 Tony Banning, TRINICY Mentor and Head of Public Relations, attending his niece's quinceañera celebration with his beautiful family WHO IS TONY?Tony Banning wasn't always the beaming advocate for Christ and champion of youth that he is today. He walks a path illuminated by faith, but his beginning was shrouded in rejection and adversity. This is the story of a man saved from darkness and his subsequent mission to share the light with young hearts seeking their own way. Q: Tony, let's start at the beginning. Who is the Tony that God saved out of darkness? A: There was a time when chasing ambition was replaced by chasing purpose. My focus was on climbing the corporate ladder, building businesses, and accumulating what society deemed success. It was a hollow victory, built on sand. Through personal struggles and a growing emptiness, I finally surrendered to God's calling. That's when the real journey began. Q: Who are you in Christ today? A: I wear many hats – consultant, entrepreneur, educator, but at the core, I'm a servant of God. My life is a testament to His transformative power. Now, my greatest fulfillment comes from sharing that transformation with others, especially younger generations navigating their own paths. Q: Why TRINICY? What drew you to this online mentorship program when you could have chosen from so many other options? A: I can’t take credit for anything and firmly believe God connected me with Trinicy. I wanted to be part of a humble, authentic, and forward-thinking ministry in a remote capacity when I saw a job posted on LinkedIn for a mentor. I saw in Trinicy a beacon of hope, a platform where faith intersects with real-life guidance. It's not just about discipleship, it's about walking alongside young Christians, sharing wisdom, and empowering them to make informed choices. That resonated deeply with my own story and my desire to pay it forward. Q: Why online mentorship? Do you think virtual connections can truly impact young hearts? A: In today's world, online spaces are where young minds spend a significant amount of time. Trinicy leverages this familiarity to offer accessible, on-demand guidance. Mentorship transcends physical limitations, providing a safe space for open dialogue and support regardless of geographical barriers. Q: You've been mentoring young men in the program for a while now. What are some of the highlights and challenges? A: The highs are witnessing their "aha" moments, seeing them gain confidence, and navigating life's hurdles with newfound faith. The lows are facing anxieties, temptations, and economic uncertainties they grapple with. But the dynamics are beautiful – a mutual exchange of learning, where I share my experiences and they challenge me with their fresh perspectives. Both sides leave enriched. Q: You juggle so many roles – how do you manage it all and still thrive as a mentor? A: Time management is key. I go to bed at 8 p.m. and wake up at 2:00 a.m. Monday to Saturday. From the time I wake up until I go to bed, I am time-blocked and make the most of everyone/every meeting/every person/ everyday. Of course, what truly fuels my energy is the purpose behind it all. Each role serves a greater mission – building a legacy of faith and empowering future generations. When a person’s work aligns with God’s calling, it ceases to be work and becomes a labor of love. Q: For older Christian men considering taking the Great Commission more seriously, what would you say? A: Don't let age or self-doubt hold you back. You possess a wealth of experience and wisdom that can light the way for young minds. Step out of your comfort zone, embrace new ways of connecting, and watch your life take on a deeper meaning. Q: Anything else you'd like to share that paints a fuller picture of you for our readers? A: I'm an avid reader, a terrible joke teller, and a firm believer in laughter's healing power. My greatest joy comes from spending time with family, whether it's hiking in the mountains or having theological debates over dinner. CONNECT WITH OUR MENTORTony joined TRINICY in the Spring of 2023 as a Mentor. He has worked with male mentees from India and South Africa, leading them through a three-month Bible study, while also providing extra guidance on their academic, professional, and ministerial goals. Connect with Tony on LinkedIn. JOIN THE GREAT COMMISSION!To apply to TRINICY's Online Mentorship Program as a Mentor or a Mentee, please visit www.trinicy.org/omp or click HERE.
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By Dr. Dave Baker | TRINICY.org
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? DAVE: I have a time of Bible reading/study, concerted prayer, then ongoing prayer throughout the day. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? DAVE: Forgiveness. While I can forgive and move on from when others have wronged me, I really do struggle to fully forget. Not only does God fully forget, His love for each of us continues to grow. Amazing! TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? DAVE: My family led me and I have continued as a Christian throughout my life. My goal is to lead all who I come in contact with to a life of Christ. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? DAVE: His greatest gift is my ability to form relationships and lead. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? DAVE: Unfortunately, Job. I have faced trial and tribulation one after another, yet God has placed a calm within me to know He has not forsaken me and that He is always forging my path forward. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? DAVE: The social issue that hits me most is the ability for Christians to outwardly proclaim our faith without slander, persecution, or silencing. We are the only religion in the U.S. treated this way and doing so is not only wrong on a human level, it also is contradictory to our Constitution. TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? DAVE: To me, being a Christian means following the path Jesus Christ paved for us during His time on earth, which begins with loving others. I am a Christian because I believe in Jesus and the Trinity and seek to guide others into our Heavenly family. TRINICY: What does being a Conservative mean to you? Why Are you a Conservative? DAVE: Conservatives believe in the ability to manage themselves and their own affairs with as little government meddling as possible, which is why I am a Conservative. I believe in the need of local and federal government systems to maintain the peace and provide general oversight. TRINICY: What has your experience been like as a Conservative Christian on and/or off campus? DAVE: Being a Christian presents challenges, but adding Conservative creates the likelihood of even more because of the political turmoil now. I have been ostracized and berated for my beliefs on and off campus as a student and employee. TRINICY: What were your first thoughts when you heard about TRINICY? DAVE: I was so excited! These people are me!! TRINICY: What book(s) do you recommend conservative Christians read to help strengthen their faith in a secular and/or liberal setting? DAVE: The last book I read is The Northfield Way by Rick Dunn. It is focused on a basketball coach who instilled a set of non-negotiable, Christian-based values the entire town adopted over the course of his 30-year reign as coach. TRINICY: What advice or resource would you offer to fellow conservative Christians today? DAVE: Seek out other conservative Christians because, together, we are stronger. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? DAVE: I spent 6 weeks in a coma, died many times, including an out-of-body experience, and am still alive and kicking! TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? DAVE: My current dream is securing the job God has for me. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? DAVE: I would want to give Him a hug, then have Him just tell me a story because it would be exactly what I would need in that moment. TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? DAVE: Be forgiving and understanding; work harder and smarter than you think the job will take; be open to God's direction for life. TRINICY: Which Christian song best connects with you? DAVE: Sidewalk Prophets - Help Me Find It, but letting go is a constant work in progress for me. TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? DAVE: I hope to be a true guide for others to better connect with God and a more successful walk through life. TRINICY: Which teacher has impacted you most? How? DAVE: My sergeant in my Army training was such a poor teacher that my buddy and I took the class over. Until that time, I had resisted the call to teach. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? DAVE: Proverbs 19:21 because I need to be more open to needs God has for my life rather than me thinking I am in full charge of it. TRINICY: Which world events have influenced, changed, or shaped your life? DAVE: Ronald Reagan's presidency showed me leading unafraid with grace and determination with a foundation of Conservative Christianity is the way. TRINICY: What is the most difficult thing for you about being a Christian? DAVE: Society has made it so difficult, it would be impossible without His influence, mercy, and grace. TRINICY: What, thus far, has been your greatest "praise report"? DAVE: I live! Despite almost my entire medical team giving up, He never did! TRINICY: What is a question you wish we had asked but didn't? What is your response to this self-selected question? DAVE: I feel there is only one remaining question...What is your shoe size!? I wear a size 11 shoe! HA!!! WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY. If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected] OR send them directly to the Spotlight Interview form HERE.
By Kate Wahnsiedler | TRINICY.org
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? KATE: I pray every night and I'm trying to say the rosary more often, because I am Catholic, and for Catholic's the rosary is a very important tool for maintaining spirituality. I also try to read the Bible often and other books concerning religion. For example, I am currently reading "The Road To Sienna" which is the biography of St. Catherine of Sienna. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? KATE: His mercy. I often find it can be hard to forgive when someone wrongs me because its so much easier to just keep hate within your heart but God calls us to choose love and not hate like he does. I often think about Luke 15:7 "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." God is so willing to forgive our sins and that amazes because throughout my life thus far I have done so many things I shouldn't have and yet I get to go to sleep at night knowing my sins are forgiven and that God still loves despite all my faults. TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? KATE: Most of my family is Catholic, so I suppose they led me to Christ but I think that the choice people in the situation of being born a Christian have is whether or not to stay one. For me that choice was presented through my confirmation into the Catholic Church and because of the example set by my family members and their devotion to Christ, the choice was easy for me. I knew that I needed Christ in my life and that I could never live without him. I really want to lead nonbelievers to Christ because as a Christian I believe that we are called to be disciples of Christ and that means helping others find their way to him. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? KATE: I believe God has given me the gift of academic intelligence and resourcefulness. This isn't to say that I'm the smartest person or the best of problem solving because I believe each and every person has their own kind of intelligence but I succeed mostly in the academic field. I want to use this gift to help others find Christ and to help others in general. I use this gift for the kingdom by trying to help others in need after all Jesus also calls Christians to help our neighbors. Because I am very capable academically I wish to pursue a degree in medicine or in law because I believe that through one of these professions I would be able to truly help others. Currently I use this gift by helping my peers also do well in school. Many of my classmates tend to come to me for help with their school and I always do my best to help them because even though I'm young I know that I can make a difference and be the Christian person I'm called to be by aiding others. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? KATE: I resonate with Peter the most. Peter denied Christ three times but Christ forgave him and Peter was ultimately able to be the person Christ called him to be. In my opinion Peter is a good example of God's mercy and not giving up. He made mistakes, horrible ones, but in the end he learned from those mistakes and learned that God is a loving God and that he could follow in Jesus's footsteps and lead others to Christ. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? KATE: The social issue I care most about is ending abortion. As a Christian, I feel that ending abortion is the most pressing social issue present. I can't even begin to imagine killing an unborn baby but I want society to understand how precious every form of life is born or unborn. I see women who long to be mothers and women who make the choice to have their baby even though they are struggling or who sacrifice their own life for their baby. There is truly nothing more powerful on Earth than parents' love for their child. Just like how God loved Jesus and Jesus loves us and when I hear about abortion I'm just reminded that it is an evil in our world that needs to end. I want women considering an abortion to be confronted with love and comfort instead of fear and anger because they are strong enough to make the right choice they just need to be told that. TRINICY QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? KATE: Being a Christian is the most important thing in my life. To me it means that I have a relationship with Jesus and relationship that I can grow and it means that one day I will get to be with Jesus in heaven. As a christian I know that I have a community of Christians both on earth and in heaven that I can rely on for aid and for prayers when I am struggling and that I can in turn help my fellow Christians in their time of need. I only feel pride at the fact that I'm a Christian and I'm very willing to share that with the world because as a Christian I believe that I should share my faith with others as Jesus calls us to do. I am a Christian not just because my family encouraged me to be but because I am so much happy and fulfilled being one because life is not easy and it is filled with temptation and hardships but I know that if I endure I will get to have enteral life with Christ in Heaven. TRINICY: What does being a Conservative mean to you? Why Are you a Conservative? KATE: Being a conservative means to me that I'm going to fight for the rights of unborn children and the rights protected by the constitution. Originally I became a conservative because of my stance towards abortion but as I've grown and learned I know that being a conservative means having a logical and practical standpoint and that as a Conservative supporting principles that as a Christian I should. I believe that the conservative party is doing much more to "One Nation Under God" as opposed to "One Nation" because I know without God the world would be filled with even more evil than it is now. As a conservative I believe I am supporting the constitution and our natural rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, because without those things, which our forefathers fought to gain, we would be living in a world where equality wasn't important and where a human life was not seen as valued or important. TRINICY: What has your experience been like as a Conservative Christian on and/or off campus? KATE: As a Christian I've found that at times Public School can be difficult especially when it comes to being able to express my opinions freely. I've had the luck of living in a place where the majority of those around me are Christian and quite of few of me peers are also conservative but I've noticed that for those around me who aren't conservative of Christian that they are more than willing to make jokes about those who are Christian and to purposefully disregard Christians as a whole. One of my classmates at school often tends to make jokes about Christians and to say very blasphemous things in order to upset those who are Christian but I feel that regardless of anyone's religion they still deserve respect and I would hope that even those who aren't Christian will at least respect those who are. I happen to have several friends who are agnostic but we are willing to discuss religious and political topics with civility and have open minds. To me it is just important that my friends know that if they want to know more about Christ that I will be there for them, this gives me hope for the future because I truly believe that all people on all campuses in the world can work together to at least respect each other and make the world a better place. I understand that I can't make my friends or peers be Christian, after all one of the things that makes God the God he is that he gave us freewill, but I want them to always know that Christ will always be an option and I hope that through my life I can inspire others to turn to Christ but I want them to also know that as God calls us to do I will always love them despite their sins and I will pray that they find their way to Christ every single night. TRINICY: What were your first thoughts when you heard about TRINICY? KATE: When I first heard about TRINICY my first thought was that it was something I wanted to be a part off. As a high school student I've often struggled with feeling like I can't make an impact because I'm too young and too inexperienced but when I heard about TRINICY I felt like maybe I could have an impact and that TRINICY was going to give me a really great opportunity to spread the word of Christ and to encourage others on their own spiritual journeys and even just to be a part of a Christian community. TRINICY: What book(s) do you recommend conservative Christians read to help strengthen their faith in a secular and/or liberal setting? KATE: In all honesty the Narnia series. I read this very often as a young child and I happen to believe that anyone of any age can read it and should. These books are a really great way for people to have a better understanding of Christ without feeling like Christ is so great and unimaginable that there is no way to have a relationship with him. I think that a lot of people can be overwhelmed by what Christ represents to the point that they don't know how to have a relationship with them but the Narnia series gives an example of Children connecting with Christ on a closer level and I think that these books do a really good job of helping people realize that they too can be that close with Christ and that though they should fear God alone our God is a good and loving God. I also recommend any book by Dinesh D'Souza because his books are really interesting and captivating for Christians and Conservatives. As a high school student, there are still a lot of books I haven't read yet but for younger people, I recommend the Mandie Collection by Lois Gladys Sheppard and the Code of Silence series by Tim shoemaker. Both of those series are fictional but they contain many Christian Concepts and are not afraid to discuss God and prayer. TRINICY: What advice or resource would you offer to fellow conservative Christians today? KATE: My advice to fellow conservative Christian would be to persevere. In this world, there is so much temptation and evil that we face every day but God is always with, and ultimately if we face those things we are going to be rewarded with eternal life in heaven which will be so much better than anything we could possibly imagine. Also, I would advise my fellow conservative Christians that we are all in this together and that as a Christian you having a willing community to turn to in your time of need. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? KATE: I am a really fast reader, on average I can read a 300 paged book in 2-3 hours. TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? KATE: Getting into a good college. It may not seem like the kind of dream most people have but I've worked so hard to get good grades and get good test scores that I want to be able to have the reward of opening college acceptance letters and being able to say that I got in on my own merit and that my hard work paid off. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? KATE: Honestly, I don't know if I would really want to ask him about anything, I think there's a peace in not knowing some things, but I think I would just want to talk to him like I was talking to my very best friend, I think that it would easy to talk to Jesus because he knows everything about everyone and I know he would understand anything I said I think that would be amazing. TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? KATE: I've learned to trust my instincts because I think that a person can tell right from wrong by just feeling it within them. To accept that things don't always happen the way I want them too but that God has a plan. Learning that family is the most important thing there is and that family isn't limited to just those related to you by blood. TRINICY: Which Christian song best connects with you? KATE: I love Christmas songs so I think that Silent Night connects the best with me. I feel like the moments I know God is with me the most are the silent ones where it's just me and him so I really love Silent Night because it reminds me that even while I'm sleeping God is with me. TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? KATE: As a Christian I want to leave the legacy of having others know I wasn't ashamed to profess my faith and that I would willing give my life for my beliefs. And I also want to leave the legacy of one day having Christian Children to whom I can teach about Christ and raise them to be good people who love God above all things. TRINICY: Which teacher has impacted you most? How? KATE: I think my AP Language teacher. It's kind of funny but she made us read a speech by Greta Thunberg and that really upset me because I didn't want to have to read something I didn't agree with and I thought she was trying to force her political ideologies on me but I later realized that she wasn't doing that at all she was in reality just giving a text that some people found persuasive and having us analyze it for rhetorical strategies. But in way that kind of changed how I thought about things because I think its important to be objective about things and to consider every side of an argument or you can't consider your own argument to be credible. Her making me read things I really didn't agree with pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped make me a better writer because it helped me to be able to see points of view that I don't agree with but having a better understanding of why some people might be persuaded by them so that in my arguments I would be more adept to counter them and be more credible by being objective. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? KATE: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." This verse just acts as a reminder to me that there is beauty in everything in life. I represents the rejection of Jesus by his own people and in turn serves to tell us that Jesus will never reject anyone and that through him you will never be alone. It means a lot to me because I know what its like to feel like the odd one and I think most people do but there's comfort in knowing that God has a plan for us all. TRINICY: Which world events have influenced, changed, or shaped your life? KATE: At this point in my life, probably the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic pretty much changed every day life for almost everyone on Earth and it definitely changed life for students still in school. For me I really just had to learn how to learn without having a teacher present which took a little getting use to for learning math at least. TRINICY: What is the most difficult thing for you about being a Christian? KATE: I think that the most difficult thing for me about being a Christian is that I know I need to truly behave like one and that means things like being patient and getting along with my sister even when I'm frustrated with her. For me I struggle the most with just reflecting Christ in my actions. Of course everyone is human and will make mistakes but I want people to be able to look at everything I do in life and be able to think that person is really patient and incredibly kind and helpful and while I do my best to be that person I don't think I'm quite there yet but I know I have to keep working at it until I am. TRINICY: What, thus far, has been your greatest "praise report"? KATE: I think mine would be getting to experience the miracle of my late grandfather living for ten years of my life. He had his first heart attack when my mom was in the third grade and he was then diagnosed with heart disease. He also developed Parkinsons and he had a very low platelet count so his blood couldn't clot properly. After he died the doctor told my grandmother he couldn't believe he had lived as long as he did. So that was truly the greatest miracle I've experienced so far in my live because I can't imagine what it would have been like to ever known him because he was so smart and funny and just an amazing person and I was lucky enough to have four loving grandparents for ten years and I'm thankful for that everyday. TRINICY: What is a question you wish we had asked but didn't? What is your response to this self-selected question? KATE: I wish you had asked my what my favorite Christian quote was not a Bible Verse but just a quote in general. Mine would be "Be who you were meant to be and you will set the world on fire." - St. Catherine of Sienna. WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY.WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY. If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected] OR share the Spotlight Interview Form with them to fill out. We will choose which to publish based on quality and content.
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? IMMANUEL: In the morning, I pray, do my morning devotion and quiet time, makes sure I pray at least two hours within the day then i do my evening devotion and quiet time before I sleep TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? IMMANUEL: Love. I think love surpasses all things. It exposes God's vulnerability. Because of love, He offered His only begotten son for mankind. He had to suffer emotional trauma even as His son went through physical torture. Because of love, Jesus laid down His life for us. John 15:13 describes this torture and pain as greater love and I think that is super amazing TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? IMMANUEL: A preacher had been invited to my high school. On that day, he preached about God's Love. After his sermon, he made an alter call. Before I realised, I was at the alter ready to give my life to Christ. I can't remember the name of the preacher. It was in 2010. Today, many lives and souls have been won for God through Christ. The many missions, weekend challenge and series of evangelism both in Ghana and Kenya has seen more than hundreds of people coming to Christ. All glory and honour to Him who makes the increase after we plant TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? IMMANUEL: For talent, I love singing but I do this only in my room. It doesn't move outside my room but I do sing more than any other thing. For gifts, Intercession, Evangelism and Preaching has been my backbone. These major gifts have reconciled many souls back to God through Christ. Its Christ not I. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? IMMANUEL: King David. He was a singer(Musician), a priest, prophet and a king. I see these qualities in me every time I read about him. The most favoured of God. A man of good heart. He had every right to kill Saul but he never did. He was quick to seek for forgiveness of sins and always acknowledged where God took him from and where he was. He spoke many deep mysteries that our minds still cant fathom in these present times. I see myself in him in all these attributes. Though weak, he still tried not to miss his mark in his service to his generation. I believe I possess these qualities. Even more deeper qualities I cant speak of because of time. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? IMMANUEL: Justice for all. Matters concerning social and economic well-being for all individuals in a community has been my topmost priority. I hate to rob Peter to pay Paul. This may be so because there is no partiality in God TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? IMMANUEL: To me, being a christian means allowing Christ to be the sole decision maker in your life so that you can reflect his attributes and personality to those who have not experienced him TRINICY: What does being a Conservative mean to you? Why Are you a Conservative? IMMANUEL: I am a conservative christian. By that, I mean I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and I have no iota of disbelief in his commandments and principles. Hence, I follow his precepts without doubt whatsoever. Like a soldier follows the instruction to the latter, so do I imitate Christ to the latter even though he has given me freewill. TRINICY: What has your experience been like as a Conservative Christian on and/or off campus? IMMANUEL: Here in Africa, It has been amazing. It is always a joy to meet, share and speak about Christ every time without any prejudice. It has been simply wonderful. TRINICY: What were your first thoughts when you heard about TRINICY? IMMANUEL: My first thought was a question. 'Does it project God?'. That was my first thought. TRINICY: What book(s) do you recommend conservative Christians read to help strengthen their faith in a secular and/or liberal setting? IMMANUEL: The Bible. The Believers Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin. Gods 360 agenda for mankind by Dr. Myles Munroe. Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. TRINICY: What advice or resource would you offer to fellow conservative Christians today? IMMANUEL: Download sermons by Apostle Joshua Selman from YouTube for a life changing encounter OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? IMMANUEL: I don't do politics but I do share my opinions on certain societal issues that have political inclinations, especially on Facebook. TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? IMMANUEL: To reveal Christ to the dying world. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? IMMANUEL: If Grace is all that the present day 'Grace Preachers' talk about, then what will be the criteria on the judgement day? TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? IMMANUEL: 1.There is always a source to everything. Anything you feel has no source has its root in God. 2. Treat every one equally even when there is no need. 3. If all of your life experiences can be explained by man, then that is the evidence that God is not with you TRINICY: Which Christian song best connects with you? IMMANUEL: I love the local Ghanaian worship songs that have the keyboard strings as the rhythm. It connects me more. TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? IMMANUEL: To see Christ formed in every mankind TRINICY: Which teacher has impacted you most? How? IMMANUEL: Archbishop Duncan Williams and Apostle Joshua Selman. Growing up, they have been exposing me more to the Truth as I journey on in my christian faith TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? IMMANUEL: Psalm 27:4 and Romans 8:18. They keep me moving. These verses touch every aspect of my life TRINICY: What is the most difficult thing for you about being a Christian? IMMANUEL: Being faithful to the end. It is difficult, yet achievable. WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY. If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected].
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? RUXANDRA: I start and end every day with prayer. I usually like to read the Bible in the morning and to write down a specific Bible verse or prayer that I come back to throughout the day. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? RUXANDRA: His fatherly love. Knowing the fact that nothing in this world can ever separate us from His love, mercy and purpose for us is truly powerful. TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? RUXANDRA: I was blessed with amazing parents that gave me a solid Christian education- almost as soon as I could read, I was gifted a children's Bible. After I got baptised, I consistently prayed that God would bring people in my life that I can lead to Christ- so far it has been the man who is now my husband. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? RUXANDRA: I feel very blessed to be able to do two things that I love: art and science. Ever since my teenage years I had a passion for scientific apologetics, especially in regards to the history of the earth. I have been reading a lot and was able to converse and challenge people in an area of science that is often portrayed as completely opposing to the Bible. In my art, I try to learn as much as time allows me the foundations of European academic drawing and to visually apply one of my favourite Bible verses- Philippians 4:8. I regard all my art as biblical, since through it I try to convey the beauty and light of God's creation. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? RUXANDRA: I can often relate to Gideon before defeating the Midianites. I tend to overanalyse and question things too much. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? RUXANDRA: It is very hard to say but if I were to pick one at this moment I would say the ever increasing affinity for socialism/communism among the youth. I believe this is very alarming and shows a distorted understanding of recent history. TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? RUXANDRA: Being a Christian means replacing the hopelessness of your sinful nature with the hope of the Cross by accepting the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ. I am a Christian because I have found the truth. TRINICY: What does being a Conservative mean to you? Why Are you a Conservative? RUXANDRA: For me, being a Conservative means holding on to things such as laws (human rights and freedoms), traditions, social practices, arts that are deeply rooted in Christianity. I am a Conservative because I think caution and critical thinking are necessary in a postmodern world, where misunderstood freedoms are imposed and Christianity is progressively removed from culture and the public life. TRINICY: What has your experience been like as a Conservative Christian on and/or off campus? RUXANDRA: I have not experienced much negativity for being a Christian or Conservative. Studying in Romania, specifically Eastern Romania, is still very different than in most Western countries. People are generally very religious and hold on to traditions and so there is little friction in society. Nevertheless, the word "conservative" has a stronger political connotation and requires further explanation. TRINICY: What were your first thoughts when you heard about TRINICY? RUXANDRA: I discovered Trinicy through Instagram and the selection of quotes and people immediately attracted my attention. TRINICY: What book(s) do you recommend conservative Christians read to help strengthen their faith in a secular and/or liberal setting? RUXANDRA: I would strongly recommend Love Your God with All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul by J.P. Moreland and How to be a Conservative? by Sir Roger Scruton. TRINICY: What advice or resource would you offer to fellow conservative Christians today? RUXANDRA: Be informed and read history! Once you understand how Christianity impacted the Western world you will feel more confident and assertive in formulating your arguments and answers in any given situations, both on and outside the campus. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? RUXANDRA: I used to be a glider pilot while I still lived in Romania. Great times! TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? RUXANDRA: To fulfil God's purpose for me in my marriage and family first. Secondly to be able to use the gifts He gave me to serve His Church. I don't have "a dream", a singular goal that I am aiming for. Rather, I am more focused on the opportunities God gives me, one at a time. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? RUXANDRA: The presence of Jesus alone would answer all my questions! TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? RUXANDRA: To never despair when it takes too long- God is always working His purpose in my life, even if it takes years; God always saved and protected me in every trial, even when it seemed impossible or hopeless- that is why He will always do the same; my true identity is found in obedience and submission to Christ- He created all of us as unique individuals for unique works already prepared for us in advance (Ephesians 2:10) TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? RUXANDRA: I would love to be able to leave the legacy of overcoming. As Jesus said "But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33), we know that in God, we are always above life's circumstances. There is no room for fatalism, determinism and hopelessness, irrespective of the situation. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? RUXANDRA: Philippians 4:8. The mind is the most sacred place of worship. The thoughts we have dictate all of our actions and reactions and it is important to always choose rightly what we think most about. I see a lot of today's culture and entertainment being completely dominated by the idea of darkness and death; as Christians, we should oppose it and display beauty and purity in our lives, in our speech and in the things we create. I try to apply this verse every time I draw or paint, my main focus being to celebrate life and light. TRINICY: What is the most difficult thing for you about being a Christian? RUXANDRA: A famous Romanian writer (Camil Petrescu) wrote "the more clarity of mind, the more pure conscience, the more drama". Christians can paradoxically be the most joyful of people but also the most miserable of all: we know Christ as our Saviour and know where we are going, but we also suffer greatly for those we love and continue to reject Him. WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY. If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected].
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? TIATEMSU: In the past few years I have been studying the Bible with commentaries and writings by scholars on different themes as an everyday routine. I have also had great opportunities with fellow Christians to discuss, pray, and encourage each other on a weekly/monthly basis. During my college and university studies, I was involved in a student ministry which helped me to explore my faith holistically. These days I've been exploring the christian faith from an outsider point of view with the help of some of my friends and it is immensely helping me in my personal belief and growth. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? TIATEMSU: The attribute of the Christian God being a personal God amazes me the most. This very attribute of God I believe has multidimensional ramifications. The one that comes to my mind now is: If God is infinite and we are finite beings adding to the fact the God is also personal - it implies that, even though all of our collective effort to understand God will always fail, God will work in us through our shortcomings and failures. TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? TIATEMSU: From my childhood days I've always wondered about the nature of God and the world, which eventually got me interested to study science. My Grandfather was the one who sowed the seed in me but my trust in God came about through a long process of experience and people that I've come across. I believe God has a way of getting around each and every person and that we are only an instrument. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? TIATEMSU: From my college days I've always wanted to be a scholar. I knew that doing research, reading, speaking, and writing are some of the areas which I was fairly good at. The fact that I'm a research scholar itself is a testimony of God using me as a small agent for the greater glory for his kingdom. In God's kingdom, I believe, there is no secular and sacred divide; every person does not get the opportunity/luxury to do research, read tons of books, and debate about ideas - academics is one such area where God shares his knowledge with us. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? TIATEMSU: Two Bible characters that have influenced me the most are Paul and Nehemiah. Nehemiah was indeed a very great leader who made bridges with people and mended walls (both physical and spiritual). On the other hand Paul was an intellectual giant who was a very secular person but also one of the most prominent character in the New Testament. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? TIATEMSU: I believe that Christians should be concerned about all social issues but the one that concerns me the most is exploitation and marginalization of people through different means. Interestingly, in India (only 2.3 percent are Christians) the place where I live is dominated by Christians but Christianity has not proved itself to be a positive agent to the exploited and marginalized people. TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? TIATEMSU: Being a Christian is a way of asserting that the claims and the person of Jesus Christ can be trusted. I'm a Christian because I believe that the person of Jesus Christ is the way through which we reach the climax of the revelation of God to human beings. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? TIATEMSU: During my high school days I used to sing in a band and also I played guitar. TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? TIATEMSU: Firstly, my Ph.D. work, which I'm doing for my people; and, secondly, my passion for reading, writing, and the dream of becoming a Professor. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? TIATEMSU: I would ask the question that I've always asked to myself. "How are you God and man at the same time? Please, explain the dynamics." TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? TIATEMSU: The three greatest life lessons that I've learned thus far are: 1) Never assume that you know until you research it yourself. 2) Don't take the words of people from your own community for granted. 3) Differences are good. TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? TIATEMSU: With my life and work as a Christian, I want people to realize the importance of giving, building each other, and sacrifice. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? TIATEMSU: 2 Corinthians 5:17 is the verse that I've been contemplating on again and again with richer inputs. As human beings we often want the things around us to improve/change but the verse talks about a new version of you which is found in Christ alone. WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY. If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected].
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? MONICA: Pray, read the Bible, read a book, meditate on God's word. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? MONICA: His balance between Mercy and Justice. As humans we cannot comprehend His timing; He is full of mercy; at the same time he is just at the right time and in His time. TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? MONICA: The Holy Spirit and the believers that God placed in my journey. It is my desire to lead the Children God has given me and the people that I get to know. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? MONICA: I would say that I have the gift of discernment, exhortation, and serving. Currently at home I get to share the gifts God has given me, also in the community in the different roles and opportunities given. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? MONICA: Between Moses and Peter. Moses because I don't think I am equipped. Peter because sometimes I am fast to act or respond. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? MONICA: Three come to mind: The revision of the family structure; Gender (hot topic for today's environment); Education disparity (bringing topics to school that are not really necessary and taking out topics that are necessary). TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? MONICA: Love the Lord God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind and to love my neighbor as myself. TRINICY: What does being a Conservative mean to you? Why Are you a Conservative? MONICA: To abide by God’s word. TRINICY: What has your experience been like as a Conservative Christian on and/or off campus? MONICA: I feel to be the minority, also it is like swimming against the current. The Biblical stance is not really on fashion and, oftentimes, there is a preconception that, if you are a Christian, and to top it of a Conservative Christian, then you are a bigot, oppressor, etc. TRINICY: What were your first thoughts when you heard about TRINICY? MONICA: What does it means? And I also like the IG posts and some of the "conversations" with people questioning certain stances. TRINICY: What book(s) do you recommend conservative Christians read to help strengthen their faith in a secular and/or liberal setting? MONICA: Gospel Fluency: Speaking the Truths of Jesus into the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt; You Who: Why You Matter and How to Deal With It by Rachel Jankovic TRINICY: What advice or resource would you offer to fellow conservative Christians today? MONICA: Trust in the Lord; the way is narrow; times may become more difficult. Let's remember the Apostles and how the remained strong because Christ conquered death. This life is a glimpse when compared to eternity; let's continue running the good race until we meet our Creator. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? MONICA: Most people don't know that I have a sister with mental disabilities. She is forty one years old, mentally she is three. When I was in high school we had a debate about abortion and I was on the side of keeping the baby alive regardless of the challenges - I kept my sister in mind the entire debate. TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? MONICA: The idea that each day is a day full of opportunities. There is something unique about enjoying God's creation early morning. I am often in awe by His creation and by how faithful and slow to anger God is. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? MONICA: I would ask him to touch the heart of the many people I know and to change their desires, for them to surrender to His love. TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? MONICA: 1. Death is not the end | 2. The Christian walk is a daily walk | 3. The way is surely narrow TRINICY: Which Christian song best connects with you? MONICA: There are two: "Beautiful Eulogy"; "Build My Life" TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? MONICA: To show the goodness of Christ through my actions and words. TRINICY: Which teacher has impacted you most? How? MONICA: My father, mother, husband. I was able to witness firsthand their obedience to Christ rather than following their own desires. They walk the talk and continue to do so. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? MONICA: Joshua 1:9 because that verse has become real in my journey, time and time again. In difficult times to remember that Christ is with me wherever I go, at the mountain tops because Christ is with me wherever I go. TRINICY: Which world events have influenced, changed, or shaped your life? MONICA: Anytime I hear of war or issues in the culture, the word of God becomes super real. TRINICY: What is the most difficult thing for you about being a Christian? MONICA: To balance Truth and Grace, to not be so hypercritical. TRINICY: What, thus far, has been your greatest "praise report"? MONICA: There are many: My parents reuniting after seven years. My husband overcoming alcohol addiction. The sons given to us making a decision to walk with Christ. TRINICY: What is a question you wish we had asked but didn't? What is your response to this self-selected question? MONICA: How do you deal when it seems that God is not changing the heart and desires of a person you care for? I trust God is in control. He is God and I am not. WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY. If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected].
By Thomas Torres | TRINICY.org
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? THOMAS: I try to give the Lord the first and last 30 to 60 minutes of each day. I also try to read the Bible completely at least once each year. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? THOMAS: I am amazed the most by God’s love and sacrifice for us since He loves us so much He sacrificed His only Son for our salvation. TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? THOMAS: My grandmother first taught me about Jesus when I was 3 years old. But my main inspiration came from my wife. When we were first friends, she taught me more about the Bible than I had learned in Catholic Churches. She also taught me about the salvation prayer and its importance in being saved. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? THOMAS: My primary talent is to serve others, which I try to do when I can. I also believe in servant leadership when it comes to leading people at work. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? THOMAS: I admire King David the most in the Bible because of his faith and humbleness to the Lord. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? THOMAS: I care about abortion the most since it is the murder of innocent, helpless babies. TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? THOMAS: For myself, being a Christian means to follow Jesus completely and to not let any worldly desires take precedence over Him. It means putting Him first in my life and to grow constantly in my faith. TRINICY: What does being a Conservative mean to you? Why Are you a Conservative? THOMAS: For myself, being a conservative means to hold onto traditional and moral values and not let the liberal attitudes of the world influence me. TRINICY: What has your experience been like as a Conservative Christian on and/or off campus? THOMAS: I’ve noticed there are very few true Christians out there in the workforce. Many say they are Christians, but they quickly jump on the liberal bandwagon in many issues. TRINICY: What were your first thoughts when you heard about TRINICY? THOMAS: I think TRINICY is awesome especially since the majority of schools try to indoctrinate their students against God. TRINICY helps these students to find allies with the same Christian believers as themselves. TRINICY: What book(s) do you recommend conservative Christians read to help strengthen their faith in a secular and/or liberal setting? THOMAS: The main book to read is the Bible to help conservative Christians strengthen their faith. Secondary are books from Dr. Robert Jeffress, especially Not All Roads Lead to Heaven and his new book Courageous: 10 Strategies for Thriving in a Hostile World. TRINICY: What advice or resource would you offer to fellow conservative Christians today? THOMAS: I would advise conservative Christians to not be ashamed of their faith. Be bold like Daniel in the Bible. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? THOMAS: Most people (besides family and close friends) don’t know much of my time in the military. Most people assume I was a pharmacist in the military. But instead, I was an Army Ranger during the 1980’s and was deployed to many parts of the world like Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Lebanon, Syria, etc. TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? THOMAS: My dream that keeps me awake at night or wakes me up in the morning is for every member of our family to follow Jesus completely. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? THOMAS: I don’t think I would have the courage to ask Jesus anything, let alone look at Him if He was here in front of me. He is my Lord and I am not even worthy to shine His shoes. But I would hold onto him tightly as a child holds on to their parent’s legs and not let Him go. TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? THOMAS: The 3 greatest lessons I have learned so far is that 1. Faith and prayer are important for any problems we encounter in life. 2. Most people give up mentally before reaching their goals even though their goal is within their reach. 3. The truth always comes out. TRINICY: Which Christian song best connects with you? THOMAS: I have 3 songs that I connect with. “Dear Younger Me”, and “I Can Only Imagine” and “Burn the Ships.” TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? THOMAS: My greatest legacy I would like to have as a Christian is to help lead many people to Christ (either at work or people I meet). TRINICY: Which teacher has impacted you most? How? THOMAS: The teacher that influenced me the most was my college organic chemistry teacher since he was able to teach a very difficult subject with ease. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? THOMAS: My life verse is from Psalm 23: ”The Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not want” since it shows that no matter what happens in our lives, we will always have the Lord and that is all that we really need. Everything else is secondary to this. TRINICY: Which world events have influenced, changed, or shaped your life? THOMAS: The world events that helped influence me the most was 1. The election of President Ronald Reagan, since it showed me how to be more patriotic. 2. The breaking down of the Berlin Wall, since it showed me that peace could be possible in this world even when almost all hope is lost. 3. The invention of the computer and internet since it put knowledge at our fingertips. TRINICY: What is the most difficult thing for you about being a Christian? THOMAS: The most difficult thing about being a Christian is to know that we are always being watched by “baby Christians” and non-Christians. So it helps to always conduct myself as if Jesus is right next to me. TRINICY: What, thus far, has been your greatest "praise report"? THOMAS: I have many praise reports but one of the greatest ones I have is when my previous pharmacy was closing down and everyone was scrambling for jobs. I prayed and the Lord told me not to worry and He would find the job for me. Everyone at work was laughing at me when we had less than 2 weeks to go and I still had no job. But I had faith and waited. With less than 2 weeks to go, a district manager from Walgreens happened to drive by and saw our closing sign. He was from a different district so he rarely drives to where I was working. He came inside and offered me a job without even knowing me. Another major praise report is when I was in my mid-30’s. I was told I had a heart problem and wouldn’t live past the late 50’s. I was also told that in my early 50’s I would start having major heart problems. When my blood pressure started going very high when I was 52 or 53, I assumed this was the beginning of the end. My doctor told me they would have to do an operation on my heart but first they must do a stress test. My wife (who was my fiancé then prayed for me and said I would be ok). After the stress test, the doctor said there must be a mistake since my heart is as healthy as an 18 year old man and I had no problems (even though the previous exams showed otherwise). Praise the Lord. WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY.If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected].
By Tanya Cooper | TRINICY.org FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? TANYA: I don't drink coffee, but I have to read my personal devotional or I feel like I'm missing something important. I also utilize one or two additional prayer and/or devotional guides to pray for specific issues concerning my family. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? TANYA: God's faithfulness wows me and I believe it's mostly because disappointment, dishonesty, and deceit was so prevalent in my environment as a child, that I have trouble truly believing or trusting anyone. But God (I could actually stop right there.) didn't just deliver me, love me, forgive me, etc. He sticks around to provide all those over and over and over again. Endlessly, because I belong to Him. God made a covenant with King David that if David obeyed all His commands, God would make sure that the Kingdom of David would not end and, wouldn't you know it, for 300+ years despite other rulers after David died disobeying the Word of God, God delivered and remained faithful to David and his descendants. My heart is always wow'd by God's faithfulness to mankind regardless of our frailty, stubbornness, and utter stupidity. TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? TANYA: My mom led me to Christ. Yes, led would be the right terminology. She didn't ask me to read the Bible, nor do I remember watching her do it. We didn't pray together except in church, and meals of course. We didn't do quite a bit of the Christian-like activities one is usually involved in. But yes, she led me with her soft spoken words, her change in behavior, her quiet determination to attend church, Bible study or choir rehearsal, no matter what else came up. The persistent but undominating way she encouraged her family to attend church and change their behavior as well. Yes, she led me to Christ by her quiet, unassuming, loving persistence in our home. To be honest, I'm not sure who I'm leading to Christ but I hope everyone I spend time with can see Christ in my actions and words, or a touch, hug or smile. I have a specific heart for women and the homeless community. Those are the people I speak with most often. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? TANYA: My primary gift is speaking (I assume it's because I can't quite stop talking) and then writing. Currently, I've been fortunate to be able to facilitate a few sessions at our women's bible study, and began writing a devotional. Occasionally, I also engage in spoken word showings. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? TANYA: Gideon is the person from the Bible I resonate with the most. When his story begins in Judges 6, the Lord finds him hiding and calls Gideon a mighty warrior and tells him that the Lord is with him. Gideon responds to both statements by saying, Pardon me but if You are with us, why are we oppressed? How can I be a mighty warrior when I am the least of the least in my family. THAT'S ME! I questioned how God saw me, how He called me His own, chosen and loved because I was unable to see beyond my circumstances into the future He had prepared for me. Gideon's story continues as he accepts God's call to be a warrior and leader of his clan and defeat their oppressors. I too have accepted what God has called me to be. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? TANYA: Poverty and homelessness. My family was poor for most of my upbringing. There is little to no identification with self-esteem, self-worth, confidence or value without access to adequate income, social services, healthcare, education, and safety and that is often the catalyst to self-defeating mindsets and behaviors. God called Gideon a mighty warrior (mind you, not just any ordinary warrior). But Gideon saw himself as worthless. Often, we need help in recognizing who we are and the potential to be used to do and be great things despite our deficiencies. TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? TANYA: Being a Christian means yielding my way to the way of Christ. That includes my thoughts, decisions, actions, language...everything. It means that all I am belong to Him. I am a Christian because He drew me near enough for me to feel that something in my life was missing and that He was the only one who could fill the void. I became a Christian as a teenager and didn't really understand what all of being a Christian entailed but I knew the Holy Spirit's voice when I heard Him speaking to my heart. True to form, I didn't yield my heart to Him right away but true to form, He never stopped wooing me. My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me." Song of Solomon 2. TRINICY: What does being a Conservative mean to you? Why Are you a Conservative? TANYA: Being a conservative is not a political bent for me. To me it's a way of thinking and living according to traditional social and Christian values. I'm a conservative because it leans more toward the values and principles I believe in and live by stemming from the Bible. TRINICY: What were your first thoughts when you heard about TRINICY? TANYA: Incredible. I was so impressed by the vast array of featured quotes and comments from people from all ages and stages of life. I was also surprised by its open forum that encouraged comments and lively yet respectful stimulating discussions among all walks of life. TRINICY: What book(s) do you recommend conservative Christians read to help strengthen their faith in a secular and/or liberal setting? TANYA: All Christians should begin by reading the Bible in whatever form is easiest to strengthen their faith. The stories in the Bible speak to real life circumstances both then and now because the people, the places, and the hardships were real. It's the best reality show ever. But I also think all people (not just Christians or conservative Christians) should read anything they can get their hands on. To quote the largest children's literacy organization, RIF, "reading is fundamental." When we read, we engage, we think, we ponder, we question, we debate. The more varied the subject matter, the wider your engagement, questioning, etc. TRINICY: What advice or resource would you offer to fellow conservative Christians today? TANYA: Our mightiest resource is prayer. We can take it with us wherever we go. No one can stop us from using it and we have unlimited access to unlimited power. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? TANYA: Most people do not know or believe that I get really nervous around a lot of people. The more nervous I get, the more I talk. TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? TANYA: Writing and speaking is my passion. But writing is the one thing that'll wake me up and take me on a journey. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? TANYA: I would love for Him to tell me about heaven. TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? TANYA: God knows best (He really does). Trusting God does not mean limits; it means expansion. I'm not in control...of anything. Obedience IS better than sacrifice. TRINICY: Which Christian song best connects with you? TANYA: "Counting Every Blessing" by Rend Collective TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? TANYA: Perfection isn't necessary or required, but obedience is. TRINICY: Which teacher has impacted you most? How? TANYA: Stacey Knight is a public school teacher and a Bible study teacher. She not only taught the principles of God's Word but she did it with passion (not exuberance), honesty, and transparency. I want to be like her when I grow up. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? TANYA: Matthew 6:33. When I thought I was in control of my life, I worried constantly about how to make ends meet, career goals, raising a child, etc. When I read this verse, I accept that I'm not the one in control and by seeking God and His righteousness, I submit to His control over everything. TRINICY: Which world events have influenced, changed, or shaped your life? TANYA: I live near Washington, DC and I think 911 brought to bear a different mindset. It was a devastating ordeal but it also brought to my mind how little control we have and how great God is. By world standards, it was not the greatest tragedy but it was the greatest tragedy the U.S. had been exposed to. But God brought the people of this nation together in prayer and in community regardless of our differences. God's ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts and though it's sometimes difficult to conceptualize, His view is so much broader. TRINICY: What is the most difficult thing for you about being a Christian? TANYA: Witnessing is my Achilles heel. I find it to be a difficult activity to engage in. TRINICY: What, thus far, has been your greatest "praise report"? TANYA: My mother and I were both diagnosed with cancer a year apart. Me first, then her. God used that circumstance to not only draw us closer to him but each other. Through the recovery process, we also grew exponentially spiritually and have since broadened our ministry activities. TRINICY: What is a question you wish we had asked but didn't? What is your response to this self-selected question? TANYA: What or who is your biggest influence and why? My daughter. God created her to be the best of her parents without adding the worst of her parents. She has a kind heart, generous spirit, wisdom beyond her years and a beautiful smile you can't buy anywhere. She inspires me daily to be better than I am. WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY.If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected].
By E.J. Cox | Onward Christian Soliders! | TRINICY.org
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? E.J.: I try to read the scriptures and pray on my knees by bedside every night. I find that humbling myself before God resets my spiritual clock for the next day and continually allows God and the Spirit to continuously fill me. I also find that I digest and retain the scriptures better if they are the last thing I read at night. In the morning I try to watch a teaching by one of the great Christian leaders of our time. My go-to teachers are Chuck Swindoll, Charles Stanley, C.S. Lewis (or the recordings of his broadcasts) and Ravi Zacharias. I will also watch Dennis Prager and Jordan Peterson help satiate the need to keep my brain sharp. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? E.J.: The attribute of God that I admire the most is His unfailing love and grace. There is not a Christian I have met who did not deserve the most painful of deaths and eternities, myself included, for the sins committed against God. Yet, His mercies are new every morning and He blesses us above and beyond anything we can possibly earn or deserve. I am constantly reminded of Hosea's commandment from God to marry an unfaithful woman and love her unconditionally [as his wife]. So many times we are nothing more than unfaithful adulterers, turning ourselves over to the changing winds of culture and popular opinion, and yet, God is always there ready to accept us back into His arms. TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? E.J.: A local Christian radio host, Bob Burney, was the one the Spirit spoke through to me. At the Baptist Church I grew up in, we always had an old-fashioned American tent revival in the summer. Mr. Burney was always one of the invited speakers. However, one year, he was invited to come to teach in springtime. It was March 2007. I was 10 years old. Mr. Burney was preaching on the Pharisees - specifically, how they believed themselves righteous because of their knowledge of the Law and Prophets, and yet they had no love and no real understanding of God's nature. The Spirit convicted me that I had been like a Pharisee, full of Knowledge but without love or wisdom. I gave my life to Christ because I realized I could only attain the love and wisdom of God through Jesus. I was baptized on Easter Day 2007. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? E.J.: From an early age, God inspired me with a desire to gain knowledge and wisdom. Even more so than that, God imbued me with a love of reading and writing at an early age. As I have grown and matured my chosen area to use these skills is in the discipline of history. History is nothing more than the recounting of the story that God has already written. And in the reverse, the future is nothing more than the story God has already written but which we have yet turn the page to. They are chapters yet unread. Therefore, my goal in academics, is to make sure that as I write and explicate the history of man, I turn man's eyes back to the Author of it all. It is a large part of the reason I am so enthusiastic to join TRINICY is that it gives me an outlet and tool to accomplish this task. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? E.J.: My immediate answer would be David. David was such a flawed man and filled with many emotions and doubts. All one has to do is read the Psalms. David shares his darkest moments of despair and doubt in the future as well as the great heights that God elevated him to. He was a great warrior. Perhaps some of my favorite scriptures to read are of the battles David fought. He was a military genius. He even shared the same temptations with which many Christian men today wrestle. David faltered many times in his sexual purity, going so far as to order one of his best men and friends, Uriah, on a suicide mission so that David could have Uriah's wife. But through all of his faults and worldliness, David comes back to God every time. He humbled himself continually before God. Thus, this broken and, by today's standards, unlovable man was chosen as the fountainhead through which the Messiah was to be born. His story should inspire every Christian today, especially men of the church. In a day where many western societies are spitting upon the idea of masculine manhood, where emasculated men are shown to our boys as what they should aspire to be, we need to look to the examples of David, Solomon, Samuel and all the great men of the Bible. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? E.J.: It is too hard for me to pick any one issue. If I had to pick a top three, they would be 1. the leftist revolution and its effect in the higher realms of academia; 2. 2nd Amendment rights; 3. the over-sexualization of society and the problems that can cause. I care about these issues because they are all related in one way or another to the basic rights inherent to human beings. With issue 1, we are seeing blatant attempts to remove the exercise of free speech on campuses, free speech and thought being the basis of any real academic substance or learning. Issue 2 is important because, without the ability to exercise our 2nd amendment rights, our freedoms will be trampled upon because the citizenry loses its ability to defend its sovereignty. Issue 3 is perhaps an unspoken issue, but it is directly responsible for the lack of empathy our society is seeing. I think it is responsible for many of the identity and gender issues in Western society. It is also directly responsible for keeping the slave trade alive and even growing it to levels unseen. TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? E.J.: Being a Christian to me is making Jesus the head executive over everything in your life and allowing Him to guide you where ever He needs you to go. It means you are now enlisted as a soldier in the War of the Ages and you should behave as such. TRINICY: What does being a Conservative mean to you? Why Are you a Conservative? E.J.: Being a Conservative means that I am devoted to the traditional values of Christendom that have survived through the ages. It means that, while I may disagree with someone, I support their right to disagree with me. It means that I am cautious of change and I examine everything that is occurring around me through the lens of the Bible and what it tells me is correct or incorrect. It means I have a respect for those dead generations who sacrificed their tomorrows for my today and I will fight to uphold the values and institutions they died to maintain. TRINICY: What has your experience been like as a Conservative Christian on and/or off campus? E.J.: I have experienced blatant bias against my opinion. I have been blessed with a firm foundation that, while shaken, was not broken. I have seen many Christians walk away from the faith because of the lies and poison they allowed into their hearts at University. I even distinctly remember the Bible Study I was a member of, being told that we could not put up posters with crosses, whereas the LGBT club could plaster buildings on campus with pride flags and the Muslim student group was allowed to post posters with political causes on the main thoroughfares on campus. I learned very quickly to blend in and hold my tongue until the right moment. TRINICY: What were your first thoughts when you heard about TRINICY? E.J.: I was ecstatic! I was so glad to finally become part of a group that has the real potential to effect change on campus and right many of the wrongs that have occurred in Academia. TRINICY: What book(s) do you recommend conservative Christians read to help strengthen their faith in a secular and/or liberal setting? E.J.: The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. This Present Darkness and Piercing The Darkness by Frank Peretti. The Crisis by Thomas Paine. I would also highly recommend reading the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights as these documents are inspirational and help to illustrate the most effective ways for Conservative Christians to make a difference. TRINICY: What advice or resource would you offer to fellow conservative Christians today? E.J.: GUARD YOUR HEARTS! It is so easy to be taken captive by the many vices floating on the airwaves and in our society as a whole. Do not be deceived, even if you go to a Christian University, the enemy's agents are working in every way to tempt you into sin. Remember, their penultimate goal is to drag you away from the promises that God has laid out for your life. Test every thought and spirit that comes into your mind. Be especially wary of those people who speak of "humanistic" ideals. These ideas lead very rapidly to the dismantling of faith, but are presented as good and can even be mistaken by the uninitiated as somewhat Christian. The Bible tells us that the Devil is both the father of lies and that he will appear at times as an angel of light. Trust me, I have seen a number of good Christians and good men get pulled down by these deceptions. Above all things, remember who you are and most importantly Whose you are. Pray continuously and constantly search for Jesus' leading and His knowledge and wisdom. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? E.J.: I was an actor through most of middle and high school and my two favorite characters I played were Oliver Warbucks in Annie and Justice Wargrave in the stage adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel Ten Little Indians. TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? E.J.: My desire to continuously find in history, both ancient and present, where God was at work. There are so many examples! TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? E.J.: What was it like writing this great story and how big is the Universe, really? TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? E.J.: 1. Never Never Never give up. 2. Always put God first. 3. (For men) A righteous woman is truly rare and worth more than most anything in this world. TRINICY: Which Christian song best connects with you? E.J.: There are honestly too many to pick one. Since it is the name of my column, the hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers" has always resonated with me personally. TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? E.J.: I want my legacy to reflect the grace and love that was shown to me by Christ. When the books of my life are closed I hope that, while I may not be counted as one of the lions of the faith, I can proudly say that I encouraged and supported them and drove them on to victory. TRINICY: Which teacher has impacted you most? How? E.J.: In terms of academics I would have to say my second grade teacher, Mr. Edward Ziegler. He is the one I credit with my passion for history. Every Friday was story day in his class and, because he grew up in Gettysburg PA, he would tell us stories of the Civil War and the battlefield he grew up playing on. I have certain artifacts in my collection that are from Mr. Ziegle. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? E.J.: Of the many, many verses I would choose, one that has stuck with me from my early days was Psalm 144:1 "Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle." This verse, written by David, has always illustrated that God forms your skills and talents. While this is in reference to warfare (of which God has always been a perfecter) and it resonates with me because of that, more so, it shows that nothing you do for God or in His service is completely of your own power. HAVE MORE QUESTIONS FOR E.J.? What did you think of E.J.'s brief Spotlight Interview? Is there a follow-up question you'd like to ask based on his answers above? Is there a question you wish we had asked or he had answered? Leave them in the comments below or email us to continue the conversation! WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY. If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected].
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