My Close Contact From God

By: Anna Phillips

July 31st, 2015
Some Christians throughout the world experience life-changing events that are religiously
related, and even non-Christians undergo occurrences that alter their perception of spiritual
beings such as a figure as God. Though we may not have contact from the Lord through a
burning bush like Moses, God still sends us messages whether we realize them or understand
their meanings at first. As a teenager growing up in a world like ours, I have questioned my
religion and at times gave up for periods of time, but I always receive answers when I need
them most.
For the past four years, I have had the opportunity to spend some one on one time with
God at Lutheridge. The people there and the camp itself have made a major impact on my
personal life, my social life and of course my spiritual life. Through activities like rock
climbing, zip-lining, and kayaking down level four rapids on the Nolichucky River in
Tennessee, I have lost my fear of drowning and heights, and I gained an adventurous
personality trait as well as learned to enjoy the scary thrills of life. I know the types of friends
that I want to be around, and I respectively let go of the ones that had negative influences on
me. I received courage to stand up to bullies, formally friends who brought me down, however
they made me stronger. Eventually through all of these small but empowering touches of Jesus,
I have confidence in my beliefs that I now can firmly stand for.
Lutheridge personally set up a two-way conference call with me and the man upstairs. It
really is a time where just you and God can reconnect through counselors who encourage you
to try new things or pastors who proclaim messages that can and will lead you on a path to
being better involved with your spiritual self. I can definitely attest to this! After every difficult
school year since sixth grade, I have looked forward to being emotionally baptized all over
again.
Now, in the beginning of this summer before I went to Lutheridge again I was questioning
the future of this world. There are so many terrible things that are happening that really does
put our religion in jeopardy, from terrorism to the murdering of countless Christians all over the
world and the amount of influence non-Christians and Atheists have in our media and
government. It leads you to ask where we will be at in five, ten and twenty years? Before I had
little to no hope, but now I do.
This year was my first year at being a VBS leader and teacher. I absolutely loved every
second of it. I enjoyed getting to teach my preschoolers about Jesus and read stories from the
Bible. They also taught me something. As I sat back and listened to them sing the songs we
learned that week, I realized that no matter the amount of evil there is, there will always be new
generations of believers who will stand up and have faith in God. The love of Him will never
die, it will never go away, because God will at no moment be beaten, so neither will we.
God puts us in situations and places (Lutheridge and VBS) to help us overcome our biggest
struggles, lead us to grow as his followers and prophets, and to give us answers whether we
want them or need them. If you are struggling physically, emotionally, or spiritually, remember
this: We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

persucuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). God led
me to face hard times only to put me where I needed to be to overcome those obstacles. He let
me grow, learn and obtain what I needed to become the person I am today. So, I now know not
to worry, just Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will
be opened to you (Matthew 7:7).