Cara Orji Faith Essay My dad is a pastor and I have been going to church for as long as I can remember.

According to my parents, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior when I was about three years old . . . this, of course, I dont remember. Regardless, I had always considered myself a Christian and I didnt see the need to question what I believed to be a reality. It wasnt until I was eleven years old or so that I finally got some assurance. In the summer of 2005, my family went to Streams in the Desert, a denominational retreat/convocation that consisted of camps for Christians of all ages. The camp that I attended was called Flashflood and was hosted by youth leaders from St. Clements Church in El Paso, Texas. Although the first day was really awkward for me not knowing anyone there and still getting used to the idea of living in a desert I eventually made some friends and began to feel more comfortable around the leaders. Each day of the camp was full of games, worship, and study that gave me a chance to learn more about God and what it meant to be a Christian in a secular world. On the last night that I was able to attend the camp, the leaders had the youth come for a worship service that would end with small group Bible study. During the worship, I started to sing somewhat shyly at first, but then began to sing at the top of my lungs (within reason, of course). I think it was while we were singing I Want To Know You More (by Delirious?) that I choked up and began to cry. I was slightly bewildered and I couldnt figure out why I was crying, nor could I stop. Eventually I gave up on singing and just cried until one of the youth leaders came up to me and began to pray for me. I cannot recall what she said exactly, but I felt that it was right. Until then, I had assumed that I was a Christian, but I didnt really know it for sure. I am very grateful for that moment and especially for that leader. I thank God that she was there for me and that I can now look back and pick a specific moment that represents a significant turning point in my life. Without it, I might still be wondering, Did the Holy Spirit really change me? That experience has also created a desire in me to help people struggling with their faith and with their identity, but I have felt somewhat powerless to do that. What if they dont want to listen to the Gospel? Is it too late for the people I want to help? Am I strong enough? There is also the issue of glorifying God in everything I do. How does being a musician and possibly going into the medical field give God glory? It is my hope and my prayer that the Leaders in Training program at Pioneer Pacific will help me understand better what I can do with the skills that I have, as well as the ones that I hope to learn.