Change. A word so terrifying yet so rewarding to most people. This one simple word defines my experience at Church of the Redeemer. Hi, for those of you who don’t know me, my name is Kate Ayres. I will be graduating from Riverview High School and attending Rollins College in the fall. I moved to Sarasota the summer of my sophomore year. I was terrified as change was not something I did well with as my personality is not the super-out going type! New church, new friends, new school, new house, new town… new new new! I felt completely overwhelmed!! I remember my mom signing me up for VBS the week I got here and I was so mad at her! How dare my mom sign me up to help a bunch of strangers I didn’t know at a church I was super unfamiliar with. However, after the week was over I was so relieved she signed me up! The whole time I was at VBS I felt a calming presence. People were welcoming, kids were smiling, the sun was shining, and most importantly Jesus was there by my side. After VBS, I started to attend some EYC meetings and shortly after that I went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Feelings of change were still following me during this time: anxiety over if I could make church friends, scared of being in a foreign country for the first time, wondering if people would like me! All these “what if’s”!! But shortly after arriving, I realized – Jesus was there! My anxiety and worrying was all for nothing! People came and welcomed me, I made friends in the DR and loved meeting new people from a different culture, I finally felt a sense of belonging. This is because Jesus is a constant. Life is filled with obstacles that will make us feel hopeless, sad, anxious, angry, you name it. But Jesus does not change, He is always there. His word is there to guide you, especially through these crucial periods of change. Change is an opportunity for spiritual growth and to grow closer to Jesus. Unfortunately, none of us expected to end the year like this! Having youth Sunday online, being quarantined in households, watching church on live-streams, you name it. However, remember this: God has a plan. God’s plan sometimes puts us through these trying times. He knows we can handle it if we put our faith and trust in him. God especially knows change is difficult but his love is stronger than any challenge we can face. Remember when change gives you anxiety, know there is a still a constant in your life and that is Jesus: Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”