Every now and then, it is good to slow down. To find the things you really love, and forget the things that do not matter. It is those nights that the stars seem to shine a little better – even through the Los Angeles haze that so often poses a daily reminder of the uncertainty of our own lives.

Nearly seven years ago, I found Jesus. It was in fact, a rather different route from the typical Christian-raised testimony. Just this week, I scanned the gym during Singspo, and was reminded of just how far I have come, and just how much I have yet to give up to Christ.

It is interesting how many different ways God can get a hold of hearts once again – captivating our every thought and waking moment. I saw lots of people hugging, on their knees praying, or simply standing there with arms raised, praising the God who deeply desires us – something we hear far too often without really understanding it.

On a recent A.S. retreat, we had to give our testimonies. While most breezed through the junior high “awkward” stages, I found myself starting my story with the era most people want to laugh at.

The junior high years brought forth a mixture of hormones, depression, anxiety and much learning. Before I found Jesus, I faced death on my own accord every single day. It was because of this that I realized that without Jesus there is not much to live for.

In our generation, I believe people will have the opportunity to delve into every facet of life for fulfillment. Whether it is drugs, alcohol, porn consumption, image obsession, sex, materialism or the like, the list seems endless.

They can tweet, “like”, photograph, or blog about their every movement – something I believe has become a norm in our self-gratifying lifestyles in America. However, one day they—or perhaps, we— will run out of places to turn. Maybe that is when we will find Jesus again.

As I peered over the gym, I realized that it is full of broken people. It started with me. It carried over to my friend next to me. It stretched across each and every person occupying that gym and continues to carry throughout our entire campus.

Maybe there are girls here who will not eat because our vanity-obsessed culture has convinced them they are not beautiful. There might be guys who worship in this gym only to return to their room to watch pornography because they cannot seem to break away from the bondage of lust. Some might go out and drink their weekend away, others might go clubbing with people they do not know – maybe to the extent of stories they would not wish to retell to their future children. Others in this gym room might be addicted to drugs, whether illegal or prescription, others still might have had abortions or have forced another to get one.

It took me back to a sermon that has long stuck with me, something that literally changed my perspective on the Jesus I had just come to know.

“The tighter you grip onto things, the more God desires you to let go and give it back to Him,” John Piper said from my church pulpit.

It is interesting, so often those things seem like good things – maybe it is a boyfriend or girlfriend, or maybe it is the efforts of good grades, keeping that job, or making your parents proud. Those are all great things. Yet if we are so focused on grasping onto these things that the knuckles of our heart and souls turn white in angst, then we are not holding onto the right things.

Let it go. Let God break those chains. You are free, I am free, and we are made new.

You never know the route God will take you. It will cause moments of frustration, doubt, and stress – more than likely because we will find ourselves continually holding onto the steering wheel. However, for many , you are living testimonies of God’s grace and direction by simply being on this campus.

Do not forget why you are here. Whether your parents made you go here, it was a last choice, or you turned down better offers like full-ride scholarships to be here (as I did), God wanted you here for a special reason.

So remember that, and live out your life accordingly. Get out of the game when a dodge ball hits you, give the café back their utensils, start loving one another and start praying more.

You never know – maybe you will be the one that is changed.