“Read this paper and see how much you’ve changed since then.” My friend spoke these words to me Monday at school after handing me the paper I wrote about my lack of faith sophomore year.
Here is the first and last paragraph that I wrote sophomore year about my lack of faith.
“Being a Christian was a hard term to follow when I was younger, church was a place that I have only been to maybe ten times in my life. Not being able to learn from a priest, preacher, or pastor is probably one of the biggest frustrations of trying to be a Christian. Not going to church is like trying to learn a foreign language with just Google Translate. It was like knowing the basics, but not being able to understand the language, or even speak to someone who does. It’s the same for understanding or believing in Christianity.” -First paragraph
“I have still not gone to church. I am going to go soon, but the thought of going to church gives me anxiety. I’m terrified of going due to fear of being judged, but I can no longer live in this constant lack of knowledge for a religion I believe in. I’m going to go to church. I’m going to figure out what I believe in. I’m going to finally after all these years rid myself of my religious doubt. I’m going to figure out that missing piece of my life.” -Last paragraph
After reading this paper on Monday I realized God knew me all along. He knew the plans he had for my life. He saw my need for him and he brought me in, in a way my sophomore self could’ve never imagined.
In the summer going into my junior year, six months after writing that paper, I committed my life to Christ at a camp called Summer Games University. A month after giving my life to Christ I left to go to Haiti on a mission trip that changed my heart forever. God showed me how to spread the Good News and he released a passion for missions in my heart that I didn’t know existed. He showed me that I’m not important, but spreading the gospel is forever important to grow his kingdom.
The following summer God gave me a group of middle school students to mentor to about Jesus at the same place that I gave my life to Christ just a year previous. Then God in all his incredible love led me back to Haiti to evangelize and teach more people about Jesus. Two months after returning from Haiti God showed me that he wanted me to be in missions and gave me the opportunity to participate in the World Race where I will be spreading the Good News to four different countries for nine months.
If you are reading this thinking you weren’t a sophomore that long ago, you’re right. I wrote that paper a year and nine months ago. God’s love transformed my heart in such a short amount of time. Today I am a firm believer in Christ and I’m sharing his word with all those who need to hear it. The reason I am going on this Gap Year is because I see how other people shared the truth of the Gospel to me and changed my life forever. The work that I will be doing for 9 months will be spreading God’s truth, the same truth God spoke into my heart when people invited me to get to know Jesus.
