Over the course of my first two years at The University of Alabama, I have been introduced to more people than I ever would have imagined before I arrived. Tide 4 Christ has been so special to me because this organization allows me to meet people that also strive to reflect the life of Christ! I’ve been blessed with wonderful people in my life that have strengthened my relationship with God. So often however, you meet someone in college, learn their name and major, and never hear from them again. I dread that happening because we are oblivious to the impact that we can have in one another’s lives. With that being said, I am very eager to get to know all the new people interested in T4C in the fall. I will go ahead and tell you about myself and share a quick thought about our spiritual walk so that there may be a familiar face down the road.
Home is called Madison, AL where I grew up worshipping at the Madison Church of Christ. This city has filled my life with opportunities and people that I love. I envision myself working in nearby Huntsville as a software engineer. Being active has always been a huge part of my life, whether it’s playing sports or simply going on a walk. I thoroughly enjoy being outside and in nature. It amazes me how God so perfectly created life in our world. Apart from that, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as Vice President for Tide 4 Christ this year. We are planning for terrific fall and spring semesters that will bring new friendships while strengthening old ones. I am excited to spend time with everyone in this ministry and to learn as much as I can.
I am not a fan of sitting around so I try to keep myself busy whenever I can (which has been particularly hard in the recent months). I love the feeling of accomplishment and being proud of my work knowing I did my best. As I can imagine, we have all been constantly looking for the next activity to entertain our minds and occupy our thoughts. Unfortunately, it seems that way too often we immediately pick up our phone and scroll through a meaningless app as soon as there is a break in our day. It’s as if that is our default setting. Even if we are being productive while at work, completing an assignment, or cleaning your house, we are constantly focused on something. While most activities can be beneficial to us, it’s important to realize one of the underlying motives behind participating in them. Simply put, we are avoiding the absence of activity and its counterpart: silence.
In Acts 21, we are told that Paul was arrested in Jerusalem once a group of Jews recognized him for preaching the Gospel. Paul defended himself and his faith but later in Chapter 24, we read that Felix the Governor kept Paul in prison for two years. Felix was succeeded by Festus after those two years, but Paul’s trial did not end there. While he did have some liberties, it’s hard to imagine what Paul did while alone in custody. Since he didn’t have an iPhone to distract him, I’m sure he spent a lot of time in silence. This past year at school brought a lot of stressful times that tested my faith, but silence was one thing that kept me grounded. It allows us to be aware of God’s control over any situation and literally helps us “be still and know that I am God.” Arguably the reason we dread silence the most however is because it opens our true self up to our self. We see that we aren’t anywhere near comparable to Christ and that frightens us.
Although it may be difficult and uncomfortable, I encourage you to incorporate silence into your day. It is one of the best ways to identify where you fall short and what changes need to be made in your life. After all, I’m positive Paul spent a great amount of time thinking about his gracious Savior and what he can do to better reflect Christ. If silence has an impact on you like it does me, it will help you regain your spiritual balance and appreciate God’s glory for what it is. I am so excited to be back on campus this fall and can’t wait to see how God will work with this ministry. If you have any questions or want to know more, don’t hesitate to reach out to me or any of the other officers!
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