An NCF scholarship gave me the chance to attend Urbana 12, a life-changing, diverse, amazing conference! God invited us to his Kingdom feast where he is the main course – and we don’t have to settle for leftovers.
I was moved when our speaker, Pastor Odede, stated, “Remove your spiritual cataracts!” God revealed himself by showing me my mistakes and shortcomings, but he also provided deep comfort through my small group of nursing students. We discovered it was okay to not have our lives all together. In fact, Urbana taught me that, more than anything, the Lord desires and seeks to restore us. In restoration, our minds are transformed and renewed. Even though I was fighting a virus, God still reminded me that he makes no mistakes, and his love is infinite.
God also revealed himself through the amazing diversity represented at Urbana. I saw that his Kingdom is built not just on Black or White, but an array of cultures, personalities, and ways of total surrender. We all have different intimate ways of praying and reflecting on Scripture and life itself. Yet, we are all serving one God and working towards eternal salvation.
Toward the end of Urbana, I began to feel physically better and mentally rejuvenated. I saw and heard God answer prayers that had seemed unanswered and unheard. From deep tears to spiritually intimate roommate huddles and prayers, Urbana is one of the most life-impacting conferences I have ever experienced!
God works in ways that we cannot explain or understand at the present moment, yet he is here with us the entire time. All we have to do is remove our spiritual cataracts to see the rich feast he has for us!
by Cormikia Southerland
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