I have to admit that at the end of my eighth grade year, Mount Ellis Academy was the last place I ever thought I would be. I’m so glad that I listened to God when He told me to come here. I love Mount Ellis. I see so many teens like myself changed by this place.
I’ve grown closer to God these last two years. Not without help, though. Darren Wilkins, our principal, is always there to listen to my problems and just talk with me. He wants to see the students happy because of their love for God.
The teachers care about our spiritual walk with God. I remember one time when a teacher stopped class just to ask us why we loved God. These special teachers let me know that I am in a place where I’m never far from someone to pray with.
My walk with God has been especially strengthened by the school trips. This year I was privileged to go to the Bible Conference, where 20 teens from each Adventist academy in the North Pacific Union Conference gathered to learn more about God. While there, I finally realized that Jesus died just for me, and that He still would have died if I had been the only person on the planet. That realization actually moved me to tears of joy.
I love this school but it isn't perfect. Sometimes I get stressed out or don’t make time for God. But every night I return to reality because of the evening worships in the dorm. They help me get into a focused state of mind so I can do homework.
I cannot wait to continue my walk with God each day. I love being where God wants me to be, and I love being with people who help me each day. When I forget to turn my problems over to God, I usually soon realize that life is better when God is where you leave your troubles. Please don’t think me a saint in the least. I’m just an ordinary teen who is enjoying all the experiences, good or bad, that God has given her.
Olivia Courser is a Mt. Ellis Academy sophomore from Kalispell, Mont.
