Reflections... A perspective from freshman year

So I was looking for something on my computer and I found this random paper title "Reflections" that I had written my first semester here at LeTourneau. I am about 99% sure that it was for an assignment in Cornerstones (the required course for freshman in order to get your college career started on the right foot). Anyway, regardless, I found it interesting and still applicable today. :)

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God has created me to be a wonderful godly woman after His own heart. He wants me to seek out and follow the plans He has laid for me. He has created me to be a person of compassion, of love, of respect, and of devotion. The Lord has created me to be His follower and His physical hands. I believe He puts every person and every situation I encounter in my life for a reason. I may not understand the situations or necessarily like either of them, His purpose is divine and higher than mine. I am created to glorify Him through not only my vocation but my occupation as well. 

 

I think that God has called me to use my gifts in accordance with His plan. I am not entirely sure how that will occur, but I trust Him to lead me there. I do have a somewhat general idea of where He is currently leading me. I believe that corporately He would like me to participate in something relating to marketing and possibly youth ministry. I enjoy marketing and get a thrill out of doing activities related with that. I also have a passion for youth ministry so I believe that I will end up doing something in that area as well. I would actually love to do something for a ministry or nonprofit organization. I know God will meet my needs, so I am not too concerned with the amount of money I will be making at a particular job. Individually, I believe He calls me to be a person who will not hesitate to comfort and accept another who is of a different social, cultural, or religious background. He calls me to be a person who will love and forgive others even when they have hurt me or someone I love and to be a friend who is always there when needed. I believe He wants me to be a thoughtful and intentional person throughout my life. In the future I would like, God willing, to be a wife and mother. My hope is that I will be able to participate in the above “corporate” areas while still maintaining a role as a stay at home mom. I am not sure how or if that will work out, but again, I trust God will show me His will. 

 

 Occupationally, I will most likely be doing something related to marketing. Vocationally, I know that I will be participating in something to do with building relationships with people. That is so ingrained in my nature and my strengths I doubt I would ever be able to ignore it. Now whether that will be how I incorporate ministry to youth or whether it will be primarily to my coworkers, I do not know. All I know is that I will feel like something is missing if I am unable to relate and help those around me. 

 

I believe that I can practice both my vocational calling and my occupational calling while here at LeTourneau. Vocationally, I can simply listen and take time to build relationships with those around me. Sometimes students are so focused on the homework or task at hand that they neglect to build relationships with other. There are people who need a listener, a friend, and an occasional “reality checker!” In the future I would also like to become involved in some sort of local ministry. Occupationally, I can become involved in opportunities and events related to my major. I have already joined, and am currently participating in, LeTourneau’s American Marketing Association. Later this semester I will be accompanying the marketing professor to a conference in Dallas for the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.

 

I believe that my strengths have influenced my personal growth and development greatly. Although I have my flaws, I do not believe that I would be the person I am if God had not given me the strengths I have and if I had never utilized them. One of my prevalent strength is that of empathy. People are naturally drawn to me as a listener; because of that I have developed worthwhile friendships that I may not have otherwise pursued. I have also learned a great deal of things about life from the experiences others have shared with me. Many times they have stretched and challenged me as well.

 

 

Although I do not know the full extent of God’s plan for me I am willing to wait on His timing to reveal the next step. I am anxiously and excitedly looking forward to the next couple of years and what God has in store for me!