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Earlier this month, I was invited to speak at a breakfast for clergy, hosted by the county chapter of Right to Life—a national pro-life organization dedicated, for 47 years and counting, to ensuring legal protection for all human life against abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. My task at this event was to spark enthusiasm for a youth rally called “Truth ’N Teens” (TNT), which was held last week at Wildwood Catholic High School. The breakfast planning committee sent out over 80 invitations to church leaders, along with follow-up phone calls. They assembled a crew of volunteers, who spent their Saturday morning preparing a delicious breakfast for the attendees. However, there was one big problem: Only a handful of clergy took the time to attend. Many never even responded to the invitation.This baffles me, particularly from the standpoint of the many negative health indicators that plague the youth in our county. I don’t want to bash our local houses of worship, but the bottom line is that the moral health of the community falls onto the shoulders of the people of faith – not the governmental powers that be. Jesus did not come to Earth and sacrifice His life trying to fix the government, instead He aimed His correction and rebukes to the religious leaders. Is there a lesson for us here today?As a follower of Christ, I challenge other Christians to consider what an example the body of Christ (aka “the Church”) would be if we put aside our territorial claims and came together to support events that would strengthen our youth in their convictions, denominational divisions cast aside.Some pastors say they are busy enough with their own student ministries and programs; to which I reply, “How is that working?” It is my observation that too many churches have resorted to entertaining our youth right into spiritual complacency and compromise. There is no stability or integrity outside of the unadulterated Word of God. I learned that plain and simple truth as I found peace even in a chaotic place like prison. Without God’s Word as the cornerstone of our children’s lives, we are setting them up with a faulty foundation. Doomed to failure!I know a lot about failure, but I also know a lot about success. And in order for success to happen, we need to possess a passionate conviction. What is conviction? It is not just a belief. A belief is something you will take sides for; but a conviction is something you will die for. Jesus passionately poured into His followers’ lives, and He was willing to die to prove it. As the end of this Easter month draws near, instead of hopping around like bunnies and giving our youth candy eggs to entertain them, let’s remember the power of the resurrection and live it out. Let’s not be the ones whose house of worship would have been condemned by Jesus, who in disgust overturned the moneychangers’ tables in the temple in order to clear the area for true worship – worship that is not done for convenience, the status quo or personal gain. Prayerfully consider becoming a collective force that determines to passionately infect our youth with an #iConviction mission that cannot be contained. 

CLIFFSIDE PARK - The message of the Rebeka Verea Foundation is simple yet powerful - "Say yes to life." Established after a fatal car accident that took the life of Cliffside Park High School senior Rebeka Verea, her parents Dr. Jorge and Lourdes Verea, are now dedicating their lives to educate teenagers about the dangers of reckless driving. Rebeka was an intelligent and kind 18-year-old who lost her life only hours after her high school graduation in June 2005.KRISTEN AGNES/STAFF PHOTOIt has been 10 years since Cliffside Park High School senior Rebeka Verea lost her life hours after her high school graduation. A table display of pictures and plaques honor her life at the Educational Symposium."See the girl in this picture, she loves life," said Lourdes Verea pointing to the graduation picture of her daughter. "She was always happy.This June will mark the 10th anniversary of the deadly accident. The Educational Symposium, one of the largest events of the foundation, is held annually on Rebeka's birthday, April 24. This year, more than 1,000 high school seniors from schools all over Bergen and Hudson counties filled the Palisadium Banquet Hall in Cliffside Park for a seminar on safe driving. Speakers included Chief of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Raymond P. Martinez, Violeta Marrero from the New Jersey State Traffic Department and Melian Gonzalez, a trauma nurse from Hackensack University Medical Center. Acting Mayor Thomas Calabrese also was in attendance.The speakers had short videos for the students to view and one included a popular skit from "Saturday Night Live" starring Taylor Swift who plays a teen- ager trying educate people about the terrible driving habits of parents. Some of the habits included "arguing with the GPS" and "looking for something in a purse." Although this skit made most of the students laugh, it was a good representation of the dangers of distracted driving. A more memorable and emotional speaker was Matthew Maher, a former professional soccer player, who presented his program called Decisions Determine Destiny. Maher was recently released from prison after serving almost five years for driving while intoxicated and causing the death Hort Kap, a father of six children.He began by describing a horrific fight he witnessed in prison where prison guards and inmates beat a man almost to death. He described it as "a nightmare he could not wake up from."He made it clear that he was not looking for sympathy but rather to honor the memory of Rebeka."It is in honor of Rebeka that we can all be here to say yes to life," said Maher.His mission is to prevent young people from making the same mistake he made when he was only 24 years old. "My hope is that you learn from me today and do better than me," he said after admitting that as a student he often thought the same way as many teenagers today, that bad things cannot happen to them and the countless safe driving programs hosted at schools are irrelevant to his life. From the time he began speaking at the symposium, side conversation seized in the room and all 1,100 students became totally engaged in his story. While a few students seemed to feel they were "too old" for these types of programs, most seemed to respond in a positive way.CPHS senior Wujdan Warrad explained that she felt the Educational Symposium as a whole was very informative."I think it opens your mind a lot, most people are not careful and they think it could never happen to them," she said. Email: agnes@northjersey.com

Matt Maher calls himself That GuyA native of Cape May County, New Jersey, Matt was That Guy who excelled both academically and athletically. Matt was active in his community, played basketball and soccer, and coached children in youth camps. He was That Guy who grew up in a picture-perfect family, with parents who always supported his goals. After graduating from Temple University on a full athletics scholarship, Matt signed with professional soccer team, Carolina FC, in 2007, and eventually with the Philadelphia Kixx in January 2009.He was That Guy whose life was envied by many.Unfortunately, Matt is now That Guy who killed a father of six in a drunk driving crash.The Accident On March 1, 2009 – just a couple of months after joining the Philadelphia Kixx – Matt sustained a career-ending knee injury. A week later, feeling discouraged about his situation, Matt went out drinking with a friend. On his way home, Matt was speeding down the Atlantic City Expressway and crashed into the vehicle of Hort Kap, killing him instantly.Matt didn’t receive the news he killed Kap until he was in police custody. As he sat in the holding cell, contemplating the consequences of a DUI charge, he overheard the dispatcher describing Kap as “deceased.” In an instant, Matt’s world came crashing down.“I couldn’t comprehend the weight and I had a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach trying to understand the full magnitude of the word ‘deceased’– and that my actions caused it,” describes Matt. “It was total mind confusion.”As Matt was awaiting his sentencing, the Bible Club counselor at Middle Township High School approached Matt’s mother, asking if he would be interested in speaking with students at the school.“My mom left the decision up to me and I told her after much thought and prayer that I always stood up during all the good in my life; and that I should stand up now during the bad and take ownership of my bad decision,” says Matt.Prior to sentencing, Matt partnered with the South Jersey Traffic Safety Alliance (SJTSA) and was able to make 34 “I’m That Guy” presentations to more than 7,000 students in high schools and colleges throughout South Jersey. His goal was to spare someone else from following in his footsteps, and the process was cathartic.Matt was charged with aggravated manslaughter and sentenced to five years, five months in prison.“I never thought I’d be in an ugly environment like prison, but instead of fighting my circumstances, I decided to accept them and become intentional in making the best of them,” explains Matt.While in prison, Matt focused on positive activities and encouraged others to do the same. He started a Bible study group, tutored fellow inmates in English, and wrote 15 books. He also kept a daily blog to chronicle his life in prison. Taking Advantage of Second ChancesMatt was released from prison on August 3, 2014, and quickly partnered with SJTSA again who, through the support of a State Farm grant, committed to hosting a series of presentations to high school and college students throughout New Jersey and neighboring states with Matt as the keynote speaker.Matt’s first presentation since his release was to Cumberland County College, where students were gripped by Matt’s raw and honest story. He doesn’t sugar-coat his actions, feelings, or the crash, and humbly requests young people do not follow in his footsteps.“The variety of ways the kids connect with Matt is powerful and continues to be evident through the following of his website and the blog he wrote from prison,” says SJTSA Program Manager Teresa Thomas.In addition to sharing his message with thousands of students, Matt has other plans for his future. With the help of his mother, Matt created the Be Still Foundation, which advocates responsible decision-making, the prevention of risky behavior, and provides strategies for overcoming adversity.

They say that your formative years are the crucial years for personality development; I believe that. But I also believe there is something even more crucial to your personality development, and that’s the “formative prayers” that lead to your spiritual development. Such formative prayers are said without you ever knowing they were offered up over your head. They rise to heaven from an unconditional heart, while you are still learning the terrain of the earth. And even when the world seems to grow you with age, it is the power of those prayers that ultimately shower you with grace.With that foundation in mind, I believe my spiritual alignment and character development have been protected—not only because of disciplined child-rearing, but also due to the fervent praying which came from the heart of my beloved mother. She has prayed for my life to be used for God’s glory. This wasn’t a responsive prayer to my tragedy; this was actually a progressive prayer from my youth. She prayed in this diligent manner over all of her children—for our futures, our families, and our spiritual usefulness. She prayed for her sons to be men of character, conviction, and community. Her prayers went up, and I see clearly now how the answers have come down.I know I am being used of God, even through such adverse circumstances; and though this may not have been the answer my mother expected from her prayers, it was the answer God allowed. It was the outcome of failure that would bring the greatest glory to God; and because God always knows better, that is all I need to know to be better; and that’s all I need to know to ultimately surrender to the answered prayers of my mother for me to do better.I owe much to the faithful prayers of my mother, and I owe all to the constant faithfulness of my God. He has not forgotten a single word she has prayed on behalf of her children, and that is a word for every mother out there who has travailed in prayer on behalf of her children. Mothers, be assured that delays are not denials. In fact, the greater the delay, the greater the glory that will be displayed. We, sons and daughters, praise you for your loyal and unfaltering love on our behalf.[Matthew Maher is an author and instigator, as well as a former professional athlete. His “Decisions Determine Destiny” assemblies are funded by State Farm and service youth in the tri-state area. He served four years and seven months in N.J. State prison and was released August 2014. You can learn more at 
, where his blogs have been read by over 500,000 people in every state, 121 countries, and in 67 different languages. Follow him on Twitter @mattmaherstory and on Instagram @matthewmaher7]