The Realm of J Small Z

It was the oddest experience I’ve ever had at a Bible study. I met a reverend that was wearing a Rastafarian hat with fake dreadlocks, got to play video games, watched a movie that scared me out of my wits, and encountered a Christian fellowship that would become the biggest part of my life. That was the day I met Xenos.

The following day was a bit woozy, considering I couldn’t sleep the night before. My parents really didn’t take that too well. I spent that next day just thinking about all the fun I had. It even began to puzzle me. Can Christians really have so much fun studying the Bible? All the memories I’ve ever had about Christianity are being forced to go to Church and Sunday school every Sunday. I took it for granted that it had to be the video games and movie that created the exciting atmosphere, but that didn’t bother me because I was all about them. I decided that day that I would keep going. Why miss out on all the fun?

There were also meetings on Saturdays. I was told it was called ‘Chill.’ It somewhat surprised me. Why would you call a Bible study ‘Chill?’ I thought it was really unusual but pretty cool, and so I went to those as well. This time there were many more people, girls and guys, and it was so much fun. One activity was going on a scavenger hunt, and it was a thrilling experience. We drove through all the nearby towns searching for items on a list, and we took pictures in front of hard-to-find signs and of random objects or places. After weeks of fun activities, the question popped back into my head again. Why is this Bible study so fun? The thought soon was drowned away by my own assumptions; it had to be all the activities.

Each and every time I went to the meetings, it was always a blast and an exhilarating time. I became more interested in the Bible teachings as the weeks went on, but I was still primarily excited about the fun stuff, like video games. With each teaching, I began to realize more and more how much of a nuisance I was to the other guys in the group, and how these guys in my Bible study really cared for me. It really hit me; these guys are the best friends anyone could ever ask for! That may seem cliché, but it’s true in its entirety. Nothing has changed my life more than coming around to Xenos. Although it took years, I finally realized through my friendships at Xenos that I was leading my own life on my own terms. I wasn’t in a relationship with God, and he played no role in my life. One night, at a retreat, I began my relationship with God by accepting Christ’s death for mine. I didn’t get a climatic reaction from my decision, but I could tell things were going to turn out much more different.

The one thing I am most grateful for is my friends and companions from Xenos Christian Fellowship. I am especially grateful for my friends: Kyle, Mike, Bryan, Greg, and most of all, Keith. Kyle played the role of “Reality Check” in my life. He always knew when I wanted to do my own thing, and he always challenged me by annoying me, turning off games on me, and many other things that fired up my temper. He was always giving great advice on relationships and tactics in Christian ministry. To this day, he’s been one of my most valuable friends, and I hope that we never lose our friendship and trust in one another.

My dear friend, Mike, was always a challenge to relate to mainly because he was much more sensitive and emotional than anyone else. He is an awesome dude, and he is one of the most enjoyable people to be around. He’s taught me much about being sensitive and tender-hearted to others. We had some very rough times in the past few years with our relationship; however, God used Mike to teach me how much I needed to rely on God in order to preserve and nurture my relationship with him. He’s been a great friend, and we are very open with one another. I am glad he’s been a part of my life.

Bryan has always been to me like a little brother mainly because we’ve grown so close. He is one of the coolest guys I have met. I’ve always been willing to open up with him more than to anyone else my age. He’s been a real comfort to me in my life, and I am so glad he’s been there to help me out whenever he can. He’s also a really good disser, and always gets on my case whenever I am out of line with others and acting selfishly. I look forward to build my relationship with him till the end of time.

Greg has been one of the greatest mentors in my life. He has helped me out with many personal struggles and battles. He’s very wise and practical, and he has been very helpful with helping me become mature and build up others. Greg is like a father to me in many ways, and he’s a very important person in my life.

I could go on forever about my experiences with my friend, Keith. He is the one man I can open up with completely. He understands what I struggle with, and he has gone out of his way to love me so many times. We’ve fought with each other many times during the earlier days, but it was because he knew I needed it to see how selfish I was. He has helped me realize so much about myself and the potential I have to be significant in others’ lives. He has impacted my life like no other person here on earth. All I can do for Keith is thank him so much for all he’s done.

Well, I finally figured out why this Bible study is fun and exciting. Though, I don’t think I’ll tell you why, reader. There are some things that can’t be told or read in the news. It takes something more personal than that. All I know is that when I met Xenos, I, really, was meeting someone else.

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