Jackson Clanton God@Work

We give glory to God when we tell of His great work, and we praise Him for the work He is doing in our faith family!

In this God@Work story, we want to praise the Lord for the work He has done and continues to do in the life of Jackson Clanton, who serves in Radiant Students.

When I look back at pivotal moments in my journey with the Lord, there appears to be a trend. Standing close by in each of those moments were mentors.

I see many shared conversations rejoicing in what the Lord has done and many times crying out to the Lord in affliction. In all of the hills and valleys of this life, the Lord has faithfully worked through mentors, many of whom I met through various youth ministries, to point me closer to Him. Just as the Lord has used them in my life, I strive to be a tool in The Master Craftsman’s service, pointing students to a passionate pursuit of the radiant God.

Over the past year serving in Radiant Students, I’ve had a front-row seat to the Lord at work primarily in the lives of the young men in sixth grade who I get to share the gospel and life with. Their curiosity and desire to know the Lord have increased along with their willingness to share what the Lord is doing in their own lives. We’ve had the opportunity to worship together, learn together, pray together, celebrate baptism together and have plenty of fun along the way.

Perhaps one of my favorite examples of the Lord at work is in the earnest prayers of each of these students. Listening to their praises and petitions for one another with growing confidence week after week is a blessing. Their simple prayers so often serve as a reminder of the gift we have of prayer. Their prayers reflect Jesus in Matthew 6 teaching His people how to pray. What a sweet reminder it is to see these students just talk with the Lord, no fancy words and no particular eloquence– just giving their hearts up to the Lord.

Back in December of 2021, I got to see a few of these particular young men (and countless other students) follow Christ’s example of humility, giving their time, energy and mind to serve our neighbors at Westminster. I watched as the Lord used their relentless energy and contagious joy to bring smiles to faces worn with weariness and hardship. Despite their own exhaustion or discomfort, they pressed on without hesitation and all the more eagerness. Oh how thankful I am to witness these precious moments of God at work in the lives of these young men.

This first year in Radiant Students culminated at the Middle School and High School Retreats. The weekend at Middle School Retreat together was truly an awesome opportunity to see with fresh eyes what the Lord has been doing all year long in the lives of these students and leaders alike. By the grace of God, we are not who we were at the start of Radiant Students. This retreat provided the space to come together, encourage one another, and be spurred onward to life with Jesus, life becoming like Jesus, and life in obedience to Jesus. I’m incredibly proud of these young men and their increasing devotion to the Lord, His Word and His people.

Beyond Radiant Students, the Lord has been at work in countless incredible ways in my life, many of which I’m not even quite aware of yet. One amazing way the Lord has been at work starts all the way back in May of 2021. Over the course of that month, I had been preaching through the book of Exodus at my personal ministry group, Radiant Life Alliance, as we were together seeing the Lord as our provider. On the day of the final sermon that month, I was informed that I was going to be laid off from my job due to financial reasons. In that moment, through Scripture and circumstance, the Lord was saying, “Come with me, trust me as your provider.”

Over the following few months, countless job interviews, picking up random odd-jobs and many additional medical and relationship related obstacles, the Lord opened a door at the perfect time for a new position working alongside a very good friend of mine. Faithfully, when I was taken past the last penny in my bank account, He provided through a variety of means far beyond anything I can control. Faithfully, He provided strength in my mental, physical and emotional weakness. Faithfully, He led me and continues to lead me every step of the way even through my stubbornness.

So here we are today, in this moment, in between the blessings of what He’s done and what He’s yet to do, and I have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen next but I do know three things: 1. The Lord is faithful 2. The Lord is my provider and 3. The Lord is working.