Before October 2024, I lived for myself. I was focused on: • Pleasing people • Lust • My sports obsessions Then I joined Christ Youth in Action, a community of college students seeking the Lord. 10 days later, I went on their overnight retreat. That's where I first met God. One speaker used a basketball analogy. I've played basketball most of my life, so it hit hard. He said that to receive the ball God is handing you, you have to let go of the one in your hands. That's when I learned something: It's not about being perfect. It's about surrendering, and God does the perfecting. Later that night, there was a station where you write your sins on paper, crumple it, and burn it in a fire. I did. And I felt free. Real, genuine forgiveness. But it wasn't over. During prayer, a brother came to minister to me. He asked about my life, and I told him the truth: I was struggling with lust. He prayed over me for 5 minutes. Then he gave me a verse I still hold on to today: Matthew 6:33. "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you." But here's what I noticed: I kept seeking God. Not because I was good. I wasn't. But because of the joy of surrendering everything and still following Him. That's why I follow Christ. What's one thing you had to let go of to receive what God was handing you? Curious to hear your story. 👇

For 5+ years, I tried to fix myself. More discipline. More rules. More pressure. It didn’t work. Here’s what I felt instead: - Guilt every time I failed - No control over my own actions - Numb, even when things were “fine” - And the harder I tried, the more alone I got. Because I hid it. Then I stopped trying to win and started handing it over. I surrendered 4 things: 1. What people think of me 2. My relationships 3. My business 4. The habit I couldn’t beat Here’s what changed: - I make decisions in line with what God wants - My friendships with men and women are real now - I’m not numb anymore Willpower says, “I’ll fix this myself.” Surrender says, “I can’t. You can.” Only one of those has ever worked for me.

I stopped trying to control my life. And I can honestly say, I’ve never felt more in control. I used to chase: - Parental approval - Friends’ praises - Sports success - Money - Lust I called it ambition. But here’s what I noticed: When you chase all 4 at once... You don’t have: - Peace - Honest friends - Rest But you don’t have control either. Because trying harder doesn’t free you. It just makes you tired faster. So in October 2024, I surrendered all 5 to God. One at a time. And since then, I’ve felt lighter. Now, I make decisions in line with what God wants. And I’m not numb anymore. Freedom didn’t come from gripping tighter. It came from letting go. Which one are you still gripping? Curious to hear where you’re at. 👇

Hey! My name is Arlo. My favorite Bible verse is Matthew 6:33 (here's why). One of my hobbies right now is playing pickleball (yes, I know). I joined, or rather started, this community so we can all seek God 1st together. What do you think about my prayer corner? 😁