VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE Volume 5.1 October 2016 | Page 17

“Johnny
Smith:
Belonging”

This I Believe
“Worthy of
Worth?”

Johnny Smith :
by
Sarah Lee

by
Josiah Watanabe

-Pg. 17

-Pg. 16

Belonging
By Sarah Lee

H

aving lived in the Mountainview community
for eight years, Johnny Smith faced a difficult
transition when he moved to England last summer.
“It seems hopeless to leave almost everything you
love and be taken to a place where you know you
don’t really belong” he said. He also knew that in his
new school he would stand out because of his faith
and background, just as a boy in rugs would at an
adorned ball. “I need bravery to stand firm when
people are trying to get
me to be like the world,
like everyone else.”
In this stormy season
of life, Johnny found
that only one thing
could keep him steady:
God. “Without being
attached to Him, and
without Him always
guiding me towards
Him and reminding me
of His never-ending
love and faithfulness, I
know I couldn’t have
done this”, he said. “With him there is hope, love,
peace, joy, and infinitely more than anyone could
possibly know. Without Him...everything is
hopeless.” To Johnny, God was the one thing that
did not change, the constant One who remained
faithful.
Because he clung unto the Lord and sought His
guidance, he was able to see God’s will in this move.

Although he believes that Christians should live a life
of missions in all circumstances, he found that the
relocation into a more exposed environment allowed
him to further devote himself to this lifestyle. “I
looked at this transition as a start to a life of missions
devoted to the Lord.
Transitions can help us redirect towards [missions]:
Volume
instead of looking at the loss,
we can5.1
lookOctober
at it as an
open door through which we can glorify God in ways
we never could before.” he
said. Presently, Johnny looks
forward to finding sincere
but timid believers in his
new school and encouraging
them to be more assertive in
representing Christ. He also
hopes to bring the spirit of
worship into his community
by encouraging bible studies
and worship sessions.
Despite the sudden
changes and confusion,
Johnny found hope by
completely depending on
God, a hope that strengthened him to start anew, to
dive into the work of God with confidence. “It seems
hopeless to leave almost everything you love and be
taken to a place where you know you don’t really
belong“ said Johnny, who continued, “...unless you
by
go with the person you belong to.”

VIEWPOINT
“Italy:

Rising
From the
Rubble”
by
Gen Ha Park

-Pg. 10

“A

New Friend”

Amanda Angeles

-Pg. 6

Layout by Audrey Wasito

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