"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else," (C.S. Lewis). Faith in Jesus is my life. Because my faith informs every aspect of my life, everything that I plan to do, whether academically or professionally, will be marked by it. After I was saved, I began to see the world in a different light. The knowledge that had been passed to me by my parents and pastors came alive and I started to understand the glories of scripture and the story of grace as my own. Instead of seeing the world as the place where I live, I began to see it as a mission field and the people in it as coworkers for Christ or lost and in need of a Savior. Dying to self and living for the glory of God was and is now the ambition of my life. Each summer of high school I've had the privilege of attending and, in more recent years, leading a weeklong camp hosted by Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) to train students in evangelizing to children. This summer will mark the fourth year that I will go into local secular summer camps to share with kids in kindergarten through 7th grade about the love of Christ and how they can know it. My favorite places to go each year are to the Boys & Girls Clubs on our routes because they seem to be the most curious and interested. My academic and future goals are a byproduct of my life in Christ. My faith and previous studies in apologetics and debate have trained me to run every idea through the authenticating light of scripture. Public universities are well-known for propagating ideologies which are antithetical to the gospel. For this reason, my conscience compels me to attend a Christian college regardless of my field of study. With that being said, my intended major is Biblical Studies as I would like to eventually plant a church in a small town. My goal for pastoring a smaller church is that I can deepen my discipleship of the people, serve each of them to a greater capacity, and enjoy the riches of community in Christ; laboring alongside His people for His glory. Biblical Studies will also equip me to lead my family in knowing God and in studying the scriptures. Currently, I've applied to and been accepted by Florida College and Moody Bible Institute. I'm praying for the Lord to financially open the door to either one of these worthwhile schools. Both my mother and father as well as my youth leader have encouraged me to pursue college. My mom taught in the public school system before making the decision to homeschool my four younger brothers and I. Since beginning our homeschool journey in 2012, our family has started and led two local Christian co-ops. Because I was the director's son, I had firsthand insight as to how poor leadership affected my mom as the director, and how good leadership made everything in the community run like a well-maintained ship.

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" (Matthew 7:16). My name is Jacob Russell, and I have grown up knowing Christ. However, knowing someone and having a personal relationship with them are two different relationships. As a small child, I attended church on Sundays and Wednesdays, where I memorized a myriad of Bible verses. At the age of five, I raised my hand to talk to the pastor about receiving Christ as my Savior. Bowing my head in prayer, I followed in my pastor's words. When I look back on that night, I believe I came forward because my older friend did too. I was baptized two years later. Naturally, as I grew older and more mature, life seemed to grow heavier with the more I knew. Then in 2020, the world was struck by the Coronavirus pandemic, which shut down churches, schools, and practically everywhere. With this extended isolation, I grew depressed and angry. I walked away from God. When life (more or less) returned to normal and our church reopened, my Sunday school started using Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology for our curriculum. This really showed me that God is loving and cares for me! However, I did not truly commit my life to Christ until February of 2025, when I was going through the hardest times of my life, and I abandoned God. My youth pastor preached a message from the book of James. My eyes opened, and I saw I was not producing any Fruits of the Spirit. On February 26, 2025, I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior. One month later, I was baptized. Today, as I look out at the myriad of education opportunities, one path stands head and shoulders above the rest. My love for service and Divine Calling point me to a Biblical Studies major. As someone who also loves psychology, I would like to combine these interests and become a Biblical Counselor. However, good local private colleges are quite hard to come by. Fortunately, God placed Florida College in my path. This scholarship will help me to achieve my goal of attending college debt-free! Although accruing the amount of money that I need is a daunting task, I will trust God to see me through this! As I look to life after college, I see that my life goals are not living a lavish lifestyle, driving exotic cars, and living in Beverly Hills. On the contrary, I desire to live a relatively quaint life, raise a family, and live in a small mountain town where I know all 400 residents. However, I would also love to travel and see the world, like exploring Asian forests, cruising down the autobahn, and eating at a ramen bar in Japan. I praise God that we are all unique people and that no matter our differences, we can praise the same Lord and Savior. Thank you so much for funding a scholarship that empowers young Christians aiming to make our community look more like Christ.

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." (1 Peter 3:15, NIV). Having participated in three mock trials, three NCFCA debates, four years of apologetics, and a year of forensic science, I have been equipped to be more confident and willing to share the Gospel with others. These varied programs have shaped me to be a strong but gentle contender for Christ. Particularly, debate has prepared me to share my faith by training me in public speaking, by teaching me how to rapidly comprehend and refute counterarguments, and by providing me a plan for formulating a firm, well-structured argument. The first area where debate prepared me to share my Christian faith was in my public speaking skills. As I practiced my speeches numerous times in front of my class, I gradually lost the biting, paralyzing fear of speaking. This fear obscured my passion and confidence, which were essential to properly elocuting the message of my debate. The ability to overcome the fear of public speaking transcends debate and has transferred into sharing the Gospel with friends, family, and even strangers! In Sunday School last year, I served as a student leader and was asked to defend a theological position to the youth group. Before debate, my fear would have crippled me from participating, but because I had the skills for public speaking, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. The second area where debate prepared me to share my faith is in my ability to quickly consider counterarguments. In nearly every round, my opponents would challenge my case, forcing me to anticipate objections, think on my feet, and respond clearly. In the same way, conversations about Christianity often come with deep, difficult questions-- questions that you may not have an answer to. Debate has taught me that you can lose an argument by fabricating an answer to try to prove a point, when a better and more honest answer may be, "Let me look into that and get back to you." This tactic keeps a conversation going while simultaneously fostering respect through honesty. The third way debate prepared me to share my Christian faith was by training me to formulate a properly structured argument. In debate, it is imperative to lay out your definitions, as a round can be won or lost by improperly defining or not agreeing on a definition. This is also fundamental when discussing topics of eternal significance. When we talk about Jesus, we must make sure we are talking about the same person... not the Mormon Jesus, not the Muslim Jesus, not the Jehovah's Witness Jesus, but the true living Jesus who died on a cross and raised to life after three days to be the propitiation of mankind. If we do not build on a firm foundation, then everything on it will fall. In conclusion, debate prepared me to share my faith by training me in public speaking, by teaching me how to anticipate and refute counterarguments, and by educating me in how to create a firm, well-structured argument. Throughout high school, speech and debate have empowered me and equipped me to share the Gospel. Because of these acquired tools, I have been able to serve for the past 3 years with Child Evangelism Fellowship's (CEF) Good News Clubs. By the Grace of God, my team and I have seen over twenty children come to know the Lord!

I have a passion to work with different people groups. This passion first started on a mission trip to Pachuca, Mexico. It was my first real experience seeing poverty as normal for so many people. As our team passed through Mexico City, I found myself drawn to make a difference in the lives of those considered less fortunate. My passion for the people of Mexico was elevated by their genuine kindness and hospitality. During the mission trip, I engaged with many teens playing soccer. Their skill set was far, far superior to mine, but they were kind and patient with me. While my goal was that of remodeling and painting an education facility, this experience helped me develop a spirit of humility, understanding that I never stand above others but alongside as we both grow and mature together. Servant leadership is what I learned about how to walk through the remainder of my life. My next experience with a different people group was in Togo, Africa. While I thought that Mexico was impoverished, I was shocked to see real, third-world poverty. For example, little to no electricity, no running water, no restrooms other than the woods, and often a scarcity of food. My team and I drove past someone making mud bricks.... My job was to transport children to and from vacation bible school. During that time, I often had over 20 kids riding in the SUV, sitting on each other's laps, but excited to get a ride and go to the Vacation Bible School. Their enthusiasm and smiles were infectious, and the week I spent there went by way too fast. I realized poverty does not always equate to sadness and misery. I am thankful for the joy of the children's faces, which remind me to this day to be thankful in all things. Finally, my third experience was in the affluence of Germany. I again met with a culture closer to my own, but with the same needs that I found in the other two countries. Our team was sent to assist in a Vacation Bible School in Manheim. I was better equiped for this trip as I had been studying German for a couple of years at that point, and I learned the difference between learning a language and speaking with native speakers of that language. As I fumbled through broken German, I tried to have small conversations with the kids we were with. Occasionally laughing at my mispronunciations, the kids would respond in decent English; through these conversations, I quickly amassed a group of small friends who would ask me questions about America and my family. I realized that I can still help and make a difference, even if there are language barriers. In conclusion, I have found that all people groups are searching for someone to show compassion and understanding. People are not as interested in the things we deem important, but rather in the heart of someone who is genuine and sees others as valuable. I will live my life to love and care for others. I will strive to learn from them and lead others to follow the same pathway.