Sep 21, 2016
by Katrina Goodrich
Excerpts from the exit testimonies of Team Justice…
“So what do you think God was trying
to teach you this year?”
This summer wasn’t what I expected at all. Going to a new country for the first time, I went into things not knowing what would happen, only knowing that God would be with me. I had no idea why I applied, I knew I just felt called and that God had a special plan for me.
I thought this summer was going to be like the end of a long four-year journey; that this year SCSC was going to be a reflection of how far I’ve come — but I was wrong.
Initially when I signed up for SCSC this year I was afraid that I wasn’t good enough to do the works God set in front of me. I worked through the first few days anxiously but as time passed I found God was with me. God wouldn’t leave me in the dust and He wouldn’t throw me in places to do nothing. I was hand-picked just like the rest of the students to serve God.
God has shown me that no matter what I am called to do that He is there. Whether it is doing VBS with six to eleven year-olds or youth group with middle schoolers, there is nothing He can’t help me get through. I see more when I am out of my comfort zone, and I may be learning to love being out of my comfort zone.
God told me that my summer was not meant to be a reflection of the past but the very beginning of a new journey as I realized just how little I know about God and how much more I want to learn about Him.
God was faithful in giving me encouragement, but also in giving me the strength and wisdom to fulfill my calling. I know now that I can be an effective leader and I’m much more confident in the classroom and with children in general.
Overall this summer has been an amazing blessing to me. I’m so thankful that I had this opportunity. I am also thankful to those who supported me financially, through prayer, or just through messaging me and letting me know I was being thought of. Above all however, I am thankful for the strength and love of Christ. I have felt His presence and His goodness like never before. This summer has been a gift and I’m so grateful that I got to experience it.
Between the change He made in me, the change He made through me, and the change He made around me, I could tell that God was hard at work to use us to better His kingdom.
To be given the opportunity to give my testimony, my time and my strength to various churches this summer was a blessing.
Over the summer God has been showing me how He uses our own skills and strengths for his work.
What I eventually learned was that if you trust God you get to see Him doing some pretty cool things you might otherwise miss.
This summer really allowed me to find out what I want to do in my own church and in my life in the sense that it gave me time to think about my future and how much of it depends on my choices now.
If I could describe this summer with one word it would be “loving.” I have never felt so welcomed by strangers as I did this summer. Everyone had open arms and hearts and was full of love. Everywhere we went we were accepted as family and loved.
I think God wanted to remind me that everyone can benefit from true servant leadership; God loves us all and servant leadership is one way to demonstrate that love.
This summer was truly a life-changing experience in every aspect as God stretched me, broke me, and filled me.
God has marvelous plans for each and every one of us and it’s our job to step out of our comfort zone and choose to trust in Him.