Day 4- Jacob

Every APEX session we have and every day on the mission trip ends with a round of Highlights/Lowlights wherein the group goes around one at a time sharing the good and the bad parts of their week/day (respectively), concluding each turn with the phrase “I [state your name here] am a beloved child of God.” Being the extremely literal person that I am, every time my turn comes I say “I, state your name here, am a beloved child of God.” Today, the group went to Montreat for the closing worship service for one of their youth conferences. After the sermon, as a form of reflection for the week, the leaders had set up different prayer stations and invited people to move around the sanctuary to experience them. At the front of the sanctuary and in the middle, there was an opportunity to be anointed and reminded of the fact that we are beloved children of God. The person who anointed me asked for my name, and upon receipt drew a cross on my forehead with oil, saying “You, Jacob, are a beloved child of God.” Having someone who had just met me not more than thirty seconds ago remind me that I am loved was way different than being reassured of it at Highlights/Lowlights. While having my friends who know my faults and still like me despite them do the reassurance is wonderful, having someone who doesn’t know anything but my name tell me that I am loved is something. The fact that I am part of  a group so large that I cannot even begin to comprehend the magnitude of it who loves each and every member even though we won’t come in contact with over ninety per cent of those who believe is astounding. That we can come together to love so many despite knowing so few is a testament to the power of Jesus and I’m just really happy to have had the chance to experience this week, mainly because of all we’ve done this week, but also because we are carrying on a tradition that has lasted approximately 2000 years. (I can’t comprehend that magnitude either)

-Jacob