Gods will is totally perfect. If we keep our eyes focused on Him, then things will always work out for His good. I think that His plans will come to fruition regardless of who is in our life, but He puts certain people around us to pull out our calling.
About two years ago I was in a dark period in my life. I had broken up with my girlfriend of almost 4 years. With that I lost most of my friends because they were both of our friends and did not see things the way that I did. There were not many people who were there for me but two people who stayed by my side was Nathan and Kelsey. At the time I had no idea how much they would impact my life. I wasn’t super close to them at the time. I just helped with babysitting for the youth and talked to them every once and a while. Well for some reason Nathan asked me to start serving as a leader for youth. I have no idea what he saw in me, but this forever changed my life.
Serving with Nathan and Kelsey was the first time that I was actively involved in regular ministry. Before this all I ever did was go to church on Sundays and the occasional retreat. Now I had a group of boys that I was pouring into week in and week out. I was able to see God moving through the lives of my boys. I was seeing God move in my life in ways He had never done before. Nathan and Kelsey poured out everything they had into me.
A couple months into leading a small group at West Town I had the opportunity to go serve with the students at Restoration Atlanta. RATL was a shelter for homeless women and children. This was the first time that I had done any type of mission work since I went to Mexico after my junior year of high school. This reminded and reignited my passion for mission work. I was on fire for God coming back from Atlanta and was on fire to tell the lost and needy about his love for them. I was ready to leave to the mission field the second I got home from Atlanta, but God knew it was not time yet.
The only real regret I have from this time was not investing more into being better friends with Nathan and Kelsey. We were friends but not super close. After Nathan and Kelsey left the church, I went a couple months without talking to them much. Then God started preparing me for the mission field. I had no idea what being a missionary was going to look like or where I was going to end up. I did however know that I needed Nathan and Kelsey back in my life. I reached out to them and we got breakfast. I didn’t know how much I missed these amazing people until I saw them. I didn’t go to the same church as they did anymore. I didn’t do ministry with them anymore. They had no reason to go out of their way for me, but they did. They made themselves available to me and loved and supported me and my journey. A couple months later, I get a text from Nathan asking me to help serve with Collide. At the time I had no idea how much serving at this event would change my life forever. I was planning on just helping this one weekend then going back to normal life at the old church. Once I saw the outpouring of love from Quest there was no way I could return to life how it was before.
Being at Quest I finally had a community unlike I ever had before. This was the first time in my life that I was surrounded by people in my age group who were on fire for the Lord. I saw and felt the heart of God in these people. I also got the chance to be around an amazing family of students at Ignite. These students took me in and made me a part of the family right away even though I was new and an adult. It was amazing to see so many young people with their hearts ignited for the Lord. They truly inspired me to be a better Christ follower and a better leader. The students were just the tip of the iceberg of the love I received from Quest. I could spend days about the blessing I have received from these people but that’s not where I’m trying to go with this.
All I am really trying to say here is just thank you to Nathan and Kelsey. I wanted to tell you how much you both mean to me last night at Culvers but was not prepared for the emotional breakdown that I knew would happen. Now I’m just fighting back tears at the Dallas airport. I have no idea what you both saw in me when you invited me to the Goodwill dinner. I have no idea why you went out of your way to love me when you had no reason to. I did nothing to deserve this. I probably deserved the opposite. Whatever it was you saw though I am grateful for. Because of how the two of you went out of your way to love a lost and wandering 21-year-old I have found my calling and my home. Because of y’all I have the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for. I am incredibly lucky to call you two friends/family. I have no idea how I am going to get through the year not seeing y’all, but I know that this period of stretching will be worth it. I couldn’t thank you both enough for the many blessings you have poured out over me and owe almost everything I have to y’all. I love you Nathan and Kelsey. Can’t wait to see you guys at the end of the year.
