What Will Matter in 10,000 Years? – Rood
My name is Rood Lubin, I’m 18, and I started attending in the spring of 2022, so still relatively kind of new.
My friend McKinley I grew up in the same church. It was a Haitian church and they preached in Creole and French, so I really didn’t understand much and didn’t really like it. I mean, I speak the languages, but not fluently, so I just didn’t really listen. I didn’t pay attention and I wasn’t getting anywhere, I wasn’t growing in my faith, I was just there. Eventually, I just stopped going and turned away from God. I saw my life going in a completely different direction, chasing girls and things like that, which was not good for me.
I first got involved with First Naples when McKinley invited me. I wasn’t so sure at first because my previous experience wasn’t the best, but we grew up together. He said, “It’s different.” He was learning so much and growing in his faith and it feels like he’s reconnecting with God. He feels like he’s rekindling that relationship with God and he motivated me.
“Just come out, try it out. You’ll like it.”
I said, “Okay.” I went and I’ve been coming here ever since. I realized how wrong I was living when I started coming here, which is why I’m extremely grateful to be here. I really love it here.
I remember on Sundays, I’d be in bed, waiting for it to hit 1:00pm so I could watch football and things like that. Once I started coming to First Naples, there was a big swing in my life because now, every Sunday, I’m at church, I’m with the kids, I’m their youth leader helping them out and things like that. I have friends that anytime they’re going through something where they’re feeling like they’re struggling spiritually, they come to me, they talk to me and we do Bible studies, we grow together. It wasn’t like that back then, I just did not care. Now it feels like I’m walking the path I’m supposed to be on with God and I’m really happy that I’m doing that.
I see now that I’m truly living for God.
When I first started coming to Student Ministry, I came to one of the midweeks and wanted to come back. Then the next three weeks were home groups. I ended up at the Lindquists, they’re really, really good people. I was only at their house three times and now every time I see them, we always talk and have a good conversation. They’re really good people. I didn’t know them and they treated me well, all of us.
Their example makes me want to do the same because until I went to camp, I didn’t really think that I’d want to be teaching. I just wanted to grow myself. And then at camp we were asked,
“What is your yes? What is God calling you to do?”
And the whole time people are going up saying they want to be part of ministry. I didn’t go up. I wanted to, but I just didn’t go. I just sat there and thought about it. The next day I told Daniel that I wanted to help with students, I want to be more involved. And now I’m with the 10th grade boys every Sunday, helping them out. Because of the way the Linquists treated me and helped me to grow. Now I want to do the same for others.
When Daniel was first telling me and McKinley about camp, we didn’t want to go. But he kept pushing, kept pushing. He actually just signed us up. Daniel said he got us. We didn’t even agree, but I’m so happy he did. Cause I think that was one of the best things that happened to both of us this whole year. The whole experience, you’re constantly in God’s presence. I don’t know how to describe it, it was so amazing. We learned so much. I still have the bracelet that they gave us to remind us of the eternity rope illustration. It asked,
“what are you doing now in your life? That’s going to matter in 10,000 years? How are you affecting others around you and the growing of their faith?”
And it was just really impactful in both our lives. For McKinley, he thought he wanted to be in the medical field, and now he’s in college trying to be a pastor because of that. It was a great experience for both of us.
For me, I don’t feel God calling me to be a Pastor. But when it comes to small groups with people, one-on-ones, just talking, things like that, I can do that all day, I love talking about God. I love hearing people’s stories and helping them out. I feel like when I talk to somebody and I hear their stories, I can relate to it and it helps me grow myself. So that’s why I love being with the students as well.
The people who gave money so we could go to camp, they might not see it with their own eyes, but they’re saving students. They’re saving people because camp was truly life changing. And I saw a lot of people completely turn their lives around and really take it seriously. Those people who are donating and helping people get to camp, they’re doing great work. They’re doing God’s work because they’re truly helping a lot of young kids get saved.
The same way I got invited to church, I invited my friend. Lemuel also grew up with us since second grade. He moved to Miami in High School and he kind of drifted away as we all did. When he came back to Naples, I started telling him how great the church is and finally he decided to come. The same day he came, he said he wanted to get baptized. He’s working on that. Now he wants to go every Sunday and get involved. He just loves it here.
I feel like this is what God called us to do, to be fishers of men, trying to bring people to Christ.
So I hope that this creates a cycle – I got invited, then I invited somebody else, and then they invite somebody else. We could all just come here as a community and be a part of this amazing church and grow in God all together.
I’m just trying to change little parts of my life to where when I look back to where I was, I’m a completely different person. And I could be an example for those around me. I don’t want to be talking about God, trying to teach you and then you look on social media and I’m a whole different person. Or you hear me talking and I’m throwing out all these bad words and things like that. It’s about setting an example for those younger than me.
God could take you a long way. Every time I look back, it’s just a whole turnaround and I’m a completely different person. I feel more caring towards people. I’m really, really trying to build on how I’m growing spiritually and I want to help others.
It’s just God. I give all the glory to God.