Member Spotlight: Brian Dang

Hi! My name is Brian and I have been coming to APCC since 2016. I love being a part of the APCC family because it is a family that permeates God’s love to each other and to our community. I love that some of my church family share in my personal hobbies like running, playing Pokémon/Pokémon Go and trading Pokémon. I have loved getting to know our APCC Kids in the Children’s Ministry and seeing their understanding of God grow. While serving as a teacher or volunteer, I always learn more about the Bible along with the kids! I am a George Mason University alum and God had helped me came to faith in Jesus Christ through Cru my freshman year. Prior I did not know God and came from a culturally Buddhist family. Through Cru I learned that being a Christian simply involves living our best life in Christ together by honoring God with our words/deeds and understanding of who God called us to be.

Lately in the sermon on Daniel 10 I have been reminded that there resides a spiritual battle within my heart between being led by fear or surrendering my fear/worries to God. In times of distress I gravitate to other things besides God for comfort or temporary relief from my fears or worries which always lead to sin. I am struck that while Daniel was being troubled by the final vision about God’s people not returning home to the land of Palestine, he calls upon a 2-week prayer meeting to lament over this and ask for God's reassurance. Indeed Daniel was reassured in Daniel 10:10-12 “a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees…. Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength.” We can see in Daniel's story that God does not judge us based upon our inadequacy to overcome our overwhelming predicament. Our God is a gracious God that welcomes our prayers and helps us live within His strength. Remember that God is a strong and mighty God that gives us strength and who fights along with us in our spiritual battles!