Love, Listen, Learn and Lead

Quick Disclaimer: This was my final speech for a class so it is not written in essay form as it is meant to be spoken rather than read. However, I wanted to publish it so that more than just my classmates can hear it. So without further ado, here's my speech! Wow what a year. Although this is my first year being a part of this wonderful class, I definitely learned A LOT. In my life outside of the classroom I’ve had probably the hardest year of my life but many discussions we had in class gave me little bits of insight that ultimately helped me make it through the year. We started off this class back in August and if there were two words I could use to describe my mental state at that point in time it would be overwhelmed and expectant. I was overwhelmed with so many things in my life at that point in time, but I was also expecting for more and more to be added to my plate. Honestly it was so much and I just wanted to keep everything under control. Which brings me to the topic I ...

"Love is never wasted for its value does not rest upon reciprocity." ~C.S. Lewis I came across this beautiful quote by C.S. Lewis today and I just had to write about it. As one of my close friends has told me before, I feel deeply and this quote kindles many emotions in my heart. Now, before I continue I want to establish that this is not a post strictly about romantic relationships, it is about platonic and family relationships as well. The idea that love, whether returned or not, holds the same value no matter what is such a wonderful thought. I love the idea that even if you pour love endlessly into someone without anything in return, that person is still filled up. This makes me happy because too often I have wondered if loving those who don't return my feelings is futile, pointless, and, stupid. I hate the idea that I could spend so much time loving someone for it to just be discarded because they decide they don't feel the same. Though, because of...

The corona virus pandemic has caused me to feel many negative emotions, and I am sure you've felt them too. Fear, Anxiety, Confusion, Etc. But today I wanted to share a positive emotion the corona has caused over the past two weeks. This emotion is gratitude. Specifically for my friends. This pandemic has definitely changed the world around us. Life operates differently and sometimes it all seems out of control and crazy. However, this tragic virus has highlighted aspects of my life that I take for granted in any other normal situation. The most obvious one is my friendships. It sounds terrible that I would ever take my wonderful friends for granted but I sometimes find it hard to notice the things that are most constant.  Through this pandemic there has been an obvious lack of in-person conversations due to social distancing and it's made me realize how much I love my friends and am blessed by the time we spend together. Each one of them support me in their own unique ...

Hello Friends! This past week I was talking to my friend Christopher and during one of our conversations he shared one of his favorite verses with me. The verse was Psalm 23:1 which says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Although I had read this verse many times before, when I heard it again this week, it really stuck out to me and I felt called to share my thoughts about it.      First of all, I want to explain the significance of Christ being compared to a shepherd throughout scripture and in this verse particularly. A shepherd’s sole job is to lead his flock in the direction they need to go. As believers we are God’s flock of sheep, being led in the ways he shows us. When a sheep, or a believer, falls away from the flock the shepherd will stop at nothing to chase that sheep down and bring it back to safety. Our shepherd, Jesus Christ, is relentlessly pursuing and protecting us in the same way that a shepherd looks out for his flock.      Now ...

Hey people! Today I wanted to talk about something that’s close to my heart...the beautifully challenging job I have working at New Life Camp. Something I have been asked before, and many of my co workers have as well, is the question, “Why do you continue to return to a job at a summer camp when there are so many higher paying jobs or internships you could interview for?” This is a valid question and quite honestly has a simple answer. Jesus. When I was in middle school, I attended New Life Camp for the first time and since then it’s been a key part of many aspects of my life such as school, sports, and most importantly my spiritual growth. Growing up in a christian family has exposed me to the gospel my entire life and my amazing parents have done a great job leading me towards Jesus. But New Life Camp was one of the first places where I saw a large group of people on fire for Christ. I wanted to live with the same passion and perseverance I saw within my teachers, coaches, and su...

     "Will you tell me how long you have loved him?”      “It has been coming on so gradually that I hardly know when it began." ~Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)      “One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight.”~Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)      I recently read Pride and Prejudice in a literature class that I’m taking this year. I have to admit, I started the book expecting to have to force myself to read it all the way through but upon finishing the first few chapters I was pleasantly surprised at my enjoyment of the story. One of the best parts of this novel is the memorable lines and quotes Jane Austen has written. The quotes I chose to start this post off with stood out to me in particular because I believe they make such realistic points about how so many people fall in love.      Love at first sight, in my opinion, is something that only exists in fiction. Falling in love ...