“I wish I had a weekend like this when I was in grade twelve!” I have repeated these words several times since I had the opportunity to be a mentor for grade twelve students at Potential Impact ’14. CABC Youth and Family offers a weekend away in the fall for students in grade twelve to help them discover their call. Twenty-five grade twelve students came to Camp Wildwood for a weekend that will have a great impact as they continue to discover God’s call in their lives.
Over the weekend the students learned what “call” means. It does not necessarily mean a call to ministry, but where God is leading you to serve and work. The students also learned that our call could come in three ways. The first can be a Paul moment – we know our call right away. The second type of call could be like Jonah who avoided and ran from God’s call. The third type of call is like a journey – step by step God leads us toward his call for our lives.
As the students heard from a panelist of pastors, a teacher, and a pharmacist, they learned that most of us are on a journey. We discovered our call step by step, through listening to others, through experiences, through being in God’s word, through prayer, and so on. Most of us on the panel started in a different career then what we are doing now. This idea that God is with them on the journey and that they do not have to have it all figured out at this moment was freeing. At least it was for the girls in my small group.
The students also learned and participated in spiritual practices, which is vital to growth in our relationship with Jesus. For most students it was the first time that they practiced silence and solitude and for 45 minutes! One student expressed that she felt peace after she spent time with God. I know that some of the students will take these spiritual practices and apply them in their daily lives.
The students came with stress and anxiety about making a decision of what to do with the rest of their lives. One question that is asked of them too many times and that everyone wants to know is, “What are you going to do after you graduate?” Perhaps a question we should be asking of these Christian students is “Where is God leading you?” or “What is your call?” They left the weekend with a bit less stress and a better understanding that we are on a journey. They walked away with a few more tools to help them draw closer to God as they figure out God’s call in their life.
Submitted by Erin Jackman, ADC Student
