to me to decide if I were going to be a good Christian or not in my life. Also, I was baptized in an Episcopal Church and moved to California and then finally to Virginia. With each of these moves I have come to meet different examples of Christians and their faith. I have seen how faith has allowed these people to become friends and examples for me. It has showed me what people can do with Christ in their life and with Christ providing guidance in their lives. Having Christ in my life will help me be a better brother, son and person. It is at this point where I want to reaffirm my Christian faith in baptism.

How am I and how do I intend to use my gifts, talents, and abilities for the ministry of the church?

I realize that any gifts and talents that I have are gifts from God. It is up to me to make the best use of these gifts. One way that I will use these talents is by providing service to the church. Early on, it was listening in Sunday school and paying attention in church was how I used my talents. As time has passed, my opportunities to serve the church have grown. I now am an acolyte and crucifer that adds to the church service. I feel the most important part is how I use my faith to interact with other people. I try to make my Sunday school experience one where my insight and comments add to the overall experience. Sometimes others feel it is not cool to think about the Bible. I try to show my friends through my actions that you can be a fun person while reading the Bible. Actions really do speak louder than words. Hopefully my participation sparks interests in others. One of the biggest ways I have used my talents is when we went down to the homeless shelter and served some food to the women there. By giving just my time and my patience, I felt that these women saw that men like me can be gentle and caring. The best use of my talent is by being this example for those around me. I try to set this example to my family and to those around me. In this way, I feel the church and the pastors can always count on me to help out in any way I can. Serving the church is an important part in being a good Christian. You cannot be a good Christian by keeping thoughts, words, and deeds to yourself. You must share your talents and there is no better way to share my talents than with the church.