For 19-year-old Laramy Good, rolling through life in a wheelchair hasn’t slowed him down—it’s refined his purpose. Born three months premature with cerebral palsy, Laramy has faced years of physical therapy and tough questions most teens never voice out loud.
“Why would a loving God let me be in a wheelchair?” he remembers asking. “Did he make a mistake?”
His answer today is firm and full of faith:
“God doesn’t make mistakes. This is exactly how he intended me to be.”
Laramy recently spent two weeks at Summit Ministries, a Christian worldview conference for young adults, where he joined hundreds of students from across the country to wrestle with life’s biggest questions—about truth, identity, culture, and God’s calling.
Despite a joyful spirit and quick wit, Laramy is candid about the personal battles he’s faced, including pornography and self-worth. “The world tells people like me that we don’t have purpose. But I’ve learned that my value isn’t found in how I walk—it’s found in Christ.”
He credits his breakthrough to strong mentors, loving parents, and the community he found at Summit.
“I’ve grown up in church,” he says, “but my real understanding of faith came in my teens. Now I know that God meets me where I am. He doesn’t turn away when I fail—he welcomes me when I turn back.”
At Summit, students are encouraged to dig deep and ask the hard questions—something that drew Laramy to attend in the first place.
“One of the most important questions I’ve asked was: ‘What do you do when someone you trust is struggling with the same or similar sin as you? Do you go to them for help with your own struggles when they arise?’”
Through conversations with Summit staff and speakers, Laramy found clarity—and confidence that honesty, paired with discernment and support, is key to spiritual growth.
Although Summit’s foundation is unapologetically Christian, Laramy believes it’s a place where unbelievers would also feel welcome.
“You don’t have to be a Christian to come here,” he says. “The staff will love you where you are—but they’ll also speak truth. You’ll hear the gospel in every lecture, every small group, every conversation.”
One lecture particularly stood out: a speaker made a compelling case for the validity of Christianity without quoting Scripture—instead, using history, science, and reason.
“That’s what real apologetics is,” Laramy explains.
“It’s not about arguing. It’s about showing that our faith is reasonable, and our God is good.”
As the session drew to a close, Laramy didn’t just leave with knowledge—he left with renewed vision.
“I want to be more disciplined in reading God’s Word,” he says. “Because when I stay grounded in Scripture, the lies of the world don’t stick.”
Though his parents generously covered his trip this year, he’s already considering returning—as a student or staffer. “I want to give back what I received,” he says. “Summit has changed the way I live out my faith.”
And to anyone unsure about spending two weeks listening to lectures?
“You won’t regret it,” he smiles. “Yeah, it’s a lot—but when the speakers are passionate, and the truth is this real? It sticks with you.”