ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

SAM WOODS

Hello, my name is Samantha Woods and I have the privilege of being part of the Phoenix Christian family. I attended preschool through high school at PC and share the experience of being a student with my family as I am a thirdgeneration alumni. Growing up at PC instilled a certainty in me about who God is and gave me security to trust Him with my future. My senior year in high school I gave my college decision to the Lord and felt confident that if there was a specific college or plan that God had in mind for me that He would direct my steps and provide a way to follow. The teachers and faculty that supported me throughout my entire decision-making process are people of faith that I look up to. I am grateful especially to my school counselors for opening my eyes to so many different Christian colleges and giving advice on applications and college visits. Dual enrollment was an option that allowed me to earn college credits in high school, and nearly all of the schools in which I was interested in would accept those credits. Throughout senior year I felt the Lord leading me to Wheaton College, and the way that story unfolded is unexplainable apart from how God was in all the details. Since being at Wheaton I know that PC prepared me academically for the rigorous reputation the college holds, time management skills as an athlete, and knowing I can and should lean on my Heavenly Father.

After graduating in May, I went to Wheaton College in Illinois with the chance to play volleyball. My initial few months at Wheaton felt as if I were a sponge trying to soak in a firehose of truth. The volleyball team has been a huge blessing, and I am grateful for my time with them as well as the amazing friendships that were started from the program. I really enjoyed getting to return to Wheaton my sophomore year and grow closer with my teammates during our season. This past spring semester I made the difficult decision to no longer participate with Wheaton volleyball. Before making that decision, I had the

opportunity to join the Wheaton softball team prior to the beginning of their season. Over spring break, we travelled to Florida for the season opening softball tournament. While we were on spring break, the Coronavirus began to more directly affect our nation and my college went online. By the end of our trip, the softball season had been cancelled and we were headed back to campus to pack up and go home for the year. June 1st, I flew to Kauai to start a summer internship with Makanalani. Makanalani Interns work on various jobs around the farm and some local businesses in order to further support Makanalani in providing a free camp experience for all, so that they may experience God’s love and the beauty of His creation.

I have been in Kauai for almost two months now, and I am loving getting to live, grow, and serve in Christian community. While I had planned on going back to school when this internship ends in August, I am now officially deferring my fall enrollment and staying on as a Makanalani Intern through December. As a result of the dual enrollment opportunities available to me at Phoenix Christian, I can take this semester off and still graduate a semester early next year. The hard work of my counselors and support of my teachers is now not only saving me thousands of dollars of college tuition, but also providing the chance to return to school when (Lord willing) the daily impact of the Coronavirus has settled down a bit. Not to mention the incredible opportunity to spend more time in Kauai with Makanalani.

I would love to elaborate more on each different unexpected blessing and turn that my story has taken since graduation, but to sum it all up, God is with us.

God has remained the same—He is faithful to His promises and to His character. God was with me walking around the PC campus, on the court with my Wheaton volleyball teammates, and He is with me now in Kauai. I am thankful to Phoenix Christian for the chapels, Bible classes, faculty influence, and especially for the way the PC family has blessed me and my whole family for generations.

All glory and praise to God,