Julia’s Story
On May 19, Julia will mark one year since she first walked into AXIS Youth Center in Zahle, a place that has since become her second home. “Whenever I don’t come on a Friday or Saturday, I feel like something’s wrong,” she says with a warm smile.
Her journey with AXIS began at a youth camp, where new friendships opened the door to weekly visits, core discipleship groups, and a sense of belonging she hadn’t known before. “The staff here give and take a lot with me,” Julia explains. “They make me feel like I belong.”
“It was like a light in my belly, and I just started crying.”
Growing up in Zahle, Julia began attending a local church when she was around eight. She sat through sermons and worship nights, but much of it felt distant and unclear until one Wednesday evening changed everything. During a worship night, when she was ten years old, Julia had a profound spiritual experience:
“It was like a light in my belly, and I just started crying. I saw a vision of a dark room with a slightly open door, and an arm reaching out to me through a bright light.” That moment began a journey of faith.
“The core groups helped clarify things in the Bible.”
Since then, Julia has longed to grow in her relationship with God. She found that growth through Bible reading, church camps, and more recently, through AXIS. “The core groups really helped clarify things I didn’t fully understand in the Bible,” she says. “And when I need someone to talk to, the youth leaders here listen without judgment. They understand me.”
The AXIS core group meetings offer a unique rhythm of connection and discipleship. With snacks, honest conversations, Bible study, worship, and prayer, these small gatherings create a safe space for Julia to explore faith and life. One session on grace stuck with her deeply. “Grace is a gift we don’t fully understand the value of. That really spoke to me.”
“They reminded me of my worth in God’s eyes.”
Julia is also part of SuperWoman, a girls-only group that nurtures identity, confidence, and spiritual growth. Through this group, Julia has not only grown in faith but also gained a deeper understanding of her worth. “They reminded me of my worth in God’s eyes,” Julia shares. “They help me grow not just in faith but also in my self-esteem.”
She has also become more aware of how she relates to others, especially her family. “I can be short-tempered and say things I don’t mean,” she admits. “But I’ve learned to appreciate the people in my life more, especially my parents. I’m learning to choose my words more carefully.”
“My parents don’t trust sending me to any place, but AXIS is different,” Julia says. Julia and many other youth at AXIS can make real friends, talk to someone who listens, and grow in faith. We pray that the center always is a haven where young people can feel at home, ask hard questions, and discover more about God’s love and grace.