by Josh Liu

It has been a little over a month and a half since Lumos Youth Ministry resumed for this academic year. While transitions present inherent difficulties, I believe I can speak on behalf of at least the youth staff and say that it has been an exciting time of relationship-building and fellowship through the study of God’s Word! By God’s grace, many things mentioned in my last post have been realized: Cesar and I have begun a preaching series on 1 John and Romans, respectively (we hope to post recorded sermons online soon!); we had our first Gospel night on October 5, where I had the opportunity to preach on Matthew 6:19-24 and remind the youth about the hopelessness in earthly treasures, and the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord (Phil. 3:8); staffers have been graciously hosting study hall on Thursdays; and we had our first game night on October 14! We are nearing the end of the planning stages for Saturday Seminars, youth retreats, and other events. All of these opportunities provide wonderful times of fellowship, instruction, and discipleship. Each youth staffer passionately serves and genuinely cares for each youthie; they remind me of Paul’s discipleship ministry to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 2:8). Therefore, I want to highlight each youth staffer by allowing them to introduce themselves:

CESAR VIGIL-RUIZ

My name is Cesar Vigil-Ruiz and am an intern at LBC. I work part-time at The San Diego Squash Club and have recently completed my undergraduate studies at UCSD. I came to Lighthouse when a former member invited me while I was involved with an on-campus ministry. Later, I realized God used His Word to save me during my sophomore year in college. I became a member in 2006 to fulfill part of the Great Commission and grow as a committed follower of Jesus Christ.

Some of my hobbies include, running, reading, hiking, playing chess, and soccer. My favorite food is tacos from Tacos el Gordo; my favorite ice cream is vanilla; my favorite book is The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul; my favorite movie is The Dark Knight; and my favorite song is “Face to Face” from Indelible Grace Music.

My favorite verse is 2 Corinthians 5:21, which says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we become the righteousness of God.” This verse sums up what came before (2 Cor. 5:11-20), but gives a glimpse into the love of the Father for wicked sinners by making Christ our substitute for sin, that we may be given the righteousness of Christ. This is the most succinct summary of the Gospel I have seen, and it’s from God Himself!

I have been a staffer for Lumos Youth from 2008-2011, and returned after a year with the Singles Ministry. I’m looking forward to what God does in the lives of our youth!

KRISTEN LIM

Hi! My name is Kristen Lim and I am a sophomore at UCSD, currently studying Computer Science. I was born and raised in Austin, Texas, then moved to San Diego when I was entering the 8th grade (2006) and started attending Lighthouse since then. In my free time I love baking/eating yummy treats (my favorites being anything pumpkin or banana or cinnamon), running, playing music (flute and guitar), and spending time with friends and family. One of the reasons why I love music and singing meaningful songs is because of how they can remind my soul of God’s truths and promises. A song that I have been listening to on repeat recently is “God is God” by Steven Curtis Chapman (haha, an oldie but a goodie), which speaks of God’s bigness and holiness, and how as a human I won’t understand everything that goes on in life, but I can rest assure that God is sovereign. Along those lines, a favorite psalm of mine is Psalm 46, underscoring that God is our refuge and strength and that we can take comfort knowing that since God is God, He will be glorified no matter how bleak the circumstances may be.

I am super excited to be part of the Lumos youth ministry, since I was saved under this ministry and grew in my love and fear of the Lord during my time there (and continue to do so after graduating). I desire and pray that God will save the souls of these youth at an early age, that they may serve Him with more vigor and passion than I did when I was their age, and that God may be magnified through their lives.

JOYCE KANG

I first came out to Lighthouse in 2006 and knew that I was here to stay when I heard Pastor John preach through the book of Romans. I became a member soon after and have loved serving in various ministries at our church. In the summer of 2009, I went to the Czech Republic for summer missions and had the opportunity to work closely with the youth. In hindsight, I see how God used that trip to cultivate in me a deeper love for Him, as well as a desire to invest in the youth at our church. What I love most about Lumos is watching the young men and women mature in their understanding of the Gospel and begin to take ownership of their faith.

My hobbies include cooking, baking, reading, and spending time with my friends and family; my favorite Christian book is Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman and my favorite Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9.

JEN SHIH

Hello! I’m Jen. By day, I work in a research laboratory to help develop biofuels – actually at a company just around the corner from our church!

God led me to LBC summer of 2008. I remember when I first came to Lighthouse: I attended the Single Life Bible study on Friday nights and was so encouraged during the small group time. Everyone I met was really open to sharing about their walks with God. I could see that there were people here who genuinely loved God and people. I also learned that LBC was very committed to Bible teaching on Sunday mornings. I become a member at the end of that year!

My hobbies include photography and hiking (and taking photos of the plants, flowers and animals on the trail).

I like all kinds of sports like running, surfing, and indoor rock climbing! My favorite ice cream is Pistachio with the actual nuts mixed it. I like it because it’s sweet and salty and the pistachio adds texture. I also have a fondness for cats!! :3

A verse I want to share is Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” I love this short and sweet verse that’s filled with truth about the Truth. The psalmist here recognizes that it’s God’s Word that he needs to guide his feet and light his path in the darkness that surrounds him. I wanted to share this verse with Lumos because as we study the Bible together this year and share life together, I pray that we would develop a deeper understanding of God and His will for our lives! I’m excited to be on staff and to get to know the youth at LBC! Think of me as an older sister and someone that is committed to loving God and you guys!

ELISABETH KO

I came to Lighthouse when my family moved to San Diego. I didn’t really know what to look for in a church, so I just decided to follow my brother and go to Lighthouse. Although I felt very uncomfortable in the beginning because people seemed so holy, it was evident in my eyes how different they were. The Youth staff showed tremendous love towards me (this irresponsible, trouble-making teenager), which softened my heart to see what it means to live like a Christian. Later, I got into UCSD, and my heart was already set on becoming a member here so that I may work alongside fellow believers to bring glory to God.

I enjoy drawing, watching movies, and developing stories.

My favorites are:

• Favorite dessert: froyo
• Favorite place: home
• Favorite ice cream flavor: cookies & cream
• Favorite animal: wolves & eagles
• Favorite fantasy animal: werewolves
• Favorite genre: fantasy & action
• Favorite color: black & white
• Favorite fruit: watermelon & peach
• Favorite bugs: none
• Favorite movie: depends on when you ask me
• My favorite verse is Colossians 3:1-2

The staff is here because they love the youth and desire to teach and lead them so that they may know Christ and follow Him in a worthy manner. None of the staff are perfect and they are dependent on God’s mercy and grace to live a Christian life every day. Feel free to ask what we struggle with how God is growing us in those struggles. We’ll be more than happy to share!