By Taylor Lightsey

Hey there. My name is Taylor and I am a procrastinator; hence why this introduction blog is coming out weeks after I arrived at Grace Falls to serve as a summer ministry intern... but better late than never I suppose.

I am originally from Lake Placid. No, not New York, but Florida. Yes, there really is a Lake Placid in Florida. No, that's not where the movie was filmed. Yes, we do have alligators.

I like photography, traveling, coffee, and long walks to the fridge. My friends are like family to me, the only marathon I've got in me is going to be on Netflix, I absolutely love Florida, and my weaknesses include cheeseburgers, milkshakes, and a man with nice facial hair.

Amidst all the complications that life brings, my story remains simple. My relationship with God began at a young age, although I do not know the day or even the year it happened, I know that my confidence lies in knowing that I became aware of my need for God a long time ago and He has been present in my life ever since.

My journey with God has been hard, exciting, confusing, stretching, adventurous, and most of all absolutely beautiful; and I can say already at 23 years old that it is a marathon, and it is absolutely worth it. All that truly lasts in this world is the Word of God and the souls of men and I pray that the way I steward the relationships, money, talents, time, and opportunities that the Lord has given me will clearly reflect that.

Although I have walked with God for most of my life, in my first year of college I got to the point where I wanted to want more but I wasn't even quite sure what I wanted. That year, a family came into my life, and for the first time I realized what it meant to choose the life of a disciple. Salvation is free but discipleship is costly.

God used this family to radically change my life by being a living example of what it looks like to pursue God whole heartedly and what it looks like as the gospel begins to penetrate every aspect of your life.

After that change began in my life, I decided that just as that family was used by God to drastically change my life— if I could be that for someone else, then I want to be there. That desire eventually brought me to Grace Falls.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-- the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. (Acts 20:24)

Because the northeast is such a different world than the southern Bible belt from which I originate, I am excited to know that my worldview will be expanded. My favorite part of traveling is always that experiencing a new place, new foods, and different peoples never fails to expand my view of who God is.

The glory of God is thriving in the middle of this living room-styled gathering, through the most unlikely of people, and in an area where the tradition of church is so foreign that the concept that God really loves them is breaking news.

The ministry here is not to just see people "get saved," but to help them to recognize that their need is so much deeper than just a way to heaven. Ultimately, their need is to be in right relationship with their Creator. Just like any relationship, to experience the full goodness of it is to pursue it, so we are here to walk that road with them. More than just the saving power of the gospel is the sanctifying power of the gospel –Because the gospel changes everything.