At the time of this writing, I have been at Denver Gap Year for over ten weeks; ten weeks of learning, growing, and adventure. When I arrived at Colorado in September I was most excited for the memories I would make and the fun times to be had. I did not expect for Denver Gap Year to hit the “reset” button for my life and redirect my future plans towards serving the Kingdom.
I’m eighteen years old and for eighteen of those years I’d been living in a Christian environment. Sunday school, missions trips, confirmation, Bible classes, Bible studies, and Christian schooling were nothing new to me. However, my spiritual habits were lacking. Reading the Bible was a rarity. Prayer was a once-in-a-month chore. Furthermore, my relationship with God was ignored on a normal day and considered a formality on my better days. I had strong head knowledge about the foundations of Christianity, and would defend the principles of my faith to the death if need be. Unfortunately, I didn’t prioritize my faith as an essential component of my daily habits or to motivate my future plans. I needed a “reset” button.
Choosing to come to Denver Gap Year was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Shortly before the semester launched, my parents happened upon the program’s website and pitched the idea to me; we started the fourteen hour drive to Denver two weeks after. Little did I know, this would give me that “reset” button I needed.
Now, after learning from over twenty different Biblical teachers, my passion for Christianity has been reignited and my spiritual habits are back on track. I don't think of reading the Bible, praying, or meditating on the Lord as a chore or a formality anymore. Those Christian disciplines are a normal, and welcome, part of my schedule. Furthermore, Denver Gap Year has led my spiritual life into developing a deeper connection with the Lord, which is something I never deeply pursued before. I pray to God like He’s a good friend, I talk to Him as if He is sitting beside me, I don’t worry about what I say or how I say it because I have a close relationship with Him. I wouldn’t give that up for the world.
Denver Gap Year has been more than a Spiritual awakening, I’ve had an enjoyable time during the semester. The mountainous area in Denver contrasts the flat, mundane terrain of my Minnesotan hometown. It’s exciting to hike those thousand-foot mountains with a backdrop of colorful fall leaves. A theme park, city wide scavenger hunt, virtual reality arcade, and skydiving are some examples of the many memories made here in Denver. These adventures will really stand out to me when I think back on my teenage highlights.
When I made the decision to leave home for four months, I had this nagging feeling that I’d regret it. On a whim, I spent a chunk of my well-earned money to spend four months away from anyone I knew to study and live with strangers. Thankfully, I don’t believe anything could have been better; it was God’s direction for me to leave home. Not only has this program laid the spiritual foundation for my life going forward, but it has given me a community of mentors and friends to support me wherever my life leads and guide me whenever I need encouragement. I would certainly recommend it.