How a teenager finds hope and valuable life lessons thanks to Adventures in Odyssey 

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Rebecca can’t pinpoint the first time she heard Adventures in Odyssey. “I’ve been listening to it for as long as I can remember,” she says. Her parents first chose Odyssey because they saw it as safe entertainment, but it quickly became a must-have for the family’s road trips. “I am now 16 and still listen to Adventures in Odyssey,” she says. “They’re something that’s impossible to grow out of!”

Some may view the audio drama as strictly entertainment, but Rebecca has found it life-changing. After listening to the “Coming of Age” CD, she was inspired to explore the world of theatre. “This past year, I stage managed my high school’s production of a mix-up of different Shakespearean plays and performed in Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol.”

“Odyssey is more than just stories,” says Rebecca. “They are life lessons told through drama.” When faced with situations at school or with friends, Rebecca’s mind often flashes back to an Odyssey episode and what a character did in a similar situation. Sometimes, she tells her friends where she got her advice. “They’re always surprised,” she says, “but when you think about it, our favourite stories stick with us. These stories are relatable and hard to forget!”

Odyssey has also given Rebecca a sense of community. “All my life I’ve had times where I wanted to talk to someone who I knew wouldn’t judge me,” she says. “The only person I could think of was Whit. Then I realized I had my own Mr. Whittaker in my parents, brothers and teachers.”

Rebecca’s favourite Odyssey theme is trusting God. She loves how characters turn to Him in difficult times. “God’s always there and in control, even when you feel lost and abandoned,” she reminds us. “Thank you, to everyone, for making my childhood stretch into my teenage years. I’m the biggest fan in my house, and it’s gotten to the point that I even have some of my favourite episodes memorized!”

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