While on a youth group trip to Nashville, Olivia MacIsaac realized two very important things: 1) God wanted a relationship with her and 2) she didn’t have to hide her heart.
I went to Nashville expecting to interact with others and God in a somewhat mundane and quite general way. Never did I think I would gain so much knowledge on who God is, nor did I think I would see a worship leader practically jump out of her skin to pray for a stranger.
My adventure in Nashville was not nearly as mundane as I had expected, and I learned a lot more about God than I ever thought I would.
Being a teenager, it’s not really common to have a strong faith and relationship with Jesus, however, I feel that my experience in Nashville taught me how to have that relationship with Him. It opened my eyes to the fact that a relationship with God is not a one sided journey. Nothing in life is a one sided journey.
I know that this trip was an opportunity for not only my eyes to be opened, but also the other teens who were with me on this trip.
Previous to this mission trip, I never opened up about what was going on in my heart. I didn’t like to—not to my friends, not to my family, and not to God. I thought I could do it all alone, because if I couldn’t take care of myself how could I expect anyone else to? That thought haunted me all throughout middle school and throughout my first year in high school.
On this trip God reminded me that a relationship requires two people, and life isn’t something I can do alone.
Personally, I have trouble hearing God when He speaks to me. I usually end up realizing it days later. So of course, it wasn’t until I got home that I realized that I’d heard Him speak through others, I’d heard Him in worship songs, I’d heard Him in devotions, and I’d seen Him in every change of scenery we had.
Between seeing the people I’ve been friends with for years finally break free of their fears, their anxieties, and their bondage to seeing strangers being freed from depression when my worship leader prayed for them, I realized God was there, that He saw me, and He was speaking—to others and to me.
It wasn’t just me, either.
Though they might be too tough to admit it, this trip helped each of us on my team realize something new about ourselves and about our relationship.
I believe God’s purpose for this mission trip to Nashville was not only to help others, but to also help us build our faith and gain affirmation that we are not alone, to understand that we can’t “do life” alone—and we don’t have to. He is there, He is all powerful, and He loves me.
This was a week I’ll remember forever.
We still have room on a July trip to Nashville, where your students can share God’s love through community outreach and children’s ministry, and go deeper in their walks with God at the same time. CLICK HERE to see the trip!
For all other 2016 trips for student ministries, CLICK HERE.
