A Glimpse Of Heaven
UTC was truly the most life changing week I have ever experienced. What a Joy it is to suffer and continue to be more like Jesus. Before UTC I kept living my life in such fear that I was always striving for more, striving and seeking approval from everyone else, seeking approval in the sport that consumed my identity. I thought that that’s who I was, I thought that I had to prove something in order for God and others to love me and see that I was worth something. But UTC shaped me in a way I could never ever comprehend. God used my brokenness for good, he never asked me to carry this life alone, he wants me to be his and completely his. I learned that the Lord doesn’t want half of you, he wants all of you. That he already paid the ultimate price on that cross, so that we get to fully experience his love and mercy. UTC taught me that following Jesus isn’t about what He can do for me, but about knowing Him, becoming more like Him, and surrendering my entire life for His glory.
I think the most special thing is to run the race with people beside you, helping you, and guiding you. UTC gave me people in my life I never thought could become so special to me in just a single week. The Lord used the people He placed in my life to reveal parts of His heart I had never experienced before. I got to witness what it looks like when people genuinely love Jesus more than themselves, when they lay down their pride, carry one another’s burdens, pray over each other, and choose to point each other toward eternity. These relationships showed me that we were never created to walk this life alone, but to be the hands and feet of Jesus to one another. I walked away realizing that surrender isn’t just giving God the difficult parts of my life, but giving Him absolutely everything, even the things I once believed made me who I was. Now I get to step onto the field with freedom, knowing I have nothing to prove and everything to praise Him for. I get to use the gifts He’s entrusted to me to worship Him, share the Gospel, and love the people He places around me. And beyond my sport, I get to wake up every day with the purpose of knowing Him more, becoming more like Him, and making Him known. UTC was truly a glimpse of heaven.
Anika Guenther | UTC Colorado 2026
