Sometimes situations take a turn that don’t make sense. Sometimes it seems that evil triumphs over good and that the Lord is silent. However, Proverbs 3:5-6 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”) has strengthened me by reminding me that sometimes life won’t make sense and that the Lord wants me to trust his character and trust in the fact that God is good instead of trying to make sense of the seemingly unfair situations that are inevitably present in life. Sometimes God allows confusing circumstances to happen in order to set the stage for Him to work out His plan. These situations grow my trust in the Lord and I use these opportunities to find peace in the Lord rather than trusting myself to work out situations that aren’t in my power to solve or control. For example, during my sophomore year, I auditioned for the jazz choir at my school. I was surprised and disappointed when I learned that I didn’t make the choir because I had the experience, the passion, the preparation, and felt that I had proven myself by placing competitively in a number of auditions. I debated whether to continue being a part of the music program at my school and came to the conclusion that instead of focusing on a situation I couldn’t change, I simply needed to trust God and press on. I didn’t want to get distracted by situations that I didn’t understand so I trusted the Lord with what didn’t make sense and with what didn’t seem fair and continued on towards the future. This challenge has strengthened me and has taught me that once I have done my best, I can trust the Lord and be at peace with whatever the results are. As I’m going through the college preparation and selection process, I once again find myself in an exciting but uncertain situation. I am again endeavoring to do my best and am at peace that God will open and close the right doors to guide me to the best opportunities. This trust gives me the ability to enjoy the journey without worrying about the results. As I’ve grown up, I’ve realized that life’s challenges and complexities get to be longer and greater and there are many things in life that don’t make sense. I want this verse to be the foundation that I always return to:trust the Lord’s plan and character even when it may seem like the Lord is silent or isn’t in control.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, I partnered with a small group of members from my church’s student worship team to write a song from scratch. Our inspiration for the song came from the uncertainty that we and others were facing during the Covid-19 situation. The song was a reminder that through all the uncertainty, God was still good, was still in control, and was using what was at times unsettling to show that those who would trust in Him had nothing to fear. The song was a major inspiration to me and everyone else who had contributed to writing it, and we put our hearts and souls into writing this song, knowing that we were ultimately performing for the Lord, as well as others. Once we recorded it and put it out for others to listen to, many people who listened to the music told me that the music encouraged them and pointed them to God during difficult times. When I’m leading music, whether writing and recording, or whether leading others in worship through music performance, I know that God is the one I’m ultimately serving and knowing this causes me to strive for excellence.

A teacher who has inspired my creativity and made an impact on my life is Ms. Callie Massey. She was my choir director in middle school and she encouraged me to audition for several performance opportunities like the Region Choir and the choir program’s annual Dessert Theater Show. Her passion and drive for music led my interest in music ultimately become a major part of my life, as my love for music has also carried over into high school and college as it is still something I pursue; I am now a part of my church’s worship, have auditioned for countless solos and performances, have written music, and find myself frequently practicing and listening to music in my spare time. Ms. Massey truly poured the foundation for what has become one of my greatest passions and something that will always be a significant part of my life. Not only did she make music fun and enjoyable, she also taught me how to read music and other techniques of music theory. Her mission was not only to help her students learn about music, but also to enjoy it along the way. I remember one time when she got upset because most choir members weren’t putting in their full effort to learn the music she had given us by spending time outside of class practicing. Her leadership showed me that although she wanted to be liked by her students, her main driving force wasn’t to be liked, but to rehearse the music and teach her students about it along the way. In addition, she would let her students pick what music the choir practiced and performed occasionally; she was very open to student input, student creativity, and anything that would challenge her and stretch her as a teacher in order to become a better teacher. I intend to earn a law degree and become an attorney. Being a part of the choir program has taught me how to be part of an effective team and compete in a healthy way. I know that when I enter the workforce I will be part of a legal team and the skills related to working with others and sportsmanship have taught me about putting the interests of others ahead of mine for the greater good and following the leadership of my teacher/boss with will help me succeed in my future legal endeavors. To say Ms. Callie Massey has changed my life is an understatement; she taught me what is now my passion and continues to inspire me by teaching me to stay determined and persevere through all types of challenges.

My passion is bringing out the best in others and helping others through community service. I’m currently living out my passion in several ways. For example, I help meet spiritual needs by leading a high school girls Bible study group, by helping execute on my church’s goals for influencing our community’s teenagers through my involvement in the youth leadership team, and by leading worship through music at my church. Additionally, I volunteer my time through a local charity called “GRACE”, a charity that provides services and goods to economically-challenged families in the community. As I find people who have unmet needs and often continue through life overlooked, I sense a call to share what God has given me to improve the lives of others or to better their circumstances as I have opportunity and ability to do so. In addition, I have a passion for justice and non-politicized application of the law. I would like to be someone who doesn’t bow to popular opinion or pop-culture. I understand that many people use the law in a selfish way and for gain, contradictory to any and all ethics. I believe this field is on an ethical drift and I would like to be someone who is known for ethical application of the law (based on biblical principles) and lack of personal gain or political drift in my future legal endeavors. Because the field of law is commonly used in a way for selfish gain and with careless manipulation, I commit to being someone who uses the authority and power that comes with a law degree to serve others. A law degree would give a position to greatly help those who are marginalized and cannot help themselves. I believe there are very few attorneys who are committed to truly helping others with what they have earned. I believe law is an important field in today's society because it gives an opportunity to help others in a way that very few people can because a law degree takes a lot of time, money, and effort to achieve. As an attorney, I look forward to being able to offer those I represent a more complete understanding of what legal and ethical opportunities are available to them that they might not otherwise be able to enjoy as I counsel them on what their options are and strategize with them on how to best respond to their legal challenges. Education will play a major role in my ability to pursue my passion. In order to become a lawyer, a university and law school education will be essential if I am to have a seasoned understanding of business principles, our country’s laws, and ethical navigation through our country’s legal system. My schooling is an essential first step in my being able to serve others as legal counsel. Continuing my schooling this year gets me closer to earning a law degree in order to help others. The opportunities to provide legal counsel remind me how much I have been blessed by counsel, time and attention that others have poured into me, and stirs me to give to others in a similar way. I find great joy when I have the opportunity to share what God has given me, and in effect, live out the calling to be Jesus’s hands and feet, and is ultimately what drives my dreams and inspires me.

Sometimes situations take a turn that don’t make sense. Sometimes it seems that evil triumphs over good and that the Lord is silent. However, Proverbs 3:5-6 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”) has strengthened me by reminding me that sometimes life won’t make sense and that the Lord wants me to trust his character and trust in the fact that God is good instead of trying to make sense of the seemingly unfair situations that are inevitably present in life. Sometimes God allows confusing circumstances to happen in order to set the stage for Him to work out His plan. These situations grow my trust in the Lord and I use these opportunities to find peace in the Lord rather than trusting myself to work out situations that aren’t in my power to solve or control. For example, during my sophomore year, I auditioned for the jazz choir at my school. I was surprised and disappointed when I learned that I didn’t make the choir because I had the experience, the passion, the preparation, and felt that I had proven myself by placing competitively in a number of auditions. I debated whether to continue being a part of the music program at my school and came to the conclusion that instead of focusing on a situation I couldn’t change, I simply needed to trust God and press on. I didn’t want to get distracted by situations that I didn’t understand so I trusted the Lord with what didn’t make sense and with what didn’t seem fair and continued on towards the future. This challenge has strengthened me and has taught me that once I have done my best, I can trust the Lord and be at peace with whatever the results are. As I’m going through the college preparation and selection process, I once again find myself in an exciting but uncertain situation. I am again endeavoring to do my best and am at peace that God will open and close the right doors to guide me to the best opportunities. This trust gives me the ability to enjoy the journey without worrying about the results. As I’ve grown up, I’ve realized that life’s challenges and complexities get to be longer and greater and there are many things in life that don’t make sense. I want this verse to be the foundation that I always return to: trust the Lord’s plan and character even when it may seem like the Lord is silent or isn’t in control.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, I partnered with a small group of members from my church’s student worship team to write a song from scratch. Our inspiration for the song came from the uncertainty that we and others were facing during the Covid-19 situation. The song was a reminder that through all the uncertainty, God was still good, was still in control, and was using what was at times unsettling to show that those who would trust in Him had nothing to fear. The song was a major inspiration to me and everyone else who had contributed to writing it, and we put our hearts and souls into writing this song, knowing that we were ultimately performing for the Lord, as well as others. Once we recorded it and put it out for others to listen to, many people who listened to the music told me that the music encouraged them and pointed them to God during difficult times. When I’m leading music, whether writing and recording, or whether leading others in worship through music performance, I know that God is the one I’m ultimately serving and knowing this causes me to strive for excellence.

One of my passions is helping others. My local charity GRACE has offered me several opportunities to serve others through volunteering in my community. For example, I have taken part in packing, organizing, and distributing Christmas gifts (that my community has donated) to economically-challenged senior adults. I have also gotten to serve in other ways, such as handing out groceries to families in my community, delivering back to school items to students, and giving my time to volunteer at GRACE’s resale stores (stores where GRACE collects donated items and resells the items to the public to raise money). These opportunities remind me how much I have been blessed to stir me to give to others. I find great joy when I have the opportunity to share what God has given me, and in effect, live out the calling to be Jesus’s hands and feet. Other passions of mine include expressing myself through music and sharing my faith with others. I’ve risen to the occasion in my church’s student leadership ministry by becoming active in leading worship and teaching a small group of high school freshman girls more about the Bible and God. During the Covid-19 lockdown, I partnered with a small group of members from my church’s student worship team to write a song from scratch. Our inspiration for the song came from the uncertainty that we and others were facing during the Covid-19 situation. The song was a reminder that through all the uncertainty, God was still good, was still in control, and was using what was at times unsettling to show that those who would trust in Him had nothing to fear. The song was a major inspiration to me and everyone else who had contributed to writing it, and we put our hearts and souls into writing this song, knowing that we were ultimately performing for the Lord, as well as others. Once we recorded it and put it out for others to listen to, many people who listened to the music told me that the music encouraged them and pointed them to God during difficult times. When I’m leading music, whether writing and recording, or whether leading others in worship through music performance, I know that God is the one I’m ultimately serving and knowing this causes me to strive for excellence.

My great inspiration is what I am passionate about. Two of my passions are music and sharing my faith with others. I’ve risen to the occasion in my church’s student leadership ministry by becoming active in leading worship and teaching a small group of high school freshman girls more about the Bible and God. During the Covid-19 lockdown, I partnered with a small group of members from my church’s student worship team to write a song from scratch. Our inspiration for the song came from the uncertainty that we and others were facing during the Covid-19 situation. The song was a reminder that through all the uncertainty, God was still good, was still in control, and was using what was at times unsettling to show that those who would trust in Him had nothing to fear. The song was a major inspiration to me and everyone else who had contributed to writing it, and we put our hearts and souls into writing this song, knowing that we were ultimately performing for the Lord, as well as others. Once we recorded it and put it out for others to listen to, many people who listened to the music told me that the music encouraged them and pointed them to God during difficult times. When I’m leading music, whether writing and recording, or whether leading others in worship through music performance, I know that God is the one I’m ultimately serving and knowing this causes me to strive for excellence.

In 2019, I went to a Christian Summer camp called Pine Cove and was assigned a college counselor named “PepperRopey” (I would later find out her real name was Tori) that attended Baylor University. Throughout the week, I fell in awe of her faith and in her confidence in the Lord. On Friday night, she told me to take my shoes off and grabbed a towel and wet it. As I took my shoes off, she washed my feet with her own hands and a small towel. Her selflessness and kindness rocked my world. Afterwards, she prayed with me and told me she loved me. This moment really put into perspective how remarkable it was that Jesus (the son of the God that created everything and would die for my own sins and wayward ways) washed His disciples' feet. The selflessness that she displayed inspired me to show the same selflessness (based on the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness of my own wrong ways) and is one of the kindest actions anyone has ever done for me.

A role model in my life is Condoleezza Rice. Although I have never met her, Rice is a major inspiration to me because she was raised as a African American female in a community that embraced segregation in Montgomery, Alabama but she didn’t let that sour her or hold her back from leading our nation. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, segregation was tolerated, justified and even praised by many but left seemingly unscathed with any sense of entitlement or desire for retribution. I would ask her how she came from an environment of oppression with a fresh can-do spirit that didn’t seek retribution, revenge, or any sense of entitlement but rather sought to be forgiving, forward-looking, and part of the solution. Additionally, I would ask how she managed to climb the career ladder in such a Caucasian, male-dominated profession while still holding true to her values as a conservative Christian. Given that she is a Republican and has taken a different path for influencing our country from what many people of color take, I would ask how well or poorly people of color have responded to her approach. Because there are very few leaders like her--as a female African American Republican who grew up in a segregated community,--I’m positive that she has faced criticism and surprise. I would ask how she responds to detractors or people that rejected her? To close, I would ask the following question: given the high emotion and the great divide in our country, what do you believe is the path to healing and reconciliation?

Community is a second family and made up of people who care about and bring out the best in others. My church community brings out a desire to serve others and stirs my soul. I add my musical ability, my passion for scripture, and my life experience to this community. My faith gives me purpose and direction in life; when I attend church, I not only have the opportunity to grow my faith but also to better learn how to serve others and glorify the Lord both inside and outside of the church. The fellowship of believers gives me strength to face challenges, to rise above temptations, and leaves me encouraged and inspired to continue to seek after the Lord. Every part of my church’s youth ministry that I am involved in (the youth worship team, my 12th grade small group for which I am a student, and my 9th grade small group for which I am a teacher) leaves me refreshed, at peace, and closer to the Lord. The youth worship team gives me an opportunity to use my gifts to praise God and serve others as I lead them in worship. My small group for which I am a student has offered a place of vulnerability and a place to learn more about who the Lord is and who I am in the Lord. The small group that I lead has taught me very much about how to speak about and share my faith with others. In addition, I have several adult mentors that model what a life lived on purpose for the Lord looks like and encourage me in my walk with the Lord. Although I find my closest community through my local church, I know that community/second family can be found just about anywhere. As I find people who have unmet needs and often continue through life overlooked, I sense a call to share what God has given me to improve the lives of others or to do whatever I can to better their circumstances when I have opportunity and ability to do so. Although I plan to continue to serve others in traditional community service roles such as the ones I have mentioned after I complete my schooling and enter the workplace fulltime, I plan to extend my opportunity to serve others by becoming an attorney so that I can further live out my calling to help those who need a helping hand. As an attorney, I look forward to being able to offer those I represent a more complete understanding of what legal and ethical opportunities are available to them that they might not otherwise be able to enjoy as I counsel them on what their options are and strategize with them on how to best respond to their legal challenges. Education will play a major role in my ability to pursue my passion. In order to become a lawyer, a university and law school education will be essential if I am to have a seasoned understanding of business principles, our country’s laws, and ethical navigation through our country’s legal system. My schooling is an essential first step in my being able to serve others as legal counsel. These opportunities to provide legal counsel reminds me how much I have been blessed by counsel, time and attention that others have poured into me, and stirs me to give to others in a similar way. I find great joy when I have the opportunity to share what God has given me, and in effect, live out the calling to be Jesus’s hands and feet.

Sometimes situations take a turn that don’t make sense. Sometimes it seems that evil triumphs over good and that the Lord is silent. However, Proverbs 3:5-6 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”) has strengthened me by reminding me that sometimes life won’t make sense and that the Lord wants me to trust his character and trust in the fact that God is good instead of trying to make sense of the seemingly unfair situations that are inevitably present in life. Sometimes God allows confusing circumstances to happen in order to set the stage for Him to work out His plan. These situations grow my trust in the Lord and I use these opportunities to find peace in the Lord rather than trusting myself to work out situations that aren’t in my power to solve or control. For example, during my sophomore year, I auditioned for the jazz choir at my school. I was surprised and disappointed when I learned that I didn’t make the choir because I had the experience, the passion, the preparation, and felt that I had proven myself by placing competitively in a number of auditions. I debated whether to continue being a part of the music program at my school and came to the conclusion that instead of focusing on a situation I couldn’t change, I simply needed to trust God and press on. I didn’t want to get distracted by situations that I didn’t understand so I trusted the Lord with what didn’t make sense and with what didn’t seem fair and continued on towards the future. This challenge has strengthened me and has taught me that once I have done my best, I can trust the Lord and be at peace with whatever the results are. As I’m going through the college preparation and selection process, I once again find myself in an exciting but uncertain situation. I am again endeavoring to do my best and am at peace that God will open and close the right doors to guide me to the best opportunities. This trust gives me the ability to enjoy the journey without worrying about the results. As I’ve grown up, I’ve realized that life’s challenges and complexities get to be longer and greater and there are many things in life that don’t make sense. I want this verse to be the foundation that I always return to: trust the Lord’s plan and character even when it may seem like the Lord is silent or isn’t in control.

I grew up in church and was taught the Gospel at a young age. I accepted Christ when I was six years old. Although my age somewhat limited my understanding of what living for the Lord truly meant in everyday life, I believe I was genuine in handing my life over to the Lord at this age. Over the next few years, I went through the motions of what I thought was expected of a Christian and began basing a lot of my relationship with the Lord on my own works instead of on the grace I had received from Him. However, when I was thirteen years old, my dog passed away. This upset me as I’m sure it would anyone but it became more of a spiritual battle as I questioned “Why would God take something meaningful from me?” It was the first time I had lost something that I couldn’t replace or fix myself. Over the next five months, I desired control and self-effort in a way that was dishonoring to the Lord and dependent on myself alone. I didn’t want to miss out on anything or allow anything to be “taken from me” as it seemed like it had been before. That Summer, I attended a Christian retreat called “Pine Cove” and began to learn to trust the Lord with what I couldn’t control. Trusting the Lord with what I couldn’t control brought me faith with a stronger foundation, joy, and ultimately peace! As I continued to learn more about the Lord’s character, I got more involved in my church through the Worship Team and by leading a small group, both of which expanded my understanding of the Lord. As I remember my purpose which is found in Acts 20:24 (to testify to the good news of God’s grace), I am constantly reminded of who the Lord truly is and eagerly listen to what else there is to learn through prayer, God’s word, and trials. However, there are times when my belief system is tested. Sometimes situations take a turn that don’t make sense. Sometimes it seems that evil triumphs over good and that the Lord is silent. However, Proverbs 3:5-6 has strengthened me by reminding me that sometimes life won’t make sense and that the Lord wants me to trust his character and trust in the fact that God is good instead of trying to make sense of the seemingly unfair situations that are inevitably present in life. Sometimes God allows confusing circumstances to happen in order to set the stage for Him to work out His plan. These situations grow my trust in the Lord and I use these opportunities to find peace in the Lord rather than trusting myself to work out situations that aren’t in my power to solve or control. For example, during my sophomore year, I auditioned for the jazz choir at my school. I was surprised and disappointed when I learned that I didn’t make the choir because I had the experience, the passion, the preparation, and felt that I had proven myself by placing competitively in a number of auditions. I debated whether to continue being a part of the music program at my school and came to the conclusion that instead of focusing on a situation I couldn’t change, I simply needed to trust God and press on. I didn’t want to get distracted by situations that I didn’t understand so I trusted the Lord with what didn’t make sense and with what didn’t seem fair and continued on towards the future. This challenge has strengthened me and has taught me that once I have done my best, I can trust the Lord and be at peace with whatever the results are. As I’m going through the college preparation and selection process, I once again find myself in an exciting but uncertain situation. I am again endeavoring to do my best and am at peace that God will open and close the right doors to guide me to the best opportunities. This trust gives me the ability to enjoy the journey without worrying about the results. As I’ve grown up, I’ve realized that life’s challenges and complexities get to be longer and greater and there are many things in life that don’t make sense. I want this verse to be the foundation that I always return to: trust the Lord’s plan and character even when it may seem like the Lord is silent or isn’t in control.