No Longer Captive, Only Captivated

I’m back! I’m so excited to share my experience at Winter Camp with you, my dear readers and followers. As many of you may know, I am a youth leader for the middle and high school youth group at my church. My journey with this youth group has been transformative and honorable, and I’ve learned so much from the students as well as the other leaders, our pastor, and his beautiful wife.

Between the two youth groups at Winter Camp there were over 200 students worshiping Jesus, giving their lives to God, and having a blast! On the third night, we worshiped for four hours and lives were changed. There were also amazing speakers and Bible studies that really cemented this year’s theme: Who I Am.

Of all the themes that could have been chosen, there is not one that could describe my life journey with God any better. This whole year has been about my struggle with identity and finding my worth in Jesus.

Of all the fun times bonding with my church family and the amazing things that happened, there are two things that really changed my life.

Number one was that I got to help lead three students to Christ! Could there ever be a more honorable task? This alone has brought me to tears several times, and I still can’t believe that I got to play such a pivotal role in these students’ journey with God.

Another moment that changed my life is when we were worshiping to No Longer Slaves by Bethel one night and God whispered the words “no longer captive, only captivated” to me.

(Photo by Me)

It took me a moment to understand this, but when I finally did I was overcome with emotion. For so long I have been held captive by anxiety and trying to be “good enough” for the world and for other people, and it has only hurt the way I see myself.

I now know that my identity is not in what I do or who the world wants me to be. Who I am is God’s daughter–this is my true identity. From now on I no longer want to live captive to this world, but captivated by the love, mercy, and freedom that only comes from Jesus.

 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9 NIV).

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