“I never knew that I could hit my high and low for the year so far in one night. We gave a concert at a lock-in for mostly kids, but there were some families there. I felt like I was standing up there and my lips were moving but nothing was coming out. I wanted to cry in the middle of the concert. But there were two boys who stood up and did every sing-a-long and smiled at me throughout the concert. I went up to them after the concert and told them how much their enthusiasm meant to me. After this concert I had so many people come up and tell me how much they enjoyed it and how much they needed it. Some people just have a different way of responding to things.
 
During a Bible study later that night I got the opportunity to pray with a girl. That was the first opportunity I had gotten like that this year. At that point, holding the hands of this girl, I knew that I had a purpose for this year. Later one of my teammates approached me and said, “I saw you make a difference tonight. That one girl’s heart might be the one reason why any of us are here this year.” God will make it clear to me when I need it most that I am here for a reason and I am so blessed to have so many opportunities this year.”
 
                                                        Jessica Smith
 
 
“Today we went to a lock-in at a church in Maryland and I had a great time with the youth! We did a late night Bible study and some of the things I learned were so cool. I was partnered with a girl during the study and we talked about Jesus and how he taught us how we can live our lives for God. I realized that God puts us in situations that we least expect. I would like to think that I know a lot about God but even when I talk to someone younger than me I am amazed at what I learn from their faith. Faith the size of a mustard seed; that’s all we need.
 
As we make our way across Maryland today I keep thinking about all of the other young people I am going to encounter this year. Sometimes I am afraid that I might say the wrong thing or be in the wrong mood and somehow turn them off to the Truth. But even Moses had a speech impediment. Jeremiah didn’t want to spread the Word because he was just a boy but through both of these people God worked wonders and if He can do that with them then He might be able to do something with me.”
                       
                                                        Katie Bombardi
 
Thanks for reading these excerpts from the journals of Captive Free North East. Check out www.youthencounter.org/teams/ for updated journal entries and stories from the road from each of our thirteen ministry teams!