Have you ever had a bad week, but something motivated you to push through? That happened to me last week. The only thing that motivated me was the anticipation of attending the Northeastern Conference Youth & Young Adult Leadership Convention.
The Youth Leadership Convention is an annual event hosted by the Youth Ministries Department of the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. It is a unique event because people from all our churches within the Conference come together and connect with God and others who want to equip themselves for leadership. One of the most extraordinary experiences is when you go to worship. Worship is special because when you hear testimonies, singing, and sermons at the end of the service, all your worries are erased. Every time I attend a convention, I feel closer to God and have been going since I was 6.
One of the impactful experiences for me was the Friday worship. Upon arriving at the Stamford Marriott, I felt exhausted, but joy and excitement bubbled deep into my spirit when I got out of the car and unloaded my belongings. I know for sure that my time here would be extraordinary. Despite the long wait for registration and being yelled at by my dad to stay in line for dinner, I realized that God was teaching me the importance of waiting. After registering and getting food, I waited for the opening prayer session. It was indeed a wonderful experience. The praise team was engaging and energetic. Their selection truly uplifted my spirit.
Pictured – Praise & Worship team. (Photo credit – Gabriel Daniels)
Another uplifting experience of this year’s Convention was the opportunity to participate in the community service outreach project on Sabbath. I befriended a girl named Renilee, who is also 10 years old. We had a wonderful time getting to know each other. We distributed over 500 Nike sneakers to the Boys and Girls Club and other needy organizations. I was thrilled to see the happy faces of parents with their children trying on their tennis shoes. We had a lively worship experience with them and interacted with staff members.
When I returned from the community outreach, my friend Amelia George and I witnessed over 30 newly invested Master Guides for 2025. I am absolutely thrilled to even share some fantastic news! Huge congratulations to Elder Marcel Evans, one of my amazing Adventurer directors at the fabulous Flatbush Seventh-day Adventist Church! When her name was announced, I couldn’t contain my excitement and shouted for joy! I am counting down the days until I am invested as a Master Guide. What an exciting journey it’s going to be! The evening ended with an amazing concert with Melvin Crispell, III, and other special guests. I had a blast at the social with my other church friends, Karyssa, Annabella, and Angelique.
Pictured – Moriah and Amelia George (friend ) at the Convention. (Photo Credit – Cecil Ward, Jr).
On Sunday morning, I attended the Drilling and Marching workshop, witnessing the discipline, uniformity, and persistent effort of everyone involved. Following the workshop, we gathered for worship, where Jerimiah delivered an inspiring sermon on the importance of not anchoring ourselves in earthly possessions. Instead, we were all encouraged to anchor ourselves in God. We will be UNSHAKEABLE with Him. When we build our lives on Jesus, the Solid Rock, we will remain unshakeable in faith, he said.
I would not have been blessed with these experiences if I hadn’t waited or pushed through. God was teaching me to wait. If I had not trusted myself, I would not have anything to say now. Whatever you are going through, always remember to give God praise because your praise is not limited to your circumstances. I had a really bad week, but it ended with gratitude and praise.
