During my late elementary school years, we had a great youth leader, Mrs. Clarese. Unfortunately, she left before I really got to know her. Then we had a nice lady for my 6th grade year, but she left. Then a man named Dan came and I went on my first week-long mission trip with him. I really liked it and it made me feel closer to God, but the feelings soon faded away and he left. We had a few fill-in helpers until we could find a new youth leader. I just continued learning but not applying it to my life. Our pastor at the time was an older man, and I did try to pay attention, but nothing he said ever spoke to me or kept me interested. Tara was a young adult that worked with us sometimes, and she had a Girls Group every Thursday where we talked and learned about faith, and that was fun and beneficial to my spiritual growth.
Finally, when I was about to go into 9th grade, our church got a new pastor and youth leader! I was really hoping that they would be good, and they were. Our Pastor, Rob, was pretty young and preached well. I started paying attention, but I still didn't get much out of his sermons. I always felt like they were geared toward adults and not much applied to my life. But Dawn, our youth leader, was amazing! I payed more attention, I loved going to youth, and she planned the best activities and games for us to do! The summer after 9th grade, Dawn had signed us up for a youth conference in Daytona Beach, Florida and I was really excited! We drove for thirteen hours and played on the beach the first day. The whole event was put on by Passion City Church, and there were over 5,000 students there! In the mornings, Brett Younker led worship, and Brad Jones preached the message. Then we had beach time and small group time in the afternoon. Every evening, Chris Tomlin led worship and Louie Giglio preached! That was amazing! By the second night, the service just really spoke out to me. Louie preached about Jesus and how it's all about a relationship with him, and I realized I really needed Jesus. Like before, sure I knew the facts, but I didn't KNOW Jesus! So I, along with many others in my youth group, dedicated our lives to Jesus that night. It was the most exciting and happy thing ever! The rest of the week was almost like a spiritual "incubator". We kept learning more and more and worshiped with our hands raised, giving our heart to God.
After the trip, I knew if I wanted to keep this new found relationship, I would have to read my Bible and pray on my own. So I started a one year Bible reading plan. It honestly helped me a ton throughout the year because it kept me on track. Sometimes I got discouraged by friends and extended family that didn't believe, and didn't want to even hear about my faith. Sometimes I got a week behind in my Bible reading plan because life got in the way. Sometimes I got mad because the world is so broken and I want people to have the same hope I do. I still sinned and made some bad choices, but it slowly began getting better and better. I stopped bad habits of sin, and repented multiple times. I obviously still slip up and sin, but it's never intentional. Everyone slips up sometimes, and it's not easy, but praying and reading will keep you on track.
In August, on my birthday, Pastor Rob had a stroke. After daily prayers and many struggles, he is still slowly improving, and still doing physical therapy to regain more control of his left side. It was a hard time in the church, without any good leadership. We had fill-in pastors, then retired Pastor Gene who filled in until the next summer, when we could get a new one. It wasn't the same. Church got boring again, even though I tried to pay attention. Occasionally, I would learn something from one of his sermons.
In late Fall, Dawn told us that we were going on a mission trip to Nicaragua the next summer. I wasn't sure about it because I wasn't comfortable with the idea of leaving the country and going somewhere so poverty-stricken, and neither were my parents. About a month later, God just started laying it on my heart that he wanted me to go. So, I looked into it online, and it looked pretty safe and like a life-changing experience, despite what my parents said. So, I went to work talking to them about it, telling them how much I wanted to go. I sat down with them and showed them videos from the Servant Life website, I told them to pray about it, and finally, they said I could go. Then came lots and lots of fundraising, which I actually really enjoyed! As my countdown on my phone became fewer days, I got extremely excited about the trip! Finally, my 10th grade school year ended, and the next week, we left for Nicaragua. It was an absolutely amazing trip. I won't go into great details about it now, but it was indescribable. All the Nicaraguans are beautiful and generous, despite having very little. We had a Vacation Bible School for a few different groups of kids. Some were strong Christians already, and their 9 year old faith blew me away! And all the children craved affection and attention. They loved taking pictures and just loved life. We also had a kids camp at a local church in the afternoon and those kids were poorer, and they loved having us. Their smiles are so beautiful and abundant. I never got homesick, because I really felt like that was my home, and I was with my brothers and sisters of Christ.
Anyways, after reluctantly having to leave after a week, we came back to the United States. My friend/plane buddy, Kelley, and I were heartbroken and had tears in our eyes when we were landing in Atlanta, just looking at the sheer difference of the huge, elaborate houses compared to the Nicaraguan shacks. God laid the same thing on both of our hearts that week and continually after. He is calling us into the mission field. It was a strong message he gave me, which I had even felt before I left for Nicaragua. Missions is what he wants me to do for the rest of my life. After the trip, I shared pictures and stories with everyone, but it just seemed that no one really understood the impact it made, in my life or the Nicaraguans. It was so much more than just a week-long trip to a foreign country. It changed my life.
In July, we got Pastor Bryson. Huge, huge, huge thanks to God for him. He is incredible (and hilarious). We went to Daytona again, and he, having been at the church two weeks, joined us on the trip. It was just as good as the first time, because I got to see all the new people we had brought this year get saved. I rededicated my life to Christ, and we had about ten in our youth surrender their life to him for the first time, like I had the year before. It was beautiful to see them worship with all they had! Worshiping is my favorite feeling in the world. Our youth group became closer than ever. I wouldn't even consider it a group... we are a family! On the last night, we stayed up until about three in the morning sitting in the hotel lobby sharing testimonies and how we have grown from the trip.
Now we are back, and better than ever. Pastor Bryson is changing our whole church congregation, week by week. His sermons are engaging and fun, and really speak to me, along with everyone else. My faith is still growing and getting stronger, and I know God has great things in store for me and our church.
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