Divinity School

I am in my first semester of divinity school at Campbell, and I am loving it so far! The professors and students are so amazing, and I have learned so much from them. I have made new friends and kept the old. I am enjoying the diversity in the classroom. Many of the students are quite a bit older than me, but I enjoy hearing their perspective on various subjects. I have also had a chance to talk to many of them outside of class, and it is a privilege to hear about their families and career interests. I am taking Intro to Theological Education, Worship and Spiritual Formation, Old Testament, Church History, and my favorite, Pastoral Care. For worship and spiritual formation class, we have been divided up into precept groups for our time in school. We meet once a week as a group and have a time of prayer and discussion. This past week, I had the opportunity to lead the time with my group. We had an interesting discussion about moving from the wilderness to the promised land, just like Moses led the Israelites to the Promised Land. This caused me to ponder my own journey to begin theological education. Last year, I started out doubting if God was calling me to pursue this new undertaking, wondering if I should stay at Campbell or go to another school. I asked for the advice of trusted friends, and I received a plethora of responses. Some said I should seize the opportunity, and some said I should look into other avenues. I prayed about my decision, and ultimately knew God was telling me to return to Campbell. I wasn't sure where I would live or what concentration I would pursue in school, but I knew that He wanted me to be here. I have been working as a Resident Director on campus, and I love it. At times the job is tiring, but it is so worth it because I have the chance to interact with girls who are only slightly younger than me and to assist the residence life office. It has also opened up doors for ministry that I wouldn't have seen before. Also, in the past couple of weeks, I have received more confirmation in my calling in ministry. I have felt God calling me to be a counselor and teacher for a long time, but I have been pushing those thoughts aside because I was afraid that it wasn't the right thing for me and my future. Those doubts and fears have subsided as I am reminded that my future is in His hands, no matter where I go to school or what career I choose. He has great plans for my life, and has brought me this far and will continue to carry me through. He has brought me back here to Campbell for a reason, and I am going to make the absolute most of my time here. So here I am, in the middle of classes and studying, sifting through books and notes, thinking critically about my beliefs, and I couldn't be more content. I want to gain as much knowledge as possible and be so deeply in love with Jesus so I can share that knowledge and love with as many people as possible. Being at CUDS has also encouraged me to think a lot about the sacrifices that I should be making for the gospel of Jesus. I want every decision I make to be made for Him and not my own delight. For a selfish person, that is a hard pill to swallow, but He is the only person worth living and dying for and I should be able to wholeheartedly lay everything down and trust Him in all I say and do. I want my time, money, and heart to be genuinely dedicated to Jesus, so that more people can know Him as a friend, savior, and Lord. I am truly thankful to be at such a wonderful school, and I am anticipating great things for this year! :)