“ It was great to come into the semester with the tools I learned at the Leadership Project. I’ve started reading Job with a freshmen in my sorority because I now know how to ask someone to read together, and how to go about thoroughly taking in the Lord’s word. It’s been cool to get to know Chloe better, catch up weekly, but also focus on God’s word and grow our respective faiths. This semester was a little tougher than I was expecting. With the combination of in-person classes, involvements, and sharing a room with three other girls, things just were a bit busier and my life a bit more chaotic. With all of this though, I have been able to rest in God, to just come before him and tell him everything I’m thinking and feeling. It’s also cool to see the Lord respond through conversations with friends, reading scripture, and in prayer. I’ve learned to invite God into decisions and ask him what he wants for my life, whether that’s involvements next year, rooming situation, or a job post-college. Additionally, I learned that I can’t mess God’s plan up— that my poor decisions and sin will not thwart me from what God has for me. I’ve also learned to recognize the power of the Holy Spirit— that he is with me always, that he will change my heart to be more patient with others, and have self-control. I think the main thing I’ve experienced this year is the Lord’s faithfulness. It hasn’t been a great semester enjoyment wise, but every time I call on the Lord he is there. He has been faithful to convict me, comfort me, provide for me, teach me, remind me of things to be thankful for, of his presence. There has never been a moment I can’t account for His faithfulness.”

"Coming into college, I had no grasp on the amount that my faith, character, and resiliency would be tested. In high school, I was a part of YoungLife, played varsity lacrosse, and excelled academically. I believed that I had set myself up to succeed in college and ultimately felt that because I had proven to be a 'good kid', that I was deserving of this. Boy was I wrong. Through my first season of average grades, fraternity pledge-ship, and strained family relationships I learned that I was not as invincible as I had believed myself to be. Surely at this time, God was already working in my life and using my hardships to bring me hope and himself glory. I was blessed enough to have mentors within my fraternity and through Campus Outreach that discipled me in a way that encouraged me to lean on Christ for finding peace and solidifying my identity.
 
It wasn’t until the Summer Leadership Project that I truly saw how much God had been working in my life. Through morning journaling and prayer, I examined side-by-side who I was at that time versus who I had been a semester earlier. The change was shocking and to think that I didn’t invite true life change into my life earlier was, frankly, disheartening. Despite this, I was not sad about what I hadn’t done in the past, but instead encouraged to chase Christian community and a personal relationship with Christ more than ever. In the remaining weeks at Leadership Project, I grew to know the real peace present when in union with him.
 
Since the summer project, I have struggled almost too often. Compared to the quiet CO community in Garden City, Georgia Tech is a battlefield of stress, temptation, and distraction. It’s not a fun cycle, but I am so often reminded of the grace shown in Christ and the peace I can find in his presence. The foundation set forth from SLP and discipleship, have helped me turn to scripture and prayer in these times of stress. And as I mature even more in my faith and grow closer to the CO community, I rejoice in knowing that I am still so young and have a lifetime to continue to draw near to the one true savior and rest in his presence."