Before I started working at Legacy, my life was going through a major transition. A lot of this change caused disarray in my life, and I found myself feeling lost and indifferent. I lacked motivation and barely attended classes, doing whatever I wanted. Deep down, I knew I could have done better, but I was drifting further away, being drawn to whatever the world had to offer. However, amidst the chaos, I remember my mom praying fervently. She asked God to open the right doors for us and bring peace, believing that He would open the doors we needed and shut the ones that weren't meant for our family. And that's exactly what happened. We ended up at Legacy, but it was a significant change, a whirlwind.

During my time at Legacy Academy, something life-changing happened. It was as if God re-centered me, and the academy became a blessing. I experienced a transformation and rediscovered what truly mattered in life. I rededicated my life to God. We had a talent show, and the worship team was there. They encouraged me to try out, and soon Pastor Michael approached me, asking if I would like to intern for them. I jumped at the opportunity, and a few months later, the internship turned into a job. It was an answer to our prayers, a blessing that fell into our lap.

Music had always been a part of my life, even before this journey began. But what changed my perspective was a slow progression. During the time of Covid, I consciously decided to stop using profanity in my music. It was conviction from the Holy Spirit that brought me there. As I spent more time at Legacy, God used it to realign my purpose. I realized that music was my way of conversing with God, a pure conversation that brought me closer to Him even when I felt far away. It created a secret place for me, regardless of how distant I felt.

Being a champion for Christ as a young person in this chaotic world has its challenges. I have made an effort to build connections with other Christian creatives, but one of them stumbled and turned away from God, which shook me to my core. It made me realize that anyone can reach that point, and it's all about our willingness and not allowing ourselves to be deceived into thinking that we're too far gone. That's when we lose hope. I've come to recognize that one of the ways the enemy attacks is through condemnation, making us feel like God hates us or that He's angry with us. When we think that way, we naturally run away because we can't face that. But it's a lie. God's reminder that He loves me, regardless of my shortcomings, kept me from going down that path.

So, to my generation that needs Jesus, I want to share this message: You are never too far gone, and you don't have to clean yourself up before coming to God. The walk with Christ is about coming to Him as you are, no matter how dirty you feel. He offers us a free gift; all we have to do is receive it. True transformation happens as we build a relationship with Him and spend time in His presence. Many people, including myself, fall into the trap of thinking that we need to have it all figured out or fix ourselves before we approach God. But all He wants is for us to come to Him with our burdens and allow Him to work in our lives. The most important thing is to never believe that you're too far from God because you're not. The Word tells us that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us without any stipulations attached.

-Noah D.