Andrew McKnight is a Christian Leadership Fellow and a junior at Liberty University in Virginia. 

I came into the Christian Leadership Fellowship (CLF) with the National Leaders Collective (NLC), where I questioned my purpose and place in God’s kingdom. I had just recovered from ankle surgery that left me immobile and isolated, mainly for three months. It was tough missing out on all the end-of-year activities at Liberty University and being on crutches for most of the summer, leading me to doubt God’s plan for my life and purpose in the kingdom.  

Being in my dorm room alone with my thoughts for most of the day made it difficult to seek encouragement from others. When I was having a hard time seeing how God could use me to further the gospel in that season of waiting and relying on Him for patience, the National Leaders Collective came along and gave me a chance to be in a uniquely faith-focused fellowship. 

Getting to work, pray, and laugh with one another throughout this semester and at the NLC kickoff weekend was a significant source of reassurance for me. Interacting with the other fellows at the NLC kickoff and my CLF fellowship members strengthened my convictions and reassured me of my place in the Lord’s plan. Seeing the Catholic fellows’ devotion to the cause and how they lifted one another up was incredible and inspired me to become a Catholic myself.  

The pro-life movement is unique in that it focuses on the intrinsic value of human life and well-being, and that sentiment reaches both the born and preborn. The National Leaders Collective is a shining example of the young pro-life movement at work. I’m grateful for the CLF and the NLC for how God has used them to work in my life.  

God placed me in the NLC at the right time and used it to deepen my faith and relationship with Him. 

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