My name is Sophia Secrest and I have been attending Lake for five and a half years. I am 13 years old, in the eighth grade, and am involved in the Middle School Ministry. I have grown up in a Christian family and I was baptized when I was 7 years old. During the past two years I have been growing much deeper in my faith and in a more intimate relationship with God.
In January 2012 my family and I took the 18-week Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Course at Lake. God used this experience in my life in many good ways. One outcome was our desire to go on a mission trip as a family. In June 2014 God opened the door for us to help a ministry in Spain that reaches out to muslim immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East. On the trip, my sister and I spent a lot of time with kids; making friends, painting faces, and making balloon animals. This gave our parents and the missionaries time to speak with their parents about Jesus and to invite them to upcoming outreach events at the church.
Before the trip, my friend and mentor, Pastor Annie Neufeld, gave me some money to give to someone in Spain that God was leading me to give it to. I met so many people but was feeling no particular calling to give them the money. But on our last day after the Arabic church service that night, I knew that God wanted me to give it to a man named Sharif. I later learned he came to Spain 10 years ago from Syria and began following Jesus after he was invited to the church by one of the missionaries. His Muslim family has disowned him and he is in a difficult financial situation, but he has a heart for evangelism and is trusting God with his life. I learned from this to trust God, that He can lead me to people whom he has prepared and to see the world through eyes of faith.
I know it was a blessing to him but in the end I felt blessed by his love for Jesus in the midst of a difficult situation. I thank God for how he is using Lake Avenue Church and the wonderful mentors like Annie in my life.
To find out more about the Perspectives Course contact or call 626.844.4774.