Age: 19
Years an Adventist: 12
Favorite thing about SOULS Northwest: I love all the things I’ve been learning and have appreciated how deep we’ve been going with the Bible.
Favorite Bible text: Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
Vision for the church: I want to see my church more engaged in personal ministry — visiting people in their homes — especially the youth.
Even though I’ve been in an Adventist church for much of my life, I didn’t really understand what it was about until a new Bible class and a great teacher started opening up the Bible to me. Now that I’m at SOULS and studying the Bible more in-depth, I really see how I’m growing both in my knowledge of God as well as my love for Him. During some challenging times this year, I’ve realized that God has used them to grow my faith and trust in Him and that He really does bring good out of even the most painful circumstances.
During one visit I showed a book called Peace Above the Storm to a woman who opened it to a chapter called “Freedom From Guilt” and began to skim through the page. Through her tears she turned to me and said, “I really need this book. When my grandchildren were abandoned I tried to take care of them, but they were so young that I just couldn’t. I ended up giving them up for adoption.” I can’t judge her situation, but it’s clear that God was using me to bring His Word into her heart.
I shared the same book with Vincent after he had returned from a hard day working in the vineyards. He opened to a chapter called “Perfect Peace” and immediately decided this was the perfect book for him. As he pulled a bill out of his pocket he said, “When I finished work today there was an older man with white hair standing by my truck. I had never met him before, but he just handed me this $10 bill and walked away. I think he wanted me to get this book.”
Vincent kept calling me “an angel,” and I guess he was right. “Angel” means “messenger,” and I’m glad that I was able to bring the message of salvation to Vincent’s home.
Sabrina Cottrill
