What is love? The word is described to be a deep emotion rooted in caring for someone’s wellbeing. However, I believe that love is more than just a feeling, but rather a skill that can be practiced and taught to others. Yes, those who love others generously and use their actions to reflect true love, they can inspire those around them to do the same. As I was growing up, my mother played a big role in showing me what love looks like. She was born and raised in an underserved community in Jamaica, where it was difficult to access basic resources like food, school supplies, and clothing. Despite all of these things, she didn’t lose heart! My mom studied hard, moved to the United States, and now serves others as a teacher. Because she has compassion for her family and the community she grew up in back in Jamaica, she often sends barrels full of food, clothes, and other supplies to them. As I grew and observed my mother, I was determined to be a light to my community just like she is, and that determination reflected in the major that I chose: nursing. I chose nursing because it’s one of the most interpersonal and service-oriented careers. Nurses are not only responsible for making sure that people are cared for when they’re unable to care for themselves, but they also have to encourage their patients and lift their spirits as they recover. There are also many different avenues nurses can work in, such as nursing homes for the elderly, hospitals for sick patients, and many other environments. A nursing degree is incredibly versatile, and it will allow me to serve a lot of different people in many different ways. I’m excited to graduate so I can start using my skills to help people in a tangible, meaningful way, no matter where I am. The experiences that I’ve faced in life l taught me how to love as well. A significant challenge I faced was caring for my elderly father, who dealt with Chronic Kidney Disease, while I was in high school. He was too weak to drive to his dialysis appointments or prepare his own meals. I drove him to and from dialysis three days per week, set up appointments with his healthcare providers, and communicated with his providers about diet recommendations and potential health complications he was at risk for. At the same time, I had to balance multiple difficult courses and a part-time tutoring job. Although this period was usually overwhelming, it taught me to prioritize tasks effectively and to use my skills to support a patient just as nurses do. Caring for my father helped me understand that I have a talent for supporting others with their healthcare needs. Although it was difficult at the time, I didn’t lose heart because I had the opportunity to meet the needs of someone I love. My goal in life is to extend this love to everyone I take care of in the hospital so I can inspire them to love others as well. Thank you for considering me!

How do you decide who is the greatest in this world? Is it the person who is the wealthiest? Is it the person who is the most athletic? People commonly use these as metrics to determine someone’s status, but Jesus had a different standard. When Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who would be considered the greatest, the Lord Jesus said to them: "He who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.”(‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭26‬). This verse renewed my mind and shifted my perspective on greatness. The sentiment behind this statement is that superficial characteristics like wealth, popularity, or power are not indicators of someone’s worth. Instead, whoever is the most humble and loving is the greatest! Through concentrating on this statement Jesus made, I decided to pursue nursing so I could spend my career showing love to people by caring for their medical needs. As I was growing up, my mother played a big role in showing this kind of love. She was born and raised in an underserved community in Jamaica, where it was difficult to access basic resources like food, school supplies, and clothing. Despite all of these things, my mom studied hard, moved to the United States, and now serves others as a teacher. Because she has compassion for her family and the community she grew up in, she often sends barrels full of supplies to them. My mother also frequently took me to church to show me through her actions how to love generously. As I grew I was determined to be a light to my community, and that determination reflected in the major that I chose: nursing. Before I start working as a nurse, however, God is teaching me how to serve other people lovingly. I’ve been working with a nonprofit organization, SEWA AmeriCorps, for the past two years, and I’ve been leading online tutoring sessions after school and hosting social events for them in Doraville, Georgia. To date, I have accumulated a total of 1,379 community service hours. As long as I have been there, I've taken every opportunity to lead with love, creativity, and responsibility. For the past year, I’ve also been serving as a deacon in my church. In serving, I’ve learned how to apply the Word of God to encourage, counsel, and guide others. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1), and I’ve exemplified this verse through my character. I want my life to reflect the love and power of Christ in church, at school, at home, and wherever else I go. After I finish my undergraduate degree, my biggest dream in life is to start a nonprofit organization which allows me to combine the quality healthcare skills I’ve been learning in school with the community outreach skills I’ve been practicing with SEWA AmeriCorps. This way, I will be able to continue serving underserved communities by giving them easier access to food, clothes, housing, healthcare, or whatever else they may need to show them what love looks like. In conclusion, my submission to God has allowed the Holy Spirit to guide my steps over the past two years and I've been able to serve a lot of people in my walk with God. In everything I plan to do in my future career, I hope to live in such a way that on judgement day, I’ll hear “well done, my good and faithful servant!” To me, this is what it means to be the greatest. Thank you for reading, and may God bless you.

How do you decide who is the greatest in this world? Is it the person who is the wealthiest? Is it the person who is the most athletic? People commonly use these as metrics to determine someone’s status, but Jesus had a different standard. When Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who would be considered the greatest, the Lord Jesus said to them: "He who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.”(‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭26‬). This verse renewed my mind and shifted my perspective on greatness. The sentiment behind this statement is that superficial characteristics like wealth, popularity, or power are not indicators of someone’s worth. Instead, whoever is the most humble and loving is the greatest! Through concentrating on this statement Jesus made, I decided to pursue nursing so I could spend my career showing love to people by caring for their medical needs. As I was growing up, my mother played a big role in showing this kind of love. She was born and raised in an underserved community in Jamaica, where it was difficult to access basic resources like food, school supplies, and clothing. Despite all of these things, my mom studied hard, moved to the United States, and now serves others as a teacher. Because she has compassion for her family and the community she grew up in, she often sends barrels full of supplies to them. My mother also frequently took me to church to show me through her actions how to love generously. As I grew I was determined to be a light to my community, and that determination reflected in the major that I chose: nursing. Before I start working as a nurse, however, God is teaching me how to serve other people lovingly. I’ve been working with a nonprofit organization, SEWA AmeriCorps, for the past two years, and I’ve been leading online tutoring sessions after school and hosting social events for them in Doraville, Georgia. To date, I have accumulated a total of 1,379 community service hours. As long as I have been there, I've taken every opportunity to lead with love, creativity, and responsibility. After I finish my undergraduate degree, my biggest dream in life is to start a nonprofit organization which allows me to combine the quality healthcare skills I’ve been learning in school with the community outreach skills I’ve been practicing with SEWA AmeriCorps. This way, I will be able to continue serving underserved communities by giving them easier access to food, clothes, housing, healthcare, or whatever else they may need to show them what love looks like. In conclusion, my submission to God has allowed the Holy Spirit to guide my steps over the past two years and I've been able to serve a lot of people in my walk with God. In everything I plan to do in my future career, I hope to live in such a way that on judgement day, I’ll hear “well done, my good and faithful servant!” To me, this is what it means to be the greatest. Thank you for reading, and may God bless you.