Finding the Lord Jesus Christ
Lauren Ragan
Hi, my name is Lauren Ragan. I am 17 years old and the youngest of three children. I never really knew what it meant to know and have a relationship with God. Growing up, I attended Catholic schools my entire life, which means that religion has been forced upon me for as long as I can remember. What they do not teach in Catholic school is how to build a relationship with God. This past summer, I attended a retreat through my school called Kairos. Kairos is a retreat rooted in deepening faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Three weeks before the retreat, my god-brother Robbie had passed away.
I honestly was sort of mad at God because I was unsure how he could let such a beautiful soul leave this earth. No one tells you it is okay to be upset or angry with God. My retreat leader, Cassie, gave a talk, and I learned she had known Robbie very well. It was no coincidence that Cassie was assigned to be my leader. There was a beautiful work of the Lord flowing throughout the entire retreat. I sat in adoration, felt my chest squeeze up, and the Lord said “Talk to me, Lauren.” And in that moment, it all made sense to me. I sat there and understood that God had me and always will. I left all my pain and sorrow at his feet and started crying for the first time since Robbie died. That night as I was driving home, I felt that Jesus was in the seat next to me. God was with me, working in my life, and I finally understood he had been there all along, even when I was unaware. God is always there with us whether we allow ourselves to believe it or not.
Kairos was my first realization of how the Lord works in my life. I always want to feel the love that the Lord filled my heart with. I work at it every day; a relationship with the Lord is something we must choose to do. The relationship goes both ways, so for us to get to know the Lord, we must allow the Lord to know us. Kairos was such a beautiful experience for me, as it allowed me to open my eyes and realize God does things like this every day. We must all experience the work of the Lord firsthand to understand that it happens in “ordinary” life all around us at every moment. God is on your side.
Lauren Ragan is a high school senior in Phoenix, Arizona. Born and raised in Phoenix, she has two older brothers and parents who adore her.