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Through a friend’s invitation, one student from the University of Iowa decided to attend an ��ñ���� Fall Conference. Here’s his story:

Growing up, my relationship with Jesus was basically nonexistent. I went to church on Sundays because of my parents and that was about it. In high school, I began hanging out with the wrong crowd and never really left. It started with drinking and smoking and quickly progressed to just about everything else. It got to a point where it consumed me, it was what I surrounded myself with, and it was all I wanted to do. My friends became more like people I did drugs with and I pushed away the very few people who tried to help and care for me.

I knew it was bad. I knew it would cause problems in the long run, but I didn’t care. I had plenty of opportunities to stop. I saw my friends overdose, I saw what my lifestyle turned people into, and I saw friends pass away because of drugs. Looking back, I had so many warning signs to change, but the drugs blinded me. Getting “messed up” was my life every day. 

Although I thought it made me happy, it slowly put me in a miserable and dark place. And when I was sad, I went to the only thing I knew to help—more drugs. This cycle left me deeply depressed, alone, anti-social, and most of all empty. This went on for years before I realized what I was doing to myself. I quit taking hard drugs, but the depression didn’t leave; it just set in harder. I was so unfulfilled and in need of help, just living every day with no motivation or real happiness. 

Through all of this, one person stuck by me and continued to try and help even when I wouldn’t listen. She told me about ��ñ����’s Fall Conference, and told me I should really consider going. This was definitely not the first offer to go to something like this, but it was the first one I considered. It took me until the day of Fall Conference—an hour before my ride left—to finally decide to go.

From Awkward to Awestruck

I had not pursued any relationship with God before this, and things were weird and awkward at first. Everyone was nice and caring, but after the first night, all I could think was, “Why am I here? This is just not me.” I figured I would just have to stick it out, do the minimum, and return home to the same old thing.

The next day, I went to the sessions, open to the experience, but nothing came out of it until that night. Halfway through one of the sessions, something happened after my friend prayed over me. For the first time in a long time, I felt okay. I felt truly weightless, like all of my burdens were lifted in an instant and everything was okay.

I broke down in joy right there and was so happy. For the first time in awhile, I didn’t have to put something in my system to be happy or force a smile to appear okay. I had finally accepted God into my life and I was fulfilled.

The whole night I was in awe and continued to talk to God. This is where my relationship with the Lord began. My friend who invited me told me that if I put myself out there to God, He would meet me half-way. This came true for me, and it was an experience I could not have gone without.

 My experience at Fall Conference was truly amazing. It was where I found God and started my relationship with him, which is the best thing I could have asked for. Without realizing it, I had also gained an amazing, positive community and some new friends along the way, who still help me learn and explore God further.