During the meetings, Lauren’s new friends talked about their upcoming plans to attend a Word of Life Camp. Intrigued, Lauren signed up with them for Snowcamp. “I kind of came for the games. I kind of came because I had no other friends, nothing else to do.” Although the idea of fun and new friends attracted Lauren to camp, God had bigger plans in mind. Overwhelmed with the reality that this God everyone was excited about might actually be real, Lauren responded to the invitation that was given the very first night of Snowcamp. “I don’t think I was really saved that time. I think I was just finally like, ‘Okay, God is real. I need to start living like God is real.’” Three months later, Lauren attended another Word of Life Camp, The Island. When she felt God moving in her heart once more, she responded a second time. “I went down again, and that second time I realized, ‘Okay, I need Jesus to be my Lord. I want to be saved.’” In that moment, the Lord’s pursuit of Lauren was fulfilled as she gave her life, fears, dreams and hurts completely to Him, including the pain and shame that she still felt from the horrible assault that happened to her. Lauren returned home with a heart on fire for the Lord. Each day, she searched for ways she could glorify God with her life. Because of her faithfulness to His call, Lauren was able to combine her love for children and talent for playing the guitar and joined the children’s praise and worship team at her church.
“Every talent I have, I have been able to use for God in a way that has just filled me with so much joy, more than it could have anywhere else.”
Truly God’s promise for redemption is never far from any of us. In His great love, He pursues us, rescues us and promises us eternal hope… just as He did with Lauren.
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