MEET THE Young Adult Steering Committee

WHAT HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT PARTS OF YOUR FAITH JOURNEY?

Important parts of my faith journey are all interconnected to one another. The starting point began when I started to value my mental health and my self-worth. I have struggled with my mental health all throughout middle school, high school, and now in college. I was facing battles within my head, and felt as if I was completely alone. I had reached rock bottom during my freshman year at Elizabethtown College. I was not in a safe environment, which led to me developing harmful coping mechanisms to deal with my mental health. I was empty, and continued to be empty for a while after that time. It wasn’t until I started reading God’s word, going to therapy, and surrounding myself with an amazing support group that I started to get better. Another important part of my faith journey was when I applied to work at my local summer camp–Shepherd’s Spring. It was an amazing experience that allowed me to work on myself, and spend more time in the world God created. I was able to form some of the closest and most supportive friends I have ever had. It was at camp that I was finally able to feel my worth and value within this world that God created. Finally, in 2022 I took a leap of faith and submitted to the speech contest that the National Youth Conference had. I submitted a speech focused on my mental health struggle coinciding with my faith journey, and was chosen as one of the speakers. It was an amazing experience that I would not trade for anything. These moments all aided me to understand that I have value and a purpose that is rooted within my faith in God.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW TO GROW YOUR FAITH?

To grow within my faith, I am spending more time reading my Bible, and journaling with God. I am also growing in my faith by being mindful of my actions so that they reflect God and his character. Doing that has aided in the overwhelming sense of peace and love that allows me to keep growing in my faith.

WHY IS THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IMPORTANT TO YOU?

The Church of the Brethren is important to me as a place that represents home. There is this sense of peace, love, and acceptance that surrounds Brethren heritage and reminds me of being within a family or a home. Knowing that I am loved and accepted for who I am within the Church of the Brethren is a motivating, and welcoming feeling.

WHERE DO YOU SEE GOD IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE?

I see God in my friends with the support they give me, and the support they give one another. I see God in the sunrises and sunsets that I get to experience while walking to class, studying in my dorm, or working out in the gym.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURES? WHY?

One of my favorite scriptures is Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged, for the Lord your god is with you wherever you go.” I love this scripture since I relate to it a lot. God is calling out to Joshua telling him not to be afraid, or discouraged. I get discouraged a lot in life, and knowing that God has already aided someone who has the same feelings and emotions I have, brings me a sense of comfort.

WHAT HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT PARTS OF YOUR FAITH JOURNEY?

One of the most important parts of my faith journey has been the presence of mentors in my life. They have taught me so much and have really helped me when I am struggling with my faith. Another important part of my faith journey was a trip this past summer to Turkey and Greece. Being able to see places mentioned in the Bible and read stories from those places helped the Bible come to life and give the Bible deeper meaning.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW TO GROW YOUR FAITH?

I am setting aside time everyday where I spend time in scripture and in prayer. It is super easy as a busy college student to put off spending time with God, and I am every guilty of this. This semester I am intentionally putting space in my schedule where I can grow in my relationship and talk with God.

WHY IS THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IMPORTANT TO YOU?

Having grown up in the Church of the Brethren, it has always been a part of my life. However, I continue to stay involved in the Church of the Brethren because their views on nonviolence and living a simple life resonate with me. I think it is important to live out these values, and I think the COB is effective in how they practice these values.

WHERE DO YOU SEE GOD IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE?

The place I see God the most is in creation. I spend a good bit of time outside walking around campus and I often find myself smiling when I see a squirrel scamper off with food, or when I have a chance to hammock by a creek and listen to the wind a water. It reminds me that God is always around me. I find great peace in being outside in nature whether it is on a hike, hammocking, or even just doing homework outside. I also find a lot of peace in journaling and reflecting at the end of each day. As for finding joy, I love to read and cross stitch with a good cup of tea (Chai is one of my favorites).

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURES? WHY?

My favorite scripture is always changing, though currently it is Hebrew 4:14-16. I had to memorize this for one of my college classes last semester and it has really stuck with me since. It reminds me that I am never alone and never misunderstood because I have a relationship with Christ. This has been a huge source of comfort in recent months and continues to sustain me during trials I face.

WHAT HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT PARTS OF YOUR FAITH JOURNEY?

There have been many important parts to my faith journey. I would say the most important parts have been my travel overseas because I was able to get out of the US and experience what life was like and to see how God was at work in different places. At each stop in my journey, whether it would be as I moved through various levels of school or simply different parts of my life, I continue to see God shaping and forming with nudges and feelings as I move through life. Through all of this, prayer, discernment, and having space with God have been very important in my faith journey.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW TO GROW YOUR FAITH?

The biggest thing I am doing is providing space for God in my life each day - whether that is a time of silence or just being with my own thoughts on a run or shooting baskets. Allowing the Spirit to infiltrate my life is certainly something I am focusing on right now.

WHY IS THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IMPORTANT TO YOU?

The Church of the Brethren is important to me for a number of reasons. I love our pietistic theology of embodying Jesus and the person he was. I appreciate our peace witness as that has been a strong focal point of our theology. Most important though, I appreciate the small and close denomination that we have and the many friends and colleagues that I have been able develop relationships with over the years.

WHERE DO YOU SEE GOD IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE?

I enjoy being outside and simply observing God’s beauty in nature, like a peaceful state or national park, and in the creation of humanity, like a major city. God’s beauty and peace are abundantly around.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURES? WHY?

Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” I appreciate this verse because it speaks to who are as Brethren. It doesn’t mean that we are simply peacemakers but we also have a job to be peacemakers. It is an active role through our faith which Brethren have been very active in their faith over the duration of their existence.

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF YOUR FAITH JOURNEY?

One of the most important parts of my faith journey is the stage I'm in right now. If I had to describe it in one word, I would say I'm in the "rebuilding" stage. As a young adult I felt myself drifting away from my home church as everything that was familiar to me started changing. By taking that step back, I started to lose myself and my connections to the church, and found myself in a "season of deconstruction." I have spent my young adult years focusing on my relationship with God and finding a new sense of self-realization as I've become more involved through YASC and the broader COB community. It's a long journey for each of us and I believe that each part of our faith journeys is equally important.

WHERE DO YOU SEE GOD IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE?

I used to feel like God was hiding from me, because I always thought I needed an immediate response to my thoughts and prayers. But recently, I've discovered that for me personally, I prefer to see glimpses of him every now and then because it reminds me of how truly blessed I am and how special my relationship with him is. I catch those quick glimpses through my work and the people I help. Working at Bridgewater College with Events allows me to work with every department and see the entire student body throughout the academic year. God allows me to use my talents to bring visions to life and create successful events. I see him in the faces of those who attend and know that I helped bring a smile to their face. I find joy in nature. Growing up in the Shenandoah Valley I've always been surrounded by the beauty of the Blue Ridge. You might think that I would get used to it and take for granted the views, but I still find myself in awe of the sunsets, wildlife and mountain trails. Something about being so close to nature and being able to fully surround myself brings me not only joy, but also peace. It's an outlet for me to find an escape from the stress of everyday life. A place for me to recharge, focus on myself, and talk to God.

WHAT HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT PARTS OF YOUR FAITH JOURNEY?

When I chose to go to Manchester University, I learned a lot more about the Church of the Brethren than I had from congregations I had attended before. I became more convicted around social justice and peacemaking. I met students and professors from many different faith backgrounds who helped me to question and identify what my beliefs truly are.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW TO GROW YOUR FAITH?

I am now living in Lansing, Michigan, where I have a variety of opportunities to meet new people during church services, Bible study, and other activities. This gives me a chance to identify beliefs that I do or do not agree with on a gut level and explore why I have those beliefs and whether these new points of view could add to what I believe.

WHY IS THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IMPORTANT TO YOU?

I continue to identify as a member of the Church of the Brethren because I believe very strongly in the social justice, peacemaking, and service aspects of the church. I admire and enjoy learning about the brave, thoughtful people in our history, and I want to continue to see leaders of all backgrounds choosing to act in ways that bring the Kingdom of God to us on Earth.

WHERE DO YOU SEE GOD IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE?

As a teacher, I see God every day in the faces of the students I teach. They are so resilient and loving and brave. I also enjoy spending time in nature and seeing all that God has created and continues to create. There are so many little things we can notice if we are paying attention.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURES? WHY?

I find a lot of meaning in Hebrews 12:1: :Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” I am a runner, and I want to be able to run the course God has set out for me. I take comfort in the great cloud of witnesses that is there to support us and cheer us on as we follow the plans God has for us.