Darkness blanketed Nashville Friday morning as I drove to the airport. I could feel the nervous energy building within me. What should I expect? What if I don’t make friends? What if I’m not good enough?

I pulled up to the airport and stepped out into the muggy Tennessee air, my heart bursting with questions and anticipation. I headed to the gate to meet two of my fellow Blood:Water interns and our staff advisor. We soon boarded a flight to Washington state for an intern retreat. Once we landed, our group assembled and ventured out into the brisk Washington air. Instantly the anxiety fell away leaving peace and excitement.

It is true that God knows what you need before you ever do. When I applied to Blood:Water to be an intern I had no idea I would need this retreat. God knew. He knew I was close to burning out. He knew I had let myself become too tied up in the busyness of the day to day. He knew I needed to breathe and step away for a few days. So, He took us to one of my favorite places, Washington. He filled the retreat with eighty amazing interns who inspired me each day. He took away cell service (I can feel the panic in the millennial readers at that one). He led us through fearless speakers, and guided us with patient instructors. He surrounded us with one of His most amazing creations, nature. He filled our time with laughter, with growth, and Hamilton songs. Most importantly He poured into every single person at that retreat.

One of the biggest points of the retreat was the impact you make. If you have ever been to Washington you know it rains quite a lot. Sometimes it is a downpour out of nowhere, but often it starts as a sprinkle. A few quiet drops fall and no one is aware it is raining. A person may feel a drop hit them, and they begin to wonder. Then another drop falls and the doubt begins to fade. The sprinkles give way to light rain. The rain begins to fall more quickly, and grows heavier until eventually it drenches everything beneath it. That is the impact we can have. We can each make a difference through our actions, vocation, and passions. Our impact may start small and not be noticed. That is okay because over time it will build; it will grow; and, eventually, it will affect more lives than you know. Our impact today changes the future of those to come. So I want to pose a question, what kind of future do we want to build? Each of us has a critical role to play.

As the retreat came to an end, sweet new memories filled my heart. New friendships were built, and a new energy pushed me forward. We landed back in Nashville late Sunday night. Darkness once again blanketed Nashville, but a fire burned within me. A fire to serve others in each moment, and to leave this world a better place.