Leila Kennedy was the fourth and final student who spoke at this year’s GodTreks chapel. She shared her experience about how she was able to overcome a barrier in her faith and how she was inspired to put more trust in Jesus.
Here is what Leila had to say:
I came to the GodTreks club hoping to find a community of fellow believers who could encourage me in my faith and help me grow. What I found went so much deeper.
I had been struggling for years with my faith. But it wasn’t until GodTreks that the source of the struggle became clear. I learned that, though I did have faith and love for God, it was that of a child — a basic, surface faith that I wasn’t deepening very much anymore. I had gone as far as my effort would take me, and without the motivation to push forward, I just remained in one place, moving neither forward nor back.
It was like I had unknowingly locked away my information and refused to let anything new in. Everything felt redundant and repetitive to the point where I had begun to wonder if that was all it would ever be. The same stories, the same meaning, the same truth. I had pretty much lost interest in trying to move forward, and I got stuck.
Then came GodTreks, and suddenly I could see what needed to change. The things holding me back revealed themselves more and more the longer I spent in this club. Constantly surrounded by people asking questions, I became inspired again. Now I wanted to move forward, and in a way I did.
But the steps were small and didn’t last long, for I reached a cliff. For me to go any further, I had to jump headfirst into trust and faith, more than I already had. No more baby steps. No more waiting. I needed to take the second, bigger leap.
This past summer, I did. Now I want to keep surrounding myself with questions, answerable or not. I want to be part of discussions that go deeper than a typical Sunday school class or standard Sunday sermon. In my current situation, that is the GodTreks group.
My spiritual goal for the GodTreks group is and always will be to expand my knowledge and faith, surrounded by friends and fellow believers my age. My adventure goals are much less complex. Quite simple, really. I want to push myself out of my comfort zone. What better way to do that than to try something I never would have done before?
I’ve always struggled with giving up too soon because I don’t handle pain well. I have a very low pain tolerance, and it frustrates me how much I miss out on because of it. But when I joined this group, suddenly it wasn’t so hard to push through. Because it was more than just me, because there was a group, I would be holding more than myself back if I stopped.
I hate falling behind, and I hate feeling like the weakest person in the group even more than I hate pain. I became more determined, and I had a reason to keep going. We support each other, this group, much like a team during a sports game or practice. I’m not struggling on my own anymore. I can go further and see more.
This year, I want to push that. Considering how much I got to see on the trip last summer, I can only imagine what kind of things I will see this year. I want to experience things now before it’s too late. Maybe, if I learn enough now, I will be able to give my children this experience as well. In any case, I have learned that there is too much to see for me to spend my whole life in one place.
I thank the Lord every day for this opportunity to grow in my faith and in my willpower, and I pray that He will not only continue to provide opportunities to me but will also provide them to you guys as well. Whatever form that may take, I pray everyone here gets the chance to grow in Jesus the way they need to.
Leila’s speech, recounting how she was able to step out of her comfort zone, inspires others to take a leap of faith as well. Leila was able to progress in her faith with the help of people seeking Jesus together, encouraging her every step of the way to trust Jesus while challenging her to, quite literally, go the extra mile.
—Zach Schaefer, class of ’25
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