For Such a Time as This . . .

“Do you feel like your life is a five thousand-piece puzzle that came without a picture on the box? Are you overwhelmed by having to fit together all of life’s big decisions? Have you been waiting for just the right moment for life to burst into color and perfection? If so, then believe me – you’re not alone!”

These opening lines of the 2015 book Such a Time are the launch pad for teaching how young people can move away from simply staring at the puzzle pieces of their life and future and dare to live for “such a time as this”. The book reads like glimpsing a journal of someone who has been through this journey before you. It’s tone is loving – like a conversation over coffee with your big sister. This is exactly what Such a Time‘s author, Samantha Roose, intended an she penned her heart.

Samantha has been a friend of TeenPact for many years. After attending the program as a student, Samantha served as a traveling staffer in which she spent weeks of her semester investing in students around the country. Then, just a few years ago, we had a last-minute need for a State Coordinator in Virginia. Samantha humbly stepped into that role and now pours into staff teams and parents as she works diligently to facilitate all the needed logistics for the Virginia classes to run smoothly.

As grateful as we are for her work, this was not the only reason that we wanted to share her story. She is a former TeenPact student who has not only returned to serve this ministry, but who has been used by God to do many great things outside of TeenPact to serve the Kingdom. Shortly after graduating high school, Samantha found herself facing an uncertain future. She had always assumed that she would go to college and pursue higher education once she graduated. However, people that she trusted told her honestly that it seemed that God had different plans for her life. At first, this was difficult for her to accept.

“I didn’t want to be that girl,” she told me. “Society only places value on college as a choice after high school. It had just been what I planned to do.” Samantha described how difficult it was to get to a place where she surrendered that part of of her future to the Lord. It wasn’t an instant action – it took time. Samantha realized that when God is working in our hearts, He does so gently. He doesn’t simply hammer us into obedience but instead invites us to follow His plan for our lives in the most loving and beautiful way. As Samantha learned this, God began to show her that she had an important message to share and there was a large demographic that needed to hear it.

“I wanted girls to know that there is more to life than college, career, and marriage,” she shared. “I want them to see the priceless power and treasure they possess today, in this very moment, whether single or married.  And, I want them to know that there isn’t a [set] format to glorifying God with our lives.  Each life is different. Each calling is different.” With this message came a direction to take the next steps in communicating it on a wider plane. In 2013, Samantha launched the first Such A Time Conference and the response was very positive. Samantha found that God wanted to use her team in the lives of women of all ages. Samantha shared about how humbling that was to be used to ministry to so many different demographics – even when she didn’t necessarily feel “qualified” to do so.

Through the success of this first conference, Samantha was encouraged to put her wisdom into the form of a book, making the lessons that God was teaching her accessible to anyone. This began a project that eventually led to the publishing of Such a Time: How to live like Esther in a Rapunzel world.  Throughout the entire process, Samantha says that God carried her and helped all the necessary pieces fall into place, just as He had with the conference.

Samantha took what she learned at TeenPact, and her growing heart for ministry, to build something new where there was a need. Her example is worth following, no matter what you’re being called to do. For, as she says, “Each journey should be different – no cookie cutters – just a good, good Father who works everything together for good.”

If you would like to learn more about Samantha’s ministry or attend a Such a Time Conference, visit her website at suchatimeconference.com. Information about the next conference will be posted soon. Samantha’s book, Such a Time: How to live like Esther in a Rapunzel world  is available on Amazon.