I’ve been out of CGA for a month now.

I’m still no closer to explaining what CGA is. It’s fluid, abstract, and from the outside, it’s hard to see the change that happens. So it’s hard to put into words.

But the Lord gave me an analogy – as He often does. 

If you’re familiar with the X-Men movies, you’ll know that a bunch of adolescents go to Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters to train in controlling their powers. 

Some don’t even know the beauty of their mutant-ness. Some have only seen their powers hurt people. Some are strong in their powers and need to learn how to use their powers for good –not for their own gain.

Whatever the reason, the young mutants are there to learn and be challenged. It’s painful. It’s vulnerable. It’s fun. They’re around people that are similar to them. They’re all working toward the same goal: to hone their different powers for good.

CGA is like the School for Gifted Youngsters. We’re all here to hone our gifts from the Lord in a way that honors Him and strengthens the Body of Christ.

Some of us know what those gifts are. Some have only seen our gifts get tossed to the side because people told us they weren’t good enough. Some have used their gifts for the wrong purpose in the past.

Whatever the reason, CGA is a place to learn and be challenged. It’s painful. It’s vulnerable. It’s fun. We’re around people that are similar to us. We’re all working toward the same goal: to hone our gifts for the good of God’s Kingdom.  

CGA changes you. You are around people that sharpen you. You tend to get a level of self-awareness that heightens everything. You learn so much about the way God uniquely created you, and you learn how to show up as your full self. The hope is that you will walk out of CGA being more secure as a son/daughter of God and thus being ready to give your whole heart for the ministry God has called you to.

So, I’ve been out of CGA for a month and I can honestly say that’s what CGA was for me. It sharpened me, stretched me, frustrated me, and changed me. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me squirm from how uncomfortable it was. I am not the same person I was on January 29^th when I started this thing. HA! I’m not even the same person I was on June 4 when my 2^nd semester started.  

God used CGA to refine and solidify my unique gifts- now I can walk out who He has made me to be with more confidence and boldness than ever before.