For Students
You don't have to have this figured out yet.
Maybe college doesn't feel right yet. Maybe it does, but something in you wants one more year before you decide. Maybe you just know you're not who you want to be, and you don't know how to get there alone.
I don't know what I'm doing
Neither did we, at first.
Should you go to college right now? Take a year? Get a job? Nobody hands you a clear answer at 18, and pretending you should already have one doesn't help. Cross to Life isn't the answer to "what's next" — it's a year to actually find out, with people around you instead of alone in your head.
How do you actually find God's will?
Not by waiting for a sign.
Most people looking for "God's will" are really looking for certainty before they'll move. Cross to Life works the other way: daily Scripture, honest mentorship, and enough real responsibility that your convictions get tested instead of just discussed. Clarity tends to show up after you start moving, not before.
Community isn't something you find
It's something you build, together.
You'll live alongside the same people for twelve months — shared housing, a shared work rotation, a shared church cohort every Sunday. Lifelong friendships don't usually happen in a semester. They happen in a year you actually live through with someone.
One year from now
Picture the person you'd be.
Steadier. Surer of what you believe, and why. Surrounded by people who've actually seen you at your worst and stayed anyway. Not because a year fixes everything — but because a year lived on purpose changes what you're capable of.
Real questions
What students actually ask
Do I need to have my life figured out before I apply?
No. Most people who come to Cross to Life don't have it figured out — that's part of why they came. You need to be willing to grow, not already grown.
What if I'm not "spiritual enough" yet?
There's no entry bar for spiritual maturity. You need to be willing to participate — Bible study, mentorship, community — not arrive with it all mastered.
What is the work actually like?
You rotate through real departments — hospitality, food service, facilities, grounds, event support — at a working conference center. Real responsibility, not busywork, and you get paid $12,000+ a year for it.
Do I need a college degree or diploma path already figured out?
No. Cross to Life works whether you haven't started college, are taking a break from it, or already graduated. It's not a substitute for a degree — it's a year to grow before you decide.
Will I make real friends, or is this just "camp"?
You'll live alongside the same group for twelve months — shared housing, shared work, a shared church cohort every Sunday. That's a different thing than a week of camp. Most people leave with the closest friendships of their life so far.
Curious what a real week looks like? See a week in the life, read more about the program, or learn what a Christian gap year actually is.
No pressure. Just an open door.