School of Leadership<\/a> seemed like a great opportunity to grow in leadership skills before September came around, but little did I know it was going to be one of the most crucial weeks of my life\u2014especially for what was going to come in Year 13.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI was anticipating a little bit of A-Level-related stress, but I was definitely not expecting what was about to happen to my older brother. In October that year, he was found without a pulse for 30 minutes and was rushed into intensive care. He then remained in a coma for two-and-a-half months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was heart-breaking: not only is he my only sibling, but he was also my best friend. He was the person I\u2019d always go to\u2026but overnight it all changed. This completely broke me. I remember asking God, \u2018How am I going to get through this?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I look back, it\u2019s almost like Jesus knew I needed to spend a week encountering him at the School of Leadership. Over those five days, I meet with him so deeply and experienced a new depth of worship. Those encounters with Jesus helped me know and believe that I could remain in him through the pain and grief of what was happening with my brother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the middle of the pain, I often find myself with no words to pray. But at the School of Leadership, I received the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues\u2014which enables me to connect with God in the deepest, darkest time of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Liz also ran a session on identity, exploring where our success is rooted. We live in a world where success is defined by what we do, but what I learnt was that lasting success is all about having an unshakable identity in Jesus. This completely changed my perspective on where success comes from. I came to learn that it\u2019s Jesus who shapes my identity. Everything else follows after this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The School of Leadership has played a huge role in my life. I\u2019ve learnt that leadership starts with who we are. It isn\u2019t about leading on a stage, or in front of people. It\u2019s about leading in our everyday situations, including those really hard places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The encounters I had with Jesus at the School of Leadership completely transformed me, and have impacted my life ever since\u2014I truly learnt that even in the darkest valleys, Jesus walks with us every step and he invites us to encounter him through it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Watch Abi's Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n