The weekend after Guatemala was DNOW, a conference for the middle and high school students of Gainesville. There were over 1000 students there, from over 12 churches. I went along as a leader for the youth group I started volunteering with in January, and co-lead a small group of upper middle school girls. It was SO neat to see the different churches of the city coming together to worship God! So cool to see the unity of the body of Christ with no lines between the actual churches.
I wanted to tell you about this because I hope it encourages you as much as you encouraged me! There was something about being in the room with all of those teenagers, full of potential and dreams for their futures, offering their lives to God, committing to live for HIm and to tell their friends/family about Him, worshipping Him with all they have, that was revitalizing.
I couldn't help thinking of how the schools of Gainesville, both public and private, would be changed by what God did in the hearts of the area teens that weekend… and in turn, how Gainesville itself wouldn't be the same either.
The theme of the weekend was "The Name… Changes Everything". And it's so true!
As we celebrate our Risen Lord this Easter, my prayer is that those around all of us will see the "the Name that Changes Everything" – the One who is the reason why we celebrate, the reason for our lives.
