A Vibrant Community

Last summer, I had the opportunity to attend Judicial, my first TeenPact Alumni Event. It was such a full week––spiritually, intellectually, and relationally. Throughout the program, we were all stretched in different ways, and it was incredible to see people excel as they stepped further and further out of their comfort zones.

I have never experienced community like this before Judicial. As one of my TeenPact Judicial friends put it, “I now have a family across the nation.” That’s exactly how I feel. There were points during the week when I felt extremely inadequate, unprepared, and weak. Even so, there were always sincere words of encouragement, shoulders to cry on, and friends to laugh with. I learned so much from being a part of such a vibrant community. People like this are rare indeed.

I will always remember the memories formed with the members of my law firm. The successes and failures we experienced together brought us close, and I am incredibly thankful God placed each one of them in my path. All of us had different testimonies and different struggles, but His glorious plan is evident in each. I mentioned to someone that I think I laughed and cried more in a week at Judicial than I have the rest of the year. It is encouraging that there are other teenagers who are passionately pursuing Christ, rejecting mediocrity, and thirsting for knowledge.

Kirkland Moranos is a 2017 TeenPact Staffer and hails from Camden, South Carolina.