Clash Story: Jo Coda

Jo Coda grew up in Sovereign Grace Church of Apex, North Carolina. She is a senior in high school, and hopes to major in English in college. She loves drama, singing, tennis, and playing guitar.

Jo on The Clash:
As I prepared to go to the CLASH, I felt intimidated. I grew up knowing Nathan Sasser and was well aware that my brain doesn't work at the same philosophical level as his. Not only that, but it seemed like everyone I met that first day was a lot smarter than me. I was feeling a little nervous, but I knew God wanted me to be there and I was confident that He would teach me. However, by the night that we got there, I was feeling sick and I began to doubt my decision. Maybe I wasn't supposed to be there. Maybe it would have been better to use the money to buy a car. After all what does a worldview have to do with being a good wife and mother? That's what I really want to do.

I'm so glad that God is not only sovereign, but He's also good. Being sick made me realize how little I can control and how much I need to rely on God. God was working in me from the very first day to give me a more humble and teachable heart. Before coming to the conference I could not articulate exactly what a worldview is, but looking back now I see how much my worldview at that moment was based on myself rather than God.

God humbled me that first day to show me how big He is. I learned so many different things during the week, but after every teaching I came away with the same thing--a new realization of how much I don't know about God. I thought I would come home a much wiser person with all the answers, but instead I have a burning desire to know more! I knew that scripture was breathed out by God, and I took it for granted. Now that knowledge amazes me, and I can't get enough. Having a right view of God and myself makes the gospel so much more amazing. Giving God glory in EVERY area of my life becomes a passion only when I see how very worthy he is of that glory. I'm beginning to see that my worldview has everything to do with what I want to do with my life.

I'm so thankful for this conference. My aspirations and goals for this next year and the rest of my life are the same, but how I want to achieve them has altered considerably. By God's grace I am learning not to separate the secular from the spiritual in my life, but instead to give him glory in each and every area. The best part is that the learning didn't stop when the CLASH ended. I'm so grateful to God for my parents and my pastors who care for me here at home. I know I'll be receiving the same truths from them, and that God's work in me has only begun!

We want your story. If you attended The Clash, please send us your story about what you learned, how truth changed you and how it's making a difference in the way you're engaging the world. We're looking for specific truths from lectures, quotations and ideas that affected you. Send an email to contact@joshharris.com and be sure to include a picture and a short bio.