IN A NUTSHELL

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

It was the summer of 2016, my mother graciously gave me a letter that she printed that explained that I had been accepted to Mount Pisgah Academy. I was set to start the school year that fall. Ever since I was little, it had been my dream to go to a school like this, and graduate, too. We went to buy dorm decor and got the things that I needed. Afterward, we bought all the other essentials for school. Time was running fast, so much so that there was a countdown to August.

The day came, the car was packed, and my family and I were headed off to my home for the next four years. When I stepped onto the campus, my expectations were high. I was only thirteen at the time, but at that point, I thought everything was set out for me. When I found out that it was not in my plans, everything shifted. All my life, I was with my family all the time, and to see it all change was not good for me. I started to miss my home environment a lot. I became homesick and shy, and I did not have that many friends. It was to the point that I would call my mom late at night, and start to cry.

My mom gave me some really good advice that year. She would tell me to wait it out, and that better things were coming. It helped a little, and more and more. I started to see some changes in myself thatI had never seen before. There were times where I spazzed out, especially during my first break when I did not want to come back at all. But I got through it, and I started to push myself towards new goals. I started to branch out and made friends to last a lifetime. Now, I do not know where I would be without them. I worked hard to get through all the problems that I faced (and not all of them are solved yet). In the end, it worked out better for me and everyone around me. Seasons changed, friends came and went, and every year it changed more and more. By the grace of God, I was able to adapt.

During my senior year everyone had to be sent home due to the Coronavirus. I did not expect things to go the way they did at the beginning and end of my high school career, but through all of this, I praise God for allowing me to mature mentally. Through this experience, I’ve made memories and friends that I will never forget. No matter what happens in the future, and if things do not go your way, remember that God always has a plan, but only if you trust in Him.

By: Mafer Cortes ('20)

Raleigh, North Carolina