When Elena Espinoza talks about faith, she compares it to a cargo ship leaving the harbor. Before it can move in the right direction, the ship must depart from the dock. It’s a metaphor Elena heard a missionary share in one of her classes at Southeastern University (SEU) and the phrase she used to name her business, Step Out of the Harbor.

I met Elena a few years ago during one of our board meetings. As a freshman, Elena shared how God miraculously healed her during SEU’s annual Christian conference.

What I love about Elena’s story is how through bold faith she continues to experience God’s transformational power in her life. There are many valuable leadership lessons we can learn from how God is using young adults like Elena.

Having Faith to Believe

In any area of our lives — whether it’s spiritual or professional — we need the faith to believe God for the impossible. But, when something feels unattainable, we may dissuade ourselves from believing that God can work a miracle.

I think about the bold faith Joshua and Caleb had. When others were fearful of the Canaanites, Caleb was strong enough to say, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Numbers 13:30).

The impossible requires courage. For Elena, that boldness came when she became consistent in her Bible reading. Through her faith, God miraculously healed Elena.

During her sophomore year of high school, Elena was struck in the jaw with a softball that severely damaged her cartilage. The injury could only be repaired through jaw replacement surgery. Elena’s surgery was scheduled for spring break during her freshman year of college.

A few months before the surgery, at SEU’s conference, the speaker asked for those who needed healing to put a hand on that area of their body. It was another time when Elena believed she would be healed, but it didn’t happen.

However, as the service transitioned into a time of worship, Elena felt a boldness come upon her. The Holy Spirit prompted her to keep pressing in. Elena raised her hands and gave her pain to God, and then she felt her lower jaw shift.

God worked a supernatural miracle in Elena’s body. When she went to the doctor a few months later, he told Elena surgery wasn’t necessary because she was completely healed.

In any area of our lives — whether it’s spiritual or professional — we need the faith to believe God for the impossible.

Our faith to experience the impossible must be paired with our spiritual walk with Christ. If we aren’t consistently in God’s word and in His presence, we can’t expect God to move within us.

Like Elena and Caleb, God wants to do transformational things in our lives. But we have to begin to sow seeds of worship and praise.

Learning to Step Out

For the Israelites to enter the Promised Land, they had to step out in faith. For God to use us, we cannot allow what the world offers us or fear to distract us from fulfilling God’s will. We must walk in faith even if our vision seems out of reach.

Romans 8:28 (Elena’s favorite verse) reminds us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Elena talks about how she believes there is power in doing something in the physical to match what you believe God to do in the spiritual.

“It's acting in opposition to the doubt the devil tries to instill within us following a move of God,” Elena says.

To live this out, Elena began selling T-shirts designed with the words “Step Out of the Harbor” on the front. It started as a way to raise funds for a short-term missions trip. Now, it’s turned into a business where Elena uses all the proceeds from the sale of T-shirts and masks to support missionaries around the world.

From a young age, Elena felt called to missions. After graduating with her master’s degree next December, Elena plans to serve missionaries overseas by telling their stories through video and photography. Her business was a way for Elena to step out in faith and see where God would lead.

When I asked Elena why young adults are hesitant to step out in faith today, she said, “It’s easier for us to lean on our own understandings, rather than just go for something that doesn’t make sense to the world. I think with everything going on in our world, there’s just a lot of fear, which comes in direct opposition to faith. It makes stepping out in faith much harder.”

Leaders like Elena and Caleb walked in faith despite facing uncertainty and unfamiliarity. And, because of their obedience, God used and blessed them. Elena continues to be an integral part of our SEU community as a graduate assistant, while also serving as a team creative lead at Grace City Church in Lakeland, Florida.

I like how Elena explained that the biggest decision someone makes is to step out in faith. She said, “If you step out in the wrong direction, the fact that you stepped out makes it easy for God to course correct. I didn’t step out blindly. I had people who were older and wiser than me helping me make big decisions.”

Our world needs more leaders — in every generation — to believe God to do the miraculous and who are willing to step out with bold faith. God never called us to a spirit of fear.

When we press into His presence, God’s Holy Spirit can empower us to live with courage. And, when others step out in faith, we need to walk alongside and cheer them on.