Author Archives: Stephen Herrera

More than A Song!

By | March 4, 2013

In the fall of 2005 I was a senior in high school and involved with FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) at my school. We would meet once a month in our auditorium for about 45 minutes. I still remember that at these meetings is where I truly learned how to pray with music. I remember “Tell the World” by Hillsong was the first song that I really recognized I was praying rather than singing. I had been on plenty of retreats and conferences throughout high school before I started going to these meetings,

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Prayer Works!

By | March 20, 2012

After being in full time missions for almost 2 years and living at a camp where I see God do amazing things all the time, I sometimes still forget about the power of prayer.  Every week, we pray for the teens who will be coming to Covecrest on retreat that weekend.  Every weekend, teens arrive at Covecrest with their youth group and I am blessed to see amazing growth and conversions in teens through the sacraments, adoration, relational ministry and even through conversations during meal times.

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Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

By | February 17, 2011

Before I began this Mission year in September, a common question I was asked was, “Stephen, what are you most excited about for this year?”  I answered in the same way to every single person, “To grow in Christian brotherhood.” I thought that it would be easy to do since I was going to be living with five other guys at Covecrest. This desire actually seemed like it would be granted to me rather easily and I wouldn’t even have to work hard at it. Well, the Lord had different plans. Now,

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Life’s Tough, Get A Helmet!

By | January 6, 2011

Back in November, I had the opportunity to go on the Life Teen retreat for our area with Melanie, Amanda, and Alyssa. A religious community called the Community of the Beatitudes ran the retreat. I have been working in youth ministry for the past five years as a core member, and I have always had some sort of responsibility. Well, that wasn’t the case on this retreat. We were called to simply be there and dive into the retreat with the teens. That sounded great at first; but, alas I still didn’t

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Striving For Holiness, Not Perfection

By | November 30, 2010

“Many people seem to believe that creating a community is a matter of simply gathering together under the same roof a few people who get on reasonably well together or committed to the same ideal. The result can be disastrous!” –Community and Growth I have been living in some form of community since I was a sophomore in college. Not only did I truly believe that first line from Community and Growth for almost three years, but I also had the crazy notion that all those who follow Christ

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“Pray Without Ceasing”

By | November 14, 2010

Photos by Debbie DeVoe/Catholic Relief Services The Kingdom of God includes more than just the church in the United States. In the Bible, Paul calls us to never stop praying, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thesselonians 5:17).  Thus, I want to send out an invitation to everyone who is reading this. Please join us, the missionaries, and the whole Life Teen family in praying for peace in Sudan. We have joined the Bishops of Sudan in committing to pray for a 101 day period. On January 9, 2011,

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I’ve Been Deported!

By | November 1, 2010

I’ve been deported! Who would have ever thought that a kid that grew up in central Florida would end up in Germany just a few short months after he graduated college? Not this guy! When I graduated college in May I had this set plan in my head that I was going to get a job as a youth minister in Baltimore, Maryland.  Well I was clearly wrong about where God wanted me to be.  This is apparent by my current location in a small town in Germany and not one of the biggest cities in the United States.

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