by Bernice Lee
Genesis (Working Adults Community)
Fullness of Life.
These words represent my past six years in OYP since my first encounter at a JC/IB mass in 2016. From being a participant at Kickstart 2017, to serving in various OYP retreats, through my university days in CSS, to now being in Genesis community as a working adult, I am grateful that the Lord has brought me on an adventure that I could never have imagined or orchestrated for myself.
God called me to OYP to experience deeper healing through His relentless love and I would not be who I am today without the years growing up in OYP. These years have been ones of deep healing, uncomfortable but necessary periods of growth, and a deeper revelation of my identity in Christ. I have received healing from my past wounds and the false scripts that I have written about myself and subsequently, have experienced deep freedom. Year after year, week after week, Jesus has torn down each self-defense mechanism I built up– so gently, yet so firmly. One by one, Jesus has brought new people into my life and grown my friendships with them. He has softened my heart to receive more of Him from my community.
My community has shown me that I am worthy of being loved. They have taught me that I can depend on them and have carried me to Jesus like the paralytic man when I was at my lowest point. They continue to remind me that I am enough and loved for who I am and not what I can or cannot do. Through OYP’s Genesis community, Jesus has taught me what it means to be unafraid of being my authentic self. I am received for who I am and through that, I can also receive others for exactly who they are. It has transformed my entire life and left a great impact on my own discipleship journey.
Through my years in OYP, I have caught a glimpse of heaven through my brothers and sisters in community. I have also encountered Christ profoundly. Being loved by Jesus has allowed me to become fully alive and has led me to experience the deep joy of living as a child of God. I am no longer afraid to be my true self and my heart has expanded through Jesus’ love for me. In turn, I can now love others more fully. All of these experiences have prepared me for my journey ahead as I discover more about my life’s mission.
As we celebrate OYP’s 9th anniversary, it is only fitting that we do so in a spirit of deep gratitude and thanksgiving to the Lord. He is the one that continues to write the stories of our dear young people and brings healing to their lives. Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing nine such stories as we celebrate the past nine years. We thank you Lord for your faithfulness! #OYPTurns9
See more of our 9th Anniversary thanksgivings: OYP Turns 9: Fullness of Life
