This is going to be a different post than my usual posts on this blog. From June 28th - July 5th I spent in Texas. The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod had a National Youth Gathering where around 25,000 people gathered for a week of time with God and learning more about Him. Talk about seeing the Spirit work in many wonderful ways in each person and through the entire time of the gathering. I was there as a volunteer this year (the past 2 gatherings I was a participant). Going in I was really excited to see how the other side looked and to help those participating have fun. I was also worried because there seemed to be many unknowns of what I would actually be doing and I am one that likes to know what it is that I will be doing as soon as possible and not right before I am doing it. But this got better when we got to Texas because we had training and I learned a lot of things during that that helped calm me and prepared me for what was to come for the week.
Live Love[d]
This was the theme of the gathering this year. There were so many powerful speakers at the mass events. As you may have guessed from the theme the whole gathering was based about love and how we are to live love and how we are to live loved. It was so awesome to see that many youth wandering around and learning more about Jesus. From being the participant to being a volunteer the difference was, at least from my perspective, that you don't get to go to everything and I also seemed to see God working more during this than when I was a participant. I was able to see God in so many of the volunteers seeing the things that they went out to do to serve the participants and the other volunteers. It was also neat to see Him working through the various youth that I was able to see at times.
The volunteers are put into teams and I just so happened to get the opportunity to be in charge of a team and make sure they knew when they had to be places and to get them there and lead Bible studies with them. At first I was so nervous and didn't know if I should take this opportunity, but then as I thought about it I decided it would be a good idea to do it because since I want to be a teacher I could use the leading experience. So I had a team of 16 and we got to know each other just a little over social media before the gathering. We were all strangers when we met, but as the week went on we got to know each other in great ways and I couldn't have been more blessed than to meet these wonderful people and get to work with them. They are truly amazing and they made me feel so comfortable to be in the leadership position of leading the Bible studies and making sure they were up and to the place they had to be when they needed to be there. I grew to love each one so quickly and it was hard to leave them and all go our separate ways, but I am looking forward to the chance of seeing them again to reunite and hang out, not only that but also in heaven with our Lord whenever that time comes for all of us.
I am so glad that I got the opportunity to meet all of the people I did and serve the youth like I had once been served as a youth myself. The memories will stay with me forever and I will continue to thank God for everything that He had planned for me during this time. To all f my Team XIT members if you read this: I love you all dearly and if you ever need anything just let me know. I will be here for you always and glad to help out with anything that I am able to. More importantly remember that God loves you and He is always there to listen to you through prayer and He is always with you. We will meet up again sometime and have a good time reconnecting!
~ "This is how God showed His love among us: He send His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him." - 1 John 4:9
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