Before ACMNP I thought leadership meant “having it all together” in order to show others the “right way to go.” As the summer progressed, I realized that God works through our imperfections and weaknesses. People do not relate to someone who “has it all together.” On the contrary, they relate most easily to someone who struggles, experiences pain and failure, brokenness and hurt.

These are the emotions of a fallen world. The best thing I learned this summer is that our God can choose to work through whomever He wants!

I encountered God in creation so many times! One moment I vividly recall was my first hike to a waterfall. This was near the beginning of the summer –as I sat at the base of the falls, the line “streams of mercy, never ceasing” popped into my head!

This truth did not fail me that summer – as God had continually poured His mercy and grace over me time and time again, when I felt like I could not keep going, He helped me through.

Julie B., Shenandoah National Park, 2017