Jason Herrera's Story

My mom took me to church when I was younger, but once I started Junior High, I stopped going. I still followed Jesus in my heart, but never went to church. Junior High and High School were really tough–I got teased a lot and really struggled with my self image. It was awful–I was insecure and shy and didn't have any friends. There were many times that I thought about suicide.

When I went to college I still felt empty and alone. When I had a chance to join a fraternity and actually have friends and fit in, I took it! I started hanging out, partying and doing things I knew in my heart were wrong, but I couldn't help it. It felt so good to finally belong somewhere.

A few years after college, I was still struggling. I knew I needed something different for my life, but I wasn't sure what it was. I was searching for a change when I came to Faith for the first time. I sat in my seat, listening to the worship and the message. When the altar call came, I knew it was for me. I knew God was talking to me. I went forward and felt an immediate release of all the hurt that I had been holding onto. God spoke to me and I knew I wanted to get baptized. I got baptized the following week, and I haven't looked back since!

Since coming to Faith, my life has been transformed. I've built relationships through Epic Life, and I love serving with the Baptism Team and seeing people commit their lives to God. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak into the lives of young people and give them the support that I didn't have. What a miracle that God has turned my hurt into something I can use to minister to others!

I never could have imagined how God was going to change my life and I am so grateful for what He has done.

jason herrera

Gene Avila's Story

In 1970 I went into the Army and was deployed to Vietnam. Looking back I find that God was there for me in more ways than I ever realized.

When I returned from Vietnam I was no longer the naïve, happy go lucky kid that everyone knew. I had changed to a harder person, more critical and less accepting of others. I left Vietnam on a Thursday, arrived at Fort Lewis, Washington on the same evening, was discharged by about midnight, arrived “home” around 4:00 a.m. Friday morning and was met by my pregnant wife and her family. We arrived home to my in-laws house by about 5:00 and we went to bed as if I had just come in late from a business trip. I got up around 7:00 a.m. and we discussed how I would like my breakfast eggs. From a warzone to a family home in less than 24 hours! On Sunday my wife delivered our daughter, on Monday I started school at Long Beach City College, and on Tuesday I started work. Within a five day period I went from soldier to husband, father, student, and employee. It was overwhelming.

Following my return from Vietnam I left the church, and I left God. I was angry at God for all He had allowed to happen. I couldn't believe in God or at the very least that He even cared. Within a couple of years I had a family, got over my anger, and I returned to the Catholic Church and to God. I became extremely active and a parish leader. I was well respected and for the better part of forty-five years spent my life in one parish.

Over a period of many years,I began to feel something was missing in my spiritual life. I was not being fed by the church and by my friendships. I was empty on the inside and seemed to have a big hole in me;I knew I needed help with my continuing insecurities.But I didn't know the how and where to find that help, of course God was there in front of me but I didn't see Him.I was in effect spiritually dead on the inside.

I finally realized I knew ABOUT God, but didn't KNOW God, like a longtime neighbor with whom you have never shared a meal, never said more than good morning or good evening. I related to Him but I didn't have a relationship with Him. I found that relationship here at Faith Community Church. I found God in the people I spoke to, who gave me a smile, a handshake. I saw men who demonstrated what it is to be Godly, I could see it in their walk, just the way they carried themselves, they were sure of themselves. They possessed knowledge of God and it showed in their demeanor and carriage. Men who showed the love of God.Men who weren't afraid to talk about God and how He has worked in their lives, and sharing the Good News of Jesus. I could see here at Faith Community Church that God was alive and well! I could see that here at Faith Community Church God was not a passive experience but a living and vibrant way of life. And I wanted that for myself. And that is what I have found and made part of my life.

When I came to FCC by invitation of a friend I fell in love with this church, the joy I saw and felt, people hugging, smiles and laughter, the Greeters and Encouragers, and people just standing one-on-one and praying with each other, for each other.And yes, sometimes even the tears I was blessed to witness. I felt I had arrived, I felt like I was finally home.

Slowly God allowed me, showed me how to be healed how to fight my battles. I always thought God was too busy with big things, too busy for me, how could He care about Gene Avila and my self-inflicted wounds. Early on I realized I didn't know how to pray; how to talk to Him. In fact, I barely believed in prayer at all. I was not only not a Prayer Warrior but I was a Prayer Cynic, that is until coming to Faith Community Church and finding my new friends in Jesus Christ.

Following my Baptism my life got worse, I was going thru a divorce - of my own making, I was depressed and
I fell into despair - I never knew there could be such darkness of spirit. I seriously considered suicide - I wanted to die for what I had done to my family. I wanted to die to take the pain away from my family, or so I thought, as I look back it was just another selfish time for me; it was all about me and my pain.

My divorce was a devastating event for me and my family. I was never so aware as to the “domino-effect” a divorce has on a family. I was to blame but it was still the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I found one more reason to feel worthless and I indulged in my pain and guilt. I lost not only my marriage but great group of in-laws, my son, who is still not speaking to me, a wonderful daughter-in law, and a beautiful grandson with whom I am not allowed to speak to or even contact.

But I didn't turn my back on God, not this time. I found a new power in the Word - specifically Jeremiah 29:11. Before coming to the Lord, before coming to Faith Community Church I never even knew there was a Book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 29:11 - “For I know the plans I have for you, to prosper and not harm you, to give you a future and hope”. This passage, this Scripture changed my life, quite literally saved my life.

In the past year and a half I have read the entire Bible, I have daily set-aside time for God's Word. I find God's Word is my strength. I heard an Israel Houghton song that referred to Zephaniah 3:17 and I just had to look it up: “The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

I have truly been reborn - this is my second life, this is my second chance. I ask God everyday to help me get it right and to let me be His humble servant. I have finally found out life isn't about me but others, life is about serving our God.

Gene_Avila_2

Summer Fors' Story

I grew up in West Covina. I lived a carefree childhood. Both of my parents worked a lot so when I wasn’t at school, I was with my tutor/babysitter, Cissy. I grew up as an only child and most of my family lived out of state so I saw them maybe once a year. Cissy and her family took me in. They were Catholic but Cissy was Christian. She along with my parents never forced me to believe anything I didn't want to believe in but always answered questions I had about God and faith. Being 9 years old I had a lot of questions. I spent a lot of my childhood with Cissy. She always listened and always seemed to have an answer for what ever question I had or how to look at life from a different point of view. When I was 10, I almost lost my mom from an asthma attack. My dad was out of town on a job site and he had to come home and my grandma had to fly in to take care of my mom and me. Three years later my dad was injured on the job and could no longer work. He had been in construction for more than 20 years.

I became scared and felt as if I was being punished for not believing in God. But, as Cissy had always told me, there were sometimes signs showed to us in life. I got to keep my parents just a little while longer. When I was in 9th grade, my mom had heard about Faith from someone at work. So one Sunday, my mom and I came to Faith. I remember I was scared of all the people because they were SUPER nice and I could not believe that this HUGE building was a church. My parents and I came on and off for about 5 years. After graduating from high school I started college and in my second year at Mt.SAC, and a few months into my job at Walgreens, my father under went chemo for Hepatitis C. That was the start of a very dark time in my life. I watched my father become verbally mean to my mom who was helping my father with doctor appointments, shots and so forth. I even watched my dad try to overdose on his meds in my room one night.

I didn't know that God was talking to me by giving me signs of renewing life until one day I heard a voice say, "I know. Everything will be okay." A few months before I lost my job, Pastor Taylor Hughes, the children’s and youth pastor at Faith, had come into my work one afternoon and I recognized him. He told me that he was a Pastor at Faith Community Church. I took that as a sign that I needed to go back to church.

On Feb. 13^th, 2009, I lost my job at Walgreens after working there for a year in a half. On Feb. 18^th, I went back to Faith and accepted God into my life. A week later on Feb. 25^th, I was water baptized. On that day, I felt like a weight was lifted off of me, that I was no longer alone in the world.

In April of '09 I became a leader in Zone 45. In the last 11 months, I have grown so much in my faith and I have met so many wonderful people, not just in Zone 45 but also in Epic Life and Set Free. All of this happened just because I got involved in such a great place –a place that I can call home. I am surrounded by people who have overcome so much and have come to a place that they can call home and be part of a family that will help. Faith is a place that helped them to find the light because no one should be scared of what’s in the dark.

Benjamin Aguilar's Letter

Beloved Pastor Reeve,

My name is Benjamin Aguilar. I first invited Jesus into my heart and soul about 30 years ago. I was saved at Victory Outreach. I served the Lord there until two and a half years ago. After that time period, I decided to come to this church. I lived in West Covina and often passed by Faith. I was so blessed by the kindness and love I was greeted with.

When I first came to Faith, I had cancer. I went to Brother Dan and he prayed for me. Six months later all my cancer was gone. Then a year and a half later my granddaughter graduated from Pomona College. Brother Bill prayed that she would find a good job. One month later, she was hired by a good company and got an impressive salary. Then, the doctor found a lump on her breast. Sister Marguerite prayed for her. It turned out to be a harmless cyst. I invited her to come to church and she did. That day, Pastor Dawn gave the message and my granddaughter was touched and accepted the Lord. She now attends Faith and tithes faithfully.

The rest of my family has also begun to attend Faith and are greatly blessed by your worship services. Thank you so much for your example and anointed word. We really enjoy the humor that you incorporate into your messages. Pastor, you and your family are such a blessing to me and my family.

I pray Jesus’ blessings upon you and your family,

Benjamin Aguilar

Arlene Hamilton's Story

I was brought up in a Catholic family where we did our Communion and Confirmation. However, I never had a genuine relationship with Christ. My next major religious experience was when I was in junior high. I went to a Christian play and got saved that night, but I still didn't truly understand what it meant to be a Christian.

I started hanging around with a bad crowd in high school. I started going out with guys from different neighborhoods and who were in gangs. At first, it seemed really good. You see these guys out on the streets and it's powerful. There's all the fighting and stealing - all the stuff that as a teenager you don't think anything of. You think it's a great life. After a while however, you start seeing that these same guys cannot leave their neighborhoods and are so limited in what they are able to do. They have other guys who call the shots for them and they don't really have a life. I wanted more than that.

I looked around and thought, “I'm done. I'm done with this lifestyle.” I started looking around and asking myself, “Who's living a life that I want to live? Whose footsteps could I follow in?” But I didn't see it. I didn't see anything that I wanted.

Eventually, I was asking my mom to take me to the church that her friend went to. She had a friend that she carpooled with who would leave Christian tracks in her car. My mom took me and that night I knew that I had found what I wanted - that feeling of home. I was in the right place. I started going to church regularly and I loved it. The guy that I was dating eventually started going to church with me. We got married and had two wonderful daughters. I was so happy because we were bringing them up in an entirely different life than what we had known.

It was going really great. My life was awesome. Then, one morning I found out that he had backslid. It was the biggest shock to me. I remember just going into the bathroom and crying - crying like I had never cried before. I felt like I would never get passed that. When I finally hit rock bottom, God was able to speak to me. At that moment, He asked me, “Are you going to continue going the way you're going, or are you going to follow Me?” And I told Him, “I'm going to follow You! I don't care what else is going on. I'm going to follow You.”

I was able to just let go. I picked up my two toddlers and we left to my parent's house. At that moment, I felt like I could've danced. I had such joy, not because of the situation, but because I trusted God and He blessed me with joy at that time. I continued going to church and continued being faithful. I was a single parent now and started helping and teaching my girls. Eventually God brought us to Faith Community Church where I was amazed at how much was available to me and my girls. I just loved it.

It was just after a few years of being here at Faith that my husband was killed. As a single mom, I was struggling and after a while I started thinking, “I can't do this anymore.” I stopped tithing, thinking that with the extra money I would be able to do so much, but nothing was working out. We had even less! That's when I said, “Lord, I'm sorry. You know what You're doing.” And I started tithing again. However, I was still barely getting by. I asked, “Lord, what are You going to do?” And even though I didn't feel like it, I just had to keep going. I told the Lord, “I don't know what You're doing, I don't know the plans You have for us, but I know that You are God.” And I decided not to worry about it. So I kept going and got involved at Faith. I got involved in the women's ministry and eventually started working at Faith.

It was at the time when my girls were hitting their pre-teen years that I prayed, “Lord, I'm totally fine. I love my life and I'm happy, but I wish my girls would've seen me love someone, and someone love me.”

Sure enough, it wasn't long before God brought Russ to me. He was an awesome man of God, who truly loved me and cared for us, and was a great father to the girls. I'm amazed at what God was able to do with just that one simple prayer. I wasn't even looking for a relationship with anybody.

Eventually, Russ and I got married. Our finances were brought together, including his bills, and we were making it. However, everything extra was being put on a credit card, whether it was Christmas gifts, the kid's school clothes, or car repairs. By the end of 2008, we were tired of where we were financially. We didn't have much left on the credit card and we were living paycheck to paycheck. We started wondering what we could do to get out of that situation?

We ended up seeing a financial program on TV that made such a big difference in our lives. It made sense and we understood it, so, we looked it up online and saw that they had a class we could attend and that there was a class at a church in Azusa. Russ and I went to the classes, and it made the biggest difference. It taught us some common sense principles that unfortunately aren't taught anymore. People started asking us about it and we told them the difference it made in our lives. Eventually, we decided to teach the class at Faith.

Looking at my life now and what we have, I'm amazed. We're both in ministry, we have our financial class, we have our marriage bible studies, and my girls have an awesome church to grow up in.