Build and Bless Leadership Scholarship

I didn’t think leadership would look like me—sixteen, unsure, standing in front of a room full of energetic kids with crackers in one hand and a Bible in the other. But Jesus did. When I was thrust into the role of Children’s Ministry Director at my church, I didn’t feel ready. My co-director stepped down unexpectedly, leaving me—young and newly fifteen—to lead a team of volunteers, organize events, plan lessons, and shepherd the hearts of dozens of children. Doubts came loud and fast. You’re too young. They won’t listen. You’re not enough. But faith always has a way of speaking back. Jesus never waited for perfect. He called fishermen, tax collectors, the overlooked and underestimated. And in that, I found my model for leadership. I wasn’t asked to be flawless. I was asked to be faithful. So I showed up—with lessons, snacks, crafts, and, more than anything, love. I leaned heavily on prayer, Scripture, and the wisdom of the leaders and pastors around me. I learned to lead with gentleness, with structure, with encouragement. I learned that real leadership isn’t loud—it’s consistent. It’s being present when it’s hard. It’s wiping tears, listening closely, laughing loudly, and speaking truth softly. That season, which began in fear, became the most joyful part of my life. I discovered how deeply I love teaching children, watching them light up as they learn about God’s love, watching them memorize verses and ask real, honest questions about faith. One of the most powerful moments of my leadership came during the first Vacation Bible School I ever planned, just last summer. After one of the sessions, a young girl who had visited for the first time approached me. We had only met that week, but something in the prayer I led earlier that day had stayed with her. She said, “I want to give my life to Jesus... but I don’t know how to get closer to God.” My heart overflowed. I sat with her, and we talked about starting with the Gospels—how understanding who Jesus is helps us accept His unfailing love. We talked about worship music, how it softens our hearts, and how to set a pace with reading Scripture that feels sustainable, not overwhelming. Since that day, every time I see her, she gives me updates—what chapter she's in, the new Christian friends she's made, the lessons she’s learning. I even helped her pick out her first Bible online, and just recently she came beaming to tell me it had arrived. Watching her life shift—watching Jesus move in her so clearly—has been one of the most incredible honors of my life. That’s what leadership through faith looks like: not perfection, not authority, but being available and willing for God to use you to guide someone closer to Him. For a long time, I buried my desire to be a teacher. It felt too risky—too uncertain financially, too “safe” for someone who was told to aim higher. But faith has reshaped my vision. Teaching isn’t a fallback. It’s a calling. And I now understand that I don’t have to teach in a religious school to bring Jesus with me. His joy, His kindness, His acceptance can show up in every lesson I teach and every child I encounter. Faith didn’t just influence my leadership—it built it. It held me steady when I wanted to run, and it’s leading me forward still, into classrooms I haven’t walked into yet, toward futures I can’t fully see. And that’s okay. I’ve learned that I don’t need the whole picture to take the next step. I just need Jesus.