By Elisa Cheng

I went to this summer’s Life Conference with a lack of enthusiasm, little expectations, and a lot of fear. But, through God’s gracious love and His life-giving words, I came out of the Life Conference with a refreshed excitement of His plan for me, peace that is attainable only by Him, and confidence in the promise that He will never leave me.

Throughout this summer, I have been specifically dealing with a lot of fears of college — whether the college I am going to (Case Western Reserve University or “CWRU”) is the right college for me, whether I will go insane and not be able to handle the heavy nursing course load, and whether I will find a community of friends and mentors that I so need. And so, I am amazed at how God used this Life Conference to show me that CWRU is the perfect college for me and that I am now free to be excited for what is to come in the next month.

One way that God miraculously worked in this conference was at an ice cream social. Out of the thousands of Youth at this conference, God led me to two people that actually have just graduated from CWRU. And one of them was a nursing major! I was able to converse with them for a long time and hear their stories about the school and even exchange contact numbers and social media accounts. I was so happy and relieved to finally know people who went to my college (and even the nursing school), who love God, and who can be there for me if I have any questions or need support and advice.
Secondly, God used this conference as a powerful encouragement for me through the sessions and seminars. One session that especially stood out to me was when Dan Boal spoke on the topic “Awaken to the Kingdom.” I was encouraged by the truth that because of Jesus’ death
and resurrection, I have the Spirit of God with me. And it is only in “coming down the mountain” that God can use me to change the world and be a light for Him. Otherwise, what I received from God would be useless.
Finally, what I highly treasured in this God-given conference was the time I had to get closer with my friends, especially Christina. In our late-night deep conversations, early morning Time With Abba times, afternoon free times, and after-session small group times, I was able to really understand and see more of her heart towards God and the people around her. It was a true blessing.

Overall, this Life Conference was a tremendous gift! While my life goes beyond this conference, I trust in the promise that God is with me. And, even though I am an adult in the eyes of this world, I am still a child in the eyes of God. I can rely on Him and I know that He will take care of me.