Just for TeensTeens New Creation MIGHTY CHAMPIONS MAGAZINE Winter 2017 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1 Just for TeensTeens Mighty Champions Winter Edition 2017 New Creation YOU CAN EMAIL US AT: [email protected] A PUBLICATION OF THE COPTIC ORTHODOX DIOCESE OF THE MATERIAL SOUTHERN UNITED STATES SUBMISSION By submitting letters SUBSCRIPTIONS http://suscopts.org/ and other materials mightychampions to Mighty Champions STATEMENT ON H.G. Bishop Youssef PRESIDENT Almighty God Magazine, you agree BOTROSIYA MARTYRS that the materials sub- VICE PRESIDENT H.G. Bishop Youssef MISSON STATEMENT We, the magazine staff, mitted are the property have a mission regard- EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marilyn Ekladios of Mighty Champions ing you, the reader: to Magazine and will CONTRIBUTING Angela Ayoub ASSOCIATE EDITOR Freda Tyab encourage you on your not be returned, and WRITERS Miriam Aioub Christian walk and to you agree that Mighty Suzy Bishara strengthen you through Champions Magazine, CONTRIBUTING Tereze Matta Marilyn Ekladios articles, answers, and its assigns and licens- EDITORS Mary Soliman Karim Hanna more about God’s very ees, have been granted George Makary LAYOUT & DESIGN J.B. special plan for you. the non-exclusive right Jeremiah Soliman SENIOR ADVISOR to use and/or reproduce the materials in any TECH SUPPORT J.B. LAYOUT & DESIGN Ranya Botros manner and for any purposes. SENIOR EDITOR 2 My Beloved Youth, I am delighted to present this first edition of the Mighty Champions Magazine during the glorious Advent season of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the reason for the season. This season is not about the presents we receive, but what we can give of ourselves to make the world a little better. There are many articles in this edition of the Mighty Champions Magazine that will touch your hearts and demonstrate new ways of experiencing the world around us through our Lord Jesus Christ—thus, allowing us to bring real joy to others. This season is about love and selflessness. I pray that this new literary source, specific for you, our teenagers—the future of the Church, will inspire commitment to your faith, service, and prayers. I am certain that you will also wish to share your thoughts, ideas, aspirations, and various activities in which you are involved, and inspire other youth throughout the world. The Mighty Champions Magazine is yours. God bless you, Bishop Youssef, Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States Official Instagram Account Official Bishop Youssef App https://www.instagram.com/bishopyoussef/ bishopyoussefministry.com Official SoundCloud Account Official Facebook Page https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/tracks https://www.facebook.com/bishopyoussef.suscopts/ Official Twitter Account Official YouTube Channel https://twitter.com/bishop_youssef https://www.youtube.com/user/BishopYoussef 3 Photo Credit: Angel of The Lord Jesus Christ - http://www.saintmaryhouston.org/ MIGHTY CHAMPIONS MAGAZINE CONTENTS CONTENTS New Dawn, LIFE-CHANGING New Day BY ANGELA AYOUB 7 BY MIRIAM AIOUB 8 9 He Came BY MARILYN EKLADIOS Statement on Botrosiya Martyrs 10 BY H.G. BISHOP YOUSSEF 4 CONTENTS MIGHTY CHAMPIONS MAGAZINE I Once was Blind but Now I See 11 BY Jeremiah Soliman New Creation 13 BY SUZY BISHARA 5 2017 BY Karim Hanna 17 Tasting the Sweetness BY GEORGE MAKARY of God: Repentance 14 Nativity Bible Reflection Q & A 19 Diocese 18 Photos 20 6 MIGHTY CHAMPIONS MAGAZINE ARTICLES New Dawn, New Day “Does not the shepherd leave his herd of 99 sheep to find the one BY ANGELA AYOUB that is lost?” woke up this morning sluggish, perseverance until his martyrdom, may as deranged like loving your enemy apprehensively thinking about his intercessions be with us all. or doing good to those who persecute the million things that had to be When you are baptized, yes even you. In choosing God’s path for us we done and wondering if I would you who were too young to think, move closer to that paradise where have time for lunch. Many days similar “Hey! Who is the Guy with the we are heard, understood, and loved to this run through my memory like beard?” your heart was opened to through all our faults. Beginning is the Ia movie reel on repeat. Many days I Christ and the Holy Spirit traded hardest part of any process. Why is it feel older than my 17 years and worry places with the directionless chasm in so hard to reach for the bible before if I have already forgotten that zeal you. Fear and anxiety took a backseat our phones when we first rise? Why for a life worth living. A life where to an omniscient and omnipotent can we spend 3 hours studying but I have been insurmountably blessed power. You can turn your back on hesitate to stand for prayer before we by my Heavenly Father. In moments these psychological bandits because turn in for the night? The devil strikes like these it helps me to take a deep He told us, “My grace is sufficient for at our weakest moments to tempt us breath, steal a moment of silence and you, for My strength is made perfect from the path that would give us the remember who I am and why I am in weakness.”1 I know it is hard, my most peace and blessing. Cast off these here. I am a child of God, born of heart goes out you who feel trapped by falsehoods my friends by remembering the Savior of the whole world. I am doubt. As if you are running through who your Heavenly Father is, He who here because He placed me here on a maze of your insecurities and there made the lame walk and the dumb purpose to be a light that shines for is nothing to do but say, “ I’m fine, talk. Him. I was born for Him. just tired.” It is especially important The world seems to move at a You are not alone in your fear, your in these times to turn directly to breakneck speed, with you lost in anxiety, your loneliness. God hears God. Pour out your very soul to Him the hustle and bustle. However, does you, He is present with you at this because God does not have to wake not the shepherd leave his herd of 99 very moment in time, stretching out up early for work the next morning or sheep to find the one that is lost? His nail pierced hands to you. Look to study for finals, He is merely a prayer St. Moses the Strong, whose life was away. fraught with violence and darkness. Just like when you are a baby, or He sought more than what this world a graduate, or just waking up-- there 1 had to offer, to be reborn as a new is the potential for greatness. Being 1 Cor. 12:9. creation. The same man who gambled, born again opens the spirit to new lied, and cheated would bring fresh opportunities for God to work in your water to the monks from a well miles life. So that with childlike adoration away. St. Moses refused to judge his we may follow Him, bright-eyed and fellow brother, instead teaching us all bushy tailed. We are made whole a lesson in humility and mercy with a through loving God. Starting life simple bag of sand. He chose to fight anew through Him creates avenues the spiritual battle with goodness and of thought that the world might see 7 Photo Credit: St. Moses the Strong - http://st-takla.org/ Life-Changing BY MIRIAM AIOUB ave you ever heard the sun, the moon and the stars. She Christ Himself. Christ told her, term ‘life-changing?’ concluded that there must be an “Don’t fear, my child, for I will be ‘That was a life-changing able and wise maker who created always with you,” and He healed her Hexperience.’ ‘That lecture was life- them and that this must be the wounds. Juliana decided to accept changing. It made me view the Almighty God. Luckily, one of Christ as well and chose the crown world like never before.’ What does Barbara’s teachers was Christian of martyrdom. In the morning, the it take for something to be ‘life- and taught her about Christ. As Governor’s people were amazed at changing’ – to change your life? Barbara learned more about Christ, the absence of her wounds. In anger, Can a person be life-changing? Can she began to get to know Him. Barbara was again tortured and this the influence of knowing a person Knowing Him proved to be a life- time, Juliana with her. Once again, change your life? What if you went changing experience for Barbara. Barbara’s wounds were healed. through your entire life without the She never knew a love like this love; Growing afraid because of the wealth of knowledge the Internet she never knew a truth like the miraculous healings, the Governor provides and only knowing one truth of salvation. ordered Barbara and Juliana to way of life? Let us say you did this Barbara decided to become a be simultaneously beheaded, and and then began to know someone Christian and was baptized. When they both received the crowns of outside your ordinary life and the her father, Dioscorus returned from martyrdom. experience of knowing this person a trip, he went to greet his daughter Is it possible that getting to was l-i-f-e-c-h-a-n-g-i-n-g. Would and visit the bathhouse that he had know another person can change you give up everything for this built for her.