Every human seems bound to face tragedy, sorrow, and disappointment at some point in her life. Life is full of ups and downs. The closest friends and family members can prove to be unreliable. Jobs, relationships, and other opportunities that first appear to be sure things can prove to be major letdowns. Yet through it all, God’s love persists! It is undoubtedly the most consistent thing a person can ever experience. Even when storms blow through or discouragement overwhelms, His love is ever present. It’s merely a matter of whether we recognize it or not, whether we have the maturity or discernment to see it.

Thursday and Friday at ACS presented a beautiful display of this truth.

I’m sure most of you are well aware that ACS senior Johnny Morgan went to be with the Lord just a few weeks ago. Though the Morgan family and the ACS family (among many others) were deeply saddened about the situation, it was obvious that God did a great work through it all. He provided peace to Johnny’s family and friends. He allowed hundreds to see and hear the testimony of faith that both Johnny possessed and which his family displayed through the struggle. God’s Spirit moved across the ACS campus in a mighty way that week with several students accepting Christ as their Savior. Now, fast forward to this week and you’d see that God proved His love in a very intimate way to the Morgan family.

After preaching in middle school chapel about the power of the cross, I could sense that God was stirring in several students’ hearts. I noticed a crowd of 8th grade girls praying together after the chapel service but didn’t hear of any specifics throughout the day. But Friday morning I received a text message that an 8th grade girl had asked Jesus to save her soul after the Thursday chapel. When I arrived to ACS, I immediately sought her out to ask what had happened. The student detailed to me how that she first met with the large group of girls to pray then asked one of the girls to pray with her individually after the group had finished praying. This young lady acknowledged that she had prayed a prayer when she was young but had never made the decision in her heart (that is until Thursday morning!)

On Thursday morning at ACS, just a few weeks after her brother had died, Amanda Morgan trusted Jesus as her personal savior! Amanda had the courage to come share her testimony Friday morning in high school chapel. Our high school students erupted in excitement when she shared how Jesus had captured her heart the day before. Obviously, the sorrow and struggle of losing a dear child and brother will remain with the Morgans, but how sweet it is to know that even in the midst of pain and sorrow our God continues to prove His love to us! Through the power of Christ’s cross, Amanda will now join Johnny in Heaven one day to worship their Savior. How big is our God!? He can use tragedy in a beautiful way to shine His light, bring His glory, and prove His love.