The Beginning of My Gap Year

If you would have told me six months ago that I would be three weeks into a program called Leadership School of Southern California, writing a blog about how much I love the program so far, I would have thought you were crazy. In fact, if you asked me where I thought I would be in six months, I would have probably given you an answer along the lines of,“I’m going to a 4-year college! That’s what upper middle class students with good grades do! ….right?” To be honest, I was a very confused senior in high school. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life and just figured that I would figure it all out once I went off to college. This reasoning came during a stressful transition period without once seeking God’s vision for my life. I was selfishly trying to figure out what I thought would be best for my life, which only brewed even more confusion and stress.

One day during the peak of all the insanity of college acceptance letters and what-not, God knocked me over the head with the idea that I needed to give my first year out of high school to him so that he can grow me, stretch me, and prepare me for what He wants me to accomplish for Him when I actually do go off to a 4-year college. “Woah! Ok God! Im in! How do I do that though?” The next day Pastor Chris Harrell came up to me and started talking about how LSSC is not just for people who are seeking jobs in ministry, but that it is also a program that provides a gap year for students who are fresh out of high school and desire to take a year to grow closer to God before going out into the world. Boom. There was my answer right there! When can I sign up?

Fast forward to now. I am three weeks into LSSC and they may have possibly been the best three weeks of my entire life! They have also easily been the most productive, tiring, adventurous, and educational three weeks of my entire life. Because of the 8:30-4:00p.m. school days Monday thru Thursday, non-stop serving at the church, the all day fundraisers in the hot sun, the going gym every other day, the manual labor of constructing other church venues, internships, and online classes, I feel more productive than I have ever been in my whole life. And that was just within 3 weeks of the program. By the end of every day, I feel completely drained, and I love it! I love the satisfaction that comes from knowing that I used up all of my time and resources by praying, learning, and serving throughout the day. For the first time in my life, I am excited to wake up for school because I know that God is going to push me to a limit that I never thought I could reach. This program is truly a blessing that is already beginning to form an everlasting impact on my life.