As most of you know, two weeks ago I went to StudentLife camp at Stetson University in Deland, Florida with my youth group. This was my third time attending a StudentLife camp and this time was just as amazing as the first two. It's always so exciting! There's food, and tons of it, fun games, new people, an entire week with friends, an awesome band, and, my favorite part, an amazing speaker. Again, as most of you know, I have the attention span of a goldfish. I usually struggle to keep my attention on the same person for an hour, but with Sam Bhatt I didn't have trouble at all. Sam made me participate, he made me think, he made me pay attention, which helped me take a lot home with me.
At the end of the week, Sam asked me to do something I never thought I'd have to. He made me get out of my seat, along with every other junior who was serious about Christ, in front of 1200 people, including my pastor, youth pastor, and friends. He asked me to get up, walk to the front, write my name on a piece of paper, and nail my name to a cross. Sam asked me to take the commitment I've had since age five and make it completely known. I was asked to go out of my comfort zone (which is anywhere that isn't on the sidelines or in the background) and make myself truly accountable, and I did it. I walked to the front of the massive auditorium and nailed my unworthy name to thing my Savior died on, and I wasn't scared.
While I was doing so, this played: "I focused on the score, but I could never win. Trying to ignore a life of hiding my sin. To label me a hypocrite would be only scratching the surface of who I've been known to be. Turn me around, pick me up, undo what I've become. Bring me back to the place of forgiveness and grace. I need You, I need Your help, I can't do this myself. You're the only one who can undo what I've become." Perfect, isn't it?
When I got back to my seat, I heard the girls behind me talking. They were all in tears, talking about how scared they were that they wouldn't be able to follow through on the commitment that they had just made. The three of them sounded completely terrified, you could hear their voices shaking as they worried. I just sat and prayed for them. I still wasn't scared. I was overwhelmed with peace because I knew that I had done exactly what I needed to do. I prayed and still am praying that God would give those girls the peace that He has given me. That they wouldn't be scared of this commitment, though it is a life changing one.
As we were leaving the next day, back to our lives to test our commitment, Sam asked all of us to take down a name from a cross. I now have that name attached to my mirror. I don't know who this girl is, and I doubt I ever will. I do, however, know that she as a human must be struggling, I know I do. Every time I see her name, I wonder what she's going through and how she's doing. I pray that God would give her peace and strength and courage and whatever else she needs wherever she is. We don't know each other, but there's something really cool about knowing that she made the same commitment that I did, and she needs help just like I do. We're probably very different people, yet we have this really cool connection through our Savior. I pray daily that God would use both of us for His glory. Who knows, maybe someday we'll be introduced? =)
At the end of the week, Sam asked me to do something I never thought I'd have to. He made me get out of my seat, along with every other junior who was serious about Christ, in front of 1200 people, including my pastor, youth pastor, and friends. He asked me to get up, walk to the front, write my name on a piece of paper, and nail my name to a cross. Sam asked me to take the commitment I've had since age five and make it completely known. I was asked to go out of my comfort zone (which is anywhere that isn't on the sidelines or in the background) and make myself truly accountable, and I did it. I walked to the front of the massive auditorium and nailed my unworthy name to thing my Savior died on, and I wasn't scared.
While I was doing so, this played: "I focused on the score, but I could never win. Trying to ignore a life of hiding my sin. To label me a hypocrite would be only scratching the surface of who I've been known to be. Turn me around, pick me up, undo what I've become. Bring me back to the place of forgiveness and grace. I need You, I need Your help, I can't do this myself. You're the only one who can undo what I've become." Perfect, isn't it?
When I got back to my seat, I heard the girls behind me talking. They were all in tears, talking about how scared they were that they wouldn't be able to follow through on the commitment that they had just made. The three of them sounded completely terrified, you could hear their voices shaking as they worried. I just sat and prayed for them. I still wasn't scared. I was overwhelmed with peace because I knew that I had done exactly what I needed to do. I prayed and still am praying that God would give those girls the peace that He has given me. That they wouldn't be scared of this commitment, though it is a life changing one.
As we were leaving the next day, back to our lives to test our commitment, Sam asked all of us to take down a name from a cross. I now have that name attached to my mirror. I don't know who this girl is, and I doubt I ever will. I do, however, know that she as a human must be struggling, I know I do. Every time I see her name, I wonder what she's going through and how she's doing. I pray that God would give her peace and strength and courage and whatever else she needs wherever she is. We don't know each other, but there's something really cool about knowing that she made the same commitment that I did, and she needs help just like I do. We're probably very different people, yet we have this really cool connection through our Savior. I pray daily that God would use both of us for His glory. Who knows, maybe someday we'll be introduced? =)
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