Lord, Prepare Me....

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 September? When did this happen? This year... over halfway over already?

Wasn't it just recently that I was celebrating the new year? It seems only a couple months ago that I committed this year to the Lord. I didn't have many plans, and I didn't know what the future held for me. Like the blur of a very distant object, God's direction for my life was not clear. Still, I prayed that God take this year and use it to prepare me for whatever He had in store. Though I did not know what His plan was, my prayer was that God would use the upcoming year to ready me, prepare and equip me.

Little did I know how immensely God would answer my prayer.

It all started at the end of April, when I had just finished my TeenPact class. Through that class God opened my eyes in so many ways. I saw how many opportunities I have to live for Christ right where I am.

Well, that TeenPact class lead me to the TeenPact National Convention in Tennessee. I don't know if I can describe in words what God did there. It was incredible, powerful, and challenging.... and the impact on me will last a lifetime.

This was only the beginning of God's plan to shape me. It was a beautiful beginning with much more to come: Not long after National Convention, God graciously gave me the opportunity to attend Worldview Academy. Again, I can't put into words everything that I learned from there. All I can say is that I learned a LOT and I loved it. Each day there I was equipped with more and more tools to use in ministry for God. (Even months afterwards, I am still excited about everything I gained from that week!)

When July rolled around, I was ready to pour out all that God had taught me (thus far) into three sweet campers at Camp Good News. That week of being a counselor was definitely a stretching experience, but totally worth it. There is no better feeling than knowing that you have been used of God. I'll never forget it.

I probably would have been satisfied with all that God had done that summer,

but He wasn't done yet....

Three words: Do. Hard. Things. Yes, I went to the conference in Kansas City! If I thought the book was good, then this tour was absolutely amazing! It's one thing to read it in the book, but to hear Alex and Brett's story from them personally was so much more impactful. After coming home, I was overwhelmed by a bittersweet feeling because this was their last year of touring... and I wished that I had convinced more people to come. Nevertheless, that conference was definitely something that God used to prepare me as a rebelutionary.

Throughout the entire end of the summer, I began participating in The Truth Project with a group from my church. Honestly, this one of the best video series I have ever seen! In fact, I'd like to go through it again sometime in the future. I'm convinced that every Christian should go through it.

Finally, the end of the summer came around, and God had one more thing in store. As a vocalist on my youth group's worship team, I had the humbling opportunity to help lead worship for our youth retreat. I don't think I could have ended my summer more appropriately than in worship of our awesome God.

I prayed that God would prepare me. He answered it above and beyond what I expected. Through all that's happened this summer, I feel more equipped, more prepared than I've ever felt in my life. And even though I'm still not sure what exactly God has in store for me,

I feel ready to go

wherever He leads me.

(And the cool thing is, this year isn't over.... yet!)

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