First Priority of America is a nationwide organization that establishes student led Christian outreach clubs in schools. This organization has given me a way to make an impact in my high school. Some would call my connection with First Priority a coincidence; in hindsight, I call it a God thing.
Throughout my progression in my faith, people have warned me not to ask God to use me, saying, “He might actually do it”. This is one of those sayings I always classified as a Christian cliché and wrote off. However, in the middle of my junior year, it became a reality. I had been praying consistently for God to use me, asking to be his vessel in the sea of the world. He did just that. A friend of mine asked me to tag along to a launch meeting for a new club at Ravenwood called First Priority.
Henry Blackaby, the author of “Experiencing God”, advises his readers to find God where He is already at work. In this meeting, I saw God starting something and I knew this was where God needed me to be. From that moment on, I poured everything I had into this club. At first, the original leaders were doing well, but they soon lost steam, especially as graduation neared. I, in turn, took up the slack and devoted my passion to spreading the hope of Christ to my school. For example, I planned events, scheduled speakers, and advertised the club to the student body. This responsibility taught me how to deal with other people depending on me, always expecting me to have answers and a plan. I did my best to keep the club running, always praying and working for its growth.
My devotion did not go unnoticed. As the school year came to a close, a leader in the First Priority organization approached me and invited me to look into a program called Student Leadership University. After I expressed interest, he informed me that the organization wanted to give me a full grant to represent First Priority at the conference. That experience is a whole other essay in itself.
In the end, as senior year began, I reignited First Priority with a vision to start a revival for Christ in my school. I am now the president of First Priority, still consistently praying and working toward my vision. It is not easy, but I know that my purpose is the Lord’s and everything is in His hands. He gives me opportunities like these to grow, and grow I have as I learn to delegate and trust others, but also to monitor quality and completion. I am figuring out how to use the obvious to accomplish the complicated. Most importantly, through First Priority, I have learned that I am never alone in my responsibility; a helping hand is always waiting. It all depends on me to have the humility to take it. Through this experience, I have kindled a fire in myself to be that helping hand for others in need and point the way to the ultimate helping hand.
