2To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

www.Christeenianity.com

Contents:FEATURED ARTICLES8

Interview WithSixteen Cities

Non-Pro�t Highlight 6

Family Violence Prevention Services, Inc.

Dear Christeen4

A Note From...13

Dustin O. Martin

Concerts11

Local Youth Groups14

National Runaway Switchboard 800-RUNAWAY (786-2929)

National Teen Dating Abuse 866-331-9474

Connections Crisis Hotline 800-532-8192

TX Abuse Hotline 800-252-5400

Teen Pregnancy 866-942-6466

Alanon/Alateen (SA) 888-829-1312

You may submit articles or your letter to Dear Christeen either by mail

at 5321 FM 311 #1, New Braunfels, TX, 78132, or via email at Info@Christeenianity.com.

If you would like to receive a Free copy of the NLT New Testament Bible, please email

your name and address to info@Christeenianity.com, or call us at 830-481-5058

Romans 14:23, “But if you have doubts

about whether or not you should eat

something, you are sinning if you go ahead

and do it. For you are not following your

convictions. If you do anything you believe is

not right, you are sinning.”

Have you ever caught yourself saying,

“Well, so-and-so is doing it”, trying to justify

a reason for making a decision?

When it comes to questionable activities,

many of us rationalize to find reason to join in

because we want so badly to fit in. This verse

is very clear in that it places the responsibility

of choosing right or wrong on your shoulders.

I think a more appropriate questions for

situations as these would be, “Would Jesus

approve?”. How can we be sure something

is right or wrong? The Holy Spirit of God will

give you an uneasy conscience.

If you don’t feel in your heart that Jesus

would approve . . . then He probably won’t.

Follow your conscience, walk away. Be

obedient to God and put a smile on His face.

After all, in the end His opinion of you is the

only one that really matters.

Publisher Christeenianity, LLC, Editor - Audra Hughes

Contributing Writers - Dustin O. Martin, Elisa Nodine, Kayla Ramos, John Sapp, Paige Vena

Graphic Designer - Ezrah Khan Sales - Audra Hughes

IN EVERY

ISSUE

3

ChristeenDear Christeenianity - Right now I am going through my moms second divorce.... it is hard for me and my sister. Sometimes I blame it all on myself but I know that it isnt really my fault. I just wanted to know that someone is out there that cares about and knows what I am going through. It just seems so hard to go through. I just want to blame myself all the time. But I am a firm believer. But I just need to know that someone knows and cares what I am going through. thanks for reading and God bless - Torn in NC

Dear Torn - I’m sorry to hear about the hard times your family is experiencing. My prayers will be with all of you. And I’m glad that you recognize that this divorce is not your fault in any way. But I know, like you

said, that it sometimes still feels like it is your fault. But Christopher, your mom has very personal reasons for making her decisions, and you should never feel like you are responsible for those decisions. I know that this must be very hard for you and your family, and it’s perfectly okay to feel down about it. But remember that this will never change the love that your mom has for you and your sister. You

guys are a family and nothing can change that. And, finally, know that this hard time

is only temporary – there is always a light at the end of every tunnel. “Yet if you devote your heart to him […] You will surely forget your

trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope;” Job 11:13-18. - Love, Christeen

D e a r C h r i s t e e n ,

4To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

I knew it was wrong.I never felt the pain,

But that time did comeWhen I first heard the baby.

It was screaming with tearsinside its mother’s womb.

�is image in my headBurned my conscience through.

�e first time I was brought to tears...

So I joined �eCall.I prayed for hours a week.

I heard the voice of the unbornAnd the voice of God start to speak.

I have done what I can,But I cannot escape

�is burden on my heartTo save a child from its fate.

All those little angels,Who only suck their thumbs,

Will be cut into pieces.How could I feel so numb?

Numb to this holocaust,�is mutiny of life,

Knowing my dollars support�is bloodstained knife?

Oh, the tears they must cryFrom the acids pain.�at day they will die

And their blood will be drained.

Again I am brought to tears...

I complain of my hardshipsAnd take for granted my friends,but their sweet, sweet innocents

Reminds me of when;

Of when I first realized how good my life is.To me life’s been given

And through Christ given again.

�ey will never taste a cookie,Never feel the sun,

Never see a rainbow,�ough their lives had just begun.

�ey will never hold the handOf another human being.

�ey will never taste honeyOr ever climb a tree.

�ey will never become presidentOr find cancer’s cure.

�ey were just the innocent.�ey were just the pure.

Again I am brought to tears...

A.I.M.by John Sapp

age 18

www.Christeenianity.com 5

A FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES, INC. MESSAGE

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS THE WILLFUL INTIMIDATION, EMOTIONAL ABUSE, ASSAULT, BATTERY, SEXUAL ASSAULT OR OTHER ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR PERPETRATED BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER AGAINST ANOTHER. DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE RESULTS IN EMOTIONAL TRAUMA, PHYSICAL INJURY, AND SOMETIMES DEATH. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MAY INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE INTIMATE PARTNER AND DATING RELATIONSHIPS, BUT THE ABUSE OF CHILDREN AND OTHER

FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THE ABUSE GENERALLY ESCALATES OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

REALLY WRONGUNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE ACCOMPANY ANY RELATIONSHIP

ABUSE, ASSAULT, BATTERY, SEXUAL ASSAULT OR OTHER ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR PERPETRATED BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER AGAINST ANOTHER

How Big of a Problem is Domestic Violence?One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.

Almost 1/3 of female homicide victims reported in police records were killed by an intimate partner.One in six women and one in thirty three men have experienced an attempted or completed rape.

Sexual assault or forced sex occurs in approximately 40-45% of abusive relationships.74% of all Texans have experienced some form of domestic violence or have a friend or family member who has experienced it.

31% of all Texans report that they have been severely abused at some point in their lifetime.

Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. It can happen to couples who are married, living together, or dating. It affects

people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.

6To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

fvps.org

Family Violence Prevention Services, Inc.

Our Mission:Who We Are:The mission of Family Violence Prevention Services Inc. is to break the cycle of violence and to strengthen families, by providing the necessary tools for self-sufficiency through the delivery of emergency shelter, transitional housing, education, effective parenting education, and early intervention with children and youth.

Family Violence Prevention Services, Inc. (FVPS) has been helping victims of domestic violence in San Antonio since 1977. FVPS began as an emergency shelter for women and children in 1977, and we now offer a complete array of shelter, transitional housing, counseling, children’s, and legal services to help individuals and families recover from the pain and long-term effects of domestic violence.

24-hour Crisis Intervention: You can call us for help any time of the day or night Individual and Group Counseling for Women and Children On-site Attorneys for Legal Assistance On-site School for Children (Pre-K – Grade 12) On-site Adult Education Case Management Services Transitional Housing On-site Primary Medical and Dental Care

Contact our Crisis Hotline: (210) 733-8810, 24 Hours a Day, 365 Days a Year

Counseling Services for Women, Men, and Children Children’s Services Program developed for the specific emotional and social needs of children Violence Intervention Program teaching men and women who have abused their partners to change their behavior Transitional Housing Program P.O.W.E.R. Program (Providing Options With Educational Resources) offering GED, ESL, Computer Literacy, and Banking Basics Education Youth Substance Abuse Intervention Program serving juvenile court and school-referred adolescents and their families Community Based Counseling Program providing individual counseling services to residents of all San Antonio homeless shelters Legal Services Program providing free legal assistance to income-eligible victims of domestic violence Court Liaison Program linking victims involved with the legal system to professional intervention, and helping families work with the Court

The Battered Women and Children’s Shelter

FVPS Non-Residential Programs

Volunteer Program FVPS has an active group of volunteers who provide help to victims, children, and FVPS staff, making our community a safer, brighter place to live.

Outreach Program FVPS offers education throughout San Antonio promoting awareness of domestic violence and educating victims about their rights and options.

Get Involved with FVPS, Inc.

If you or someone you know is afraid about something in your relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at

1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224.

Help is available to callers 24 hours a day, 365 day a year.

www.Christeenianity.com 7

What is the origin of the band’s name? Well, the origin of the band’s name is kind of a cool story. Years ago when we were starting our ministry, we were kind of a worship ministry in high school; we lead worship for our peers every Wednesday morning. It was a public high school. And we didn’t really think we were going to become a band, we just knew that we were called to reach our generation, so we did that all through high school. Then after we graduated we realized that we needed a band name. People were starting to invite us to events and churches and we didn’t even have a name. So we started thinking about what would be the perfect name for our band. And before we actually had our name we had a mission statement, which was: “To be a relevant voice for our generation, pointing them to a real God.” We really felt like that was what God had called us to do. So, we started thinking what name would really go along with that. And we remembered our pastor one Sunday preached a message and he was talking about the 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament. And he said you know, out of all 12 tribes, it was the tribe of Issachar who understood the times and seasons, and knew God’s heart for Israel. And that’s the kind of group that we want to be; we want to know God’s heart for our generation. But we didn’t feel like Issachar would be a very good band name–it’s really hard to pronounce and people might think you’re some kind of foreign, hard core band. So we went through every scripture in the Bible about the tribe of Issachar, and found a verse in Joshua 19:22 that said “the inheritance that was given to the tribe of Issachar were 16 cities.” So even though it’s a little bit of a long story and a little bit obscure, it reminds us of our mission statement–to be a relevant voice, to know God’s heart, and to understand the times and the seasons. So, we write songs that speak to the things that this generation is going through right now and just know God’s heart for them.

They are going through a lot right now. What are the names of the band members and what instrument does each play? My name is Josiah Warneking and I play piano and I am the lead singer.Then Josh Miller plays guitar and also sings, my little brother joined our band a few years ago, and he plays bass. His name is Joel Warneking, and our drummer is Chad McCutchen.

And how did you all meet? Well, Josh and I met in high school. The two of us started our worship ministry together. We were both freshmen and we went to the public high school in Olive, Oregon. I remember realizing how dark of a place the campus was. There were no Christians doing any kind of ministry on the campus, and we felt like God had called us to not just live our lives, go to class and do our homework on time. But God called us to reach out to our campus, to live everyday like we were on the mission field. So we thought, if no one else is going start a ministry on our campus, we’re going do it. We literally just started a student-lead worship and prayer ministry. We got together every Wednesday morning and we’d do worship and pray together. It was really crazy. When we first started going to that high school, the “see you at the pole”, where every year the kids get together around the flag pole, there were only like three or four students there. But after we had worked tirelessly and all the students got unified and unashamed of their faith, the kids were telling each other about Jesus after they’d come from Wednesday morning worship. They were just charged up to talk about their faith.

After the first year of doing that every single Wednesday morning, our “see you at the pole” was over 400 students. It was a dramatic difference on our campus. I think that seeing God transform our campus through music is really what caused us to want to start a band. I remember Josh and I after graduating high school, we’d seen God work so powerfully through this worship ministry, we just said Lord, we can’t go back to high school. We’re graduated now, we can’t go back and do it anymore. So, what would you have us do Lord that could use these gifts to go and reach out to this generation on a broader scale? We just felt like He said to lay down everything–our jobs, our scholarships, our own plans for our lives and just go into full time ministry right out of high school. And we did it at 17 and 18 years old. And we’ve been doing it now for six years full time.

That is so awesome. Well, I guess the next question is kind of irrelevant now because it’s what inspired you to become a Christian band and I think your last answer sums that up. So, do you write your own songs, and if so, where do you get your inspiration? Well, I’m the primary songwriter in the band, so yes, we do write our own songs. I think as far as inspiration goes, I know a lot of bands grow up wanting to be like another band; you know, they idolize some group or whatever. But I remember growing up very sheltered. I was a home-schooled kid and didn’t have these bands that I idolized. If anything, I got a lot of my, musical background from just worship music at church. So I remember when I started writing songs I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I felt that, if God speaks to my heart about something I should try and write it down and see if I can turn it into a song. It took a whole lot of really bad songs that I wrote in junior high and high school before I started writing ones that made sense. But my inspiration truly just comes from God’s heart for his children. If I’m going to sit down and write a song, I normally think about what God would say to a broken young person, somebody who’s going through depression, or somebody who doesn’t have any self worth. I like to put real people in situations and not just write your standard “Christianity” song. But say if my relationship with Jesus Christ is real and it affects me in a real way then I should write songs that are like that. You know, use real language that if God is singing to us and talking to us in a way that we can actually relate to, and vice versa. When I sing about God, I want to sing like He is my best friend and somebody I talk to everyday because He is.

Which one of your songs has the most meaning to you and why? Oh, that’s always a hard question. I would say “Praise Through” has the most meaning to me directly, and not even because of the song itself, but because of the stories that have been told as a result of the song. We keep hearing people’s testimonies of how that song has helped the family or a young person, through a very difficult time in their lives. It’s almost as if the story about “Praise Through” is being written more and more every day. I think that song really speaks to me because when I sing it on the stage I have all of these people come to mind. You know, a little boy from Ohio named Kayla, or a little girl from the Oregon coast, just different people who have come to us and said man, your song “Praise Through” helped me through cancer. I realize even when I don’t have any words left to say, there’s still a God with all the answers and I can lift up my hands and pray to him and that he will carry me through,

8To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

you know? So I think for me, a lot of times when you sing a song a thousand times it gets a little old. But when you have people’s lives and their stories mixed into those songs, it makes it so much more powerful.

What do you find is the most rewarding thing about performing? I always tell people when you’ve been a worship leader for 10 years like we have, sometimes the songs themselves don’t bring you to a place of worship as much as watching the young people in the audience surrendering their lives to Jesus. So I would say more than having a fun time playing your instrument or jumping around the stage, or having the crowd sing your song, those are all cool things, but I think the most rewarding thing is when you realize it has nothing to do with you or what you’re doing on that stage, but has everything to do with God working in the hearts of the people in the audience. There have been times when we’re leading worship at a summer camp or a church where it’s almost as if people stop caring that there’s a band on the stage and they are worshipping God with just complete, authentic surrender. I think that to me is the most rewarding when I realize wow, this isn’t about me, it’s all about God working in hearts. When you see hundreds of young people on their knees with their hands lifted high, just saying God, you are my everything...there’s no other feeling like that.

I bet. Okay, you said you didn’t really have any musical influences. What about the other band members? Yeah, I mean a lot of us grew up listening to bands like Audio Adrenaline, and DC Talk, and you know, all of those kinds of artists. I think a lot of us are influenced heavily by Christian music, which is kind of cool. I think as far as certain artists, I know that our guitar player has been the biggest Shane and Shane fan forever. We’ve definitely loved a lot of bands like the Fray, and Coldplay, and bands like that. They have influenced our style. We’re kind of a piano, pop rock band, so a lot of bands that incorporate piano have definitely been of interest to me.

Okay, with of all life’s challenges and struggles, how do you stay focused on God? From the very beginning, our biggest prayer as a band has been that, “God, this is a crazy journey we’re about to go on and if it’s not all about You, and if You’re not the center, we’re not going to be able to make it.” We prayed that God continue to keep us humbled knowing that He is the only reason that we are on stage, the only reason that we have any kind of influence. So I think for us, the way we stay focused honestly is that our band is like a group of brothers that hold each other accountable, that push each other closer to God. When we’re on the road we’re doing devotions every morning and challenging each other to not just, go through the motions, but to minister from that place where you’re in connection with God, where He is your source. I think a lot of times being on the road all the time doing ministry can be really easy to just start going through the motions, singing the same songs and do the same thing. But I think if you are constantly putting yourself in a place where you say, God, it is all about You and if I don’t have something fresh from you to share God, I’m completely empty. I think that place keeps us humble and focused. I know if we didn’t have such a strong brotherhood in our band where we pull each other closer to God, it would be really hard to do that.

Now you just got married, right? I did...like eight days ago.

Congratulations! I know that we had to reschedule because you were getting married, so congratulations! How do you plan on balancing your career with your marriage? Well, I plan on combining them. My wife is coming on the road with us full time. So it’s definitely going to be a challenge. Our guitar player, Josh, got married two years ago and he has been learning how to do that as well. I think for us it’s really learning to prioritize things correctly. You

know, to put family and God first, and say what if we’re on the road and things are getting hard, you still have to schedule those times when you can go on a date with your wife or you can be alone and have time together. Because the reality is it can be so easy to put the band and your career first, but we’ve always said, we are always going to put our families first. And that’s why even though financially it’s the hardest thing in the world to bring your wife on the road when there’s no income coming in, but we just really believe that those are the things that truly matter, and that’s why we’re making the sacrifice to say let’s just go off and whatever we get from God on the road, and let’s bring our wives with us, and let’s have an adventure together and travel the world, you know?

I wish you all the best. Thank you.

What advice do you have for people who are struggling with their faith? I would honestly say that for me, kind of going along with our song, “Praise Through”, I think it can be easy to trust in God when things are going really great. But at the same time, when things are going really hard, that can sometimes be the time when God speaks the clearest and the loudest. I think that if people are struggling with their faith they should realize that they don’t always need to have all the answers. Or they don’t always need to be okay, but that God is real, that He’s there, and that it’s okay to completely be you with God. God never asks us to figure it all out from A to Z, and then come to Him. But He challenges us to say hey, even if I’m a broken mess, even if I’m doubting God, or even if I’m at a place of confusion in my faith, that God is still there, He’s still real, and He wants us to come to Him from that place of brokenness. He has the arms to heal us anyway. It’s like, why run anywhere else except into the arms of Jesus? Even if you’re doubting, challenge Him, talk to Him, be real with God. I think that will bring new life to your faith.

And how can fans gain access to your music and your tour schedule? We are a band that loves to be involved dynamically with our fans. So we are on Facebook, and on our website and Twitter all the time. In fact last night I opened up our Facebook and said hey, any questions you have for the band, ask and we’ll give you an answer; and I spent like a couple hours just responding to all these questions from fans. But you know our goal is to take ourselves off this pedestal that sometimes bands can get on where they seem inaccessible to their fans, and just say you know what, we’re real people and we want to interact with you guys on a regular basis. So I would say the best place is Facebook these days. We’re on all the time and we respond to every message. And our tour schedule is available on Facebook or Myspace, or our website which is sixteencities.com.

Do you have any last comments? Well, some exciting things in the works are our band is going on tour with Remedy Drive in the second week of September. And we’re going be touring all through the Midwest with them. And then this winter, we were invited to go on tour in Denmark with Youth for Christ. So we’re going overseas for three and a half weeks doing ministry in public schools and churches all over the country of Denmark. So those are some exciting things on our horizon and also, lastly, we’re putting out our first worship record this fall. So either late September, early October we’re going to release our first worship record which we’re super excited about. We were able to self produce and engineer it, and it turned out amazing.

www.Christeenianity.com 9

ALWAYS HERE

When the light turns to darknessI shut my eyes and look for the light

I’m scared and aloneWith no body there with meAnd I struggle with this fight

�is fight to come closer to youNot realizing that I am the obstacle

I keep trying to find your loveFeeling like a bird without it’s wings,

I feel your presence pulling me inI want your complete love,

I keep my eyes closed,Because that is not the thing holding me back

I open my heart,And there you are

You were right beside me the whole time.

by Kayla Ramosage 15

10To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

Poetry of Faithby Paige Venaage 13

You have to keep it in your mind,His command don’t be blind,

No ma�er what turmoil you face,Always show others God’s grace,

Forgiveness, life and love,�at has been given to you from up above,

God says to be nice,Even if you must sacri�ce,

Show God’s grace pass it on,Knowing that you’ll live blessed and long,

Helping others to know him too,His unfailing love his prize for you.

God you are my salvation,�e one and only,

So righteous,So true,

You are holy,I love you with all my heart,

Till we meet in heaven nothing can keep us apart,My strength my refuge,

God all my worries to you.

To fall away from my faith,Is not a path I would like to take,

Where the lost and their struggle abound,It’s a lonely place where they’re found,A hopeless place where danger abides,

And I pray that someday no one resides,Not even for the less favorite,

A Christian spirit just can’t help it,To walk in Jesus’ light,

�at’s the way, the right,To be pure and obey,

To stride proudly on the path never to stray.

I wish I could say those words,�e ones that set me apart,Like two di�erent worlds,

Two separate hearts,Say them to the mean persons,

But instead I choose not to,Hope someday they learn their own lesson no to tease you,

Someday I’ll be smarter,I’ll know what to say,

At least for right now I won’t be a martyr,God forgive me for what I do today, tomorrow and yesterday.

12To Advertise Call 830-481-5058

iron?How’syourby Dustin O. MartinYouth Pastor of Tree of Life Church, New Brau

nfels

I was ten years old and we lived in Columbus, Georgia when I received my first “Cob Out” skateboard with these massive wheels. What started as a fun hobby transformed into a life obsession and identity. Even today I love watching skateboard. And, from time to time I still get out and skate a bit. Every day, I would come home from school and rush out to learn new tricks like “ollie’s kickflip’s” and “back side nose slides.” I wanted to be good so badly and be able to do the tricks I saw the pro’s doing. I went from street to ramp and then started hanging out at a local skate house called “Warehouse SK8.” This is where I learned to drop in on 7ft ramps, do board stall’s, and truck grinds on the copings. I was constantly looking for a way to improve my skills. Skating became my life. I dove head first into this extreme sport. I started making sure I was up to date with the new looks and tricks. For example, when I started skating, it was all about big boards, silly tail guards, and baggy pants. But today, it is smaller and lighter boards, skinny jeans, and shaved heads. But no matter the looks, back then, I was always looking for other skaters who were better than me to show me harder tricks and how to improve. One guy, (who’s name will remain anonymous to protect the innocent. We’ll just call him Tim) was a great skater. But Tim was not a Christ follower. He had a hard time with those in authority. Tim was always smarting off to store clerks who would ask us to leave the property and skate somewhere else. Soon, this attitude started to wear off on me. It began to affect the way I would respond to my parents and teachers at school. One could say the relationship made me dull.

The Bible talks about this, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17 - NKJV) As we go through life, and find those with the same interests as we have, we need to be careful not to compromise the status of our iron for the sake of interest. Many of us try to stay sharp by others who are clay instead of iron. There is a difference. It won’t work. It will only keep you dull and unproductive. God wants us to surround ourselves with friends who, at times, may speak things to us that are hard to hear. Or they may put pressure on us to make better decisions in our relationships. This may hurt and even be uncomfortable. But remember, it is the tough and hard iron against iron that keeps us sharp, not soft pliable clay. So my question for you today is: “How is your Iron?” Is it sharp? Is it tested? Is it ready for whatever may come? Or, is it dull and

not very useful for much. A true friend will push you into the things of God and not allow you to run from God. Have fun. Enjoy life! This is why Jesus came to save us and give us life. So, keep others sharp and make sure those around you sharpen you!

www.Christeenianity.com 13

www.Christeenianity.com 15