It was the beginning of my sophomore year of high school; the last year I would be attending my small, local Christian Junior Academy. As thoughts circled around in my head about where God would lead me for my junior and senior years of high school, I felt a little anxious, yet I was excited about the possible new adventure.
Two of my older siblings had attended a Seventh-day Adventist boarding academy just four hours away, so it seemed only natural that I should follow in their footsteps. I had visited that school many times, and it seemed to be a great place; however, for some reason, I just didn’t feel satisfied. A friend of mine, being in the same predicament as me the year before, was planning to start his junior year at the same boarding academy my siblings attended. At the last minute, however, he decided to go to a different academy, about a nine-hour drive away.
The name of the school was Great Lakes Adventist Academy (GLAA), and it was located in the little town of Cedar Lake, Michigan. Since I had never heard of it before, it greatly piqued my interest. Over the next several months, I prayed about my future, asking God to make it clear to me where I needed to be for my last two years. I prayed specifically about certain characteristics I was looking for that were very important to me as an individual, and as a Christian. At the top of my list were: a strong spiritual atmosphere, relatable staff, and modesty.
I continued to pray, and as time passed, I started searching the Internet to get an idea of what Seventh-day Adventist academies were out there, and what each one offered. I looked at several websites, but none of them really caught my attention, except one. You probably guessed it—Great Lakes Adventist Academy. The more I looked into it and the more insight I gathered from my friend who attended there, the more I liked the idea of going there, too.
However, one thing really stood in the way: GLAA was so far away from home. My parents really didn’t like the idea of me being nine hours away. Nine hours of driving meant they probably would not be coming to visit very often, and student home leaves were only once a month. To them, that school seemed to be just like any other, and it would not be worth the distance. They questioned the likelihood of me attending there, but I continued praying for God’s direction.
Since there was so much interest in GLAA (aside from mine), our teacher decided to organize a trip later that school year for students and parents who wanted to visit during their “Academy Days.” That trip turned out to be a huge blessing for all of us, and it even became the answer to my prayers!
From the moment we first arrived, I could definitely see God working. I could tell through every interaction we had with the staff and students that God’s presence was near. I learned that all the staff and students gathered to worship together daily, and they prayed at the beginning of every class. I could see that the teachers and staff were humble people. They were approachable, and they loved investing their time to help students draw closer to Jesus.
My parents saw all this, too, and it was making a difference in what they had previously thought. However, what really topped it off was the gymnastics team—and it wasn’t what they did… it was what they wore. Remember how modesty was another characteristic I was looking for? Well, the girls of GLAA’s Aerokanas gymnastic team wore modest attire for their performance, and when we inquired about it, we learned that this was what they wear at every performance.
This was it! This was the place where God wanted me to be. There was no doubt in my mind, and it wasn’t long before my parents came to the same conclusion. I applied that very same weekend and was accepted into Great Lakes Adventist Academy for the following year.
When I look back on my experiences and see how God has led me, I cannot help but think of Isaiah 30:21, that says, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.”
I encourage you today, if you are faced with a decision and you don’t know which way to turn—turn to God and He will direct your paths. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5–6.
