Hardships Through a Ginger’s Life

He Is Never Leaving Our Hearts

BY SUMMER MILLS AND HANNAH MAE SIZEMORE Managing Editor and Staff Writer

One big thing that helps other struggling Christians or people who want to find faith is hearing testimonies. Testimonies help encourage people to continue going in their faith despite the hardships they may go through. Hearing about the conditions that others face is a true eye-opener because it shows there is nobody that does not struggle amidst the issues of everyday life. Jackson Osborne is a second-semester freshman who sat down with us to fill us in on his journey seeking Christ.

At University of the Cumberlands, Osborne majors in Exercise Sports Science with a minor in Missions and Ministries. When staff asked him about his goal with these two specializations, Osborne mentioned that he would like to work in Physical Therapy and bring Christ into his work environment. However, this student faced many trials and tribulations to get to where he is today and discover his dream job. As we sat down and talked to him, everything clicked into place about why this would be so special to him.

Osborne feels it is important to share his testimony with everything happening in the world. He reveals that a testimony is “not only like a story, but it is like what a person has been through and has overcome—and not just overcome it, but it is the realization that we all go through hard times, and we need to be open about it.” Being open is important, for it helps people become closer to their loved ones and cultivate growth with Christ. After asking Osborne what he believes a testimony is, we wanted to see if he would be comfortable sharing his testimony. That is how we came to hear “Hardships Through a Gingers Life,” the incredibly titled story of Osborne’s life featuring everything he persevered that led to his better relationship with God.

As a ginger in school, Osborne received a lot of attention. He was not necessarily bullied, but many singled him out solely for his red-haired genetics. He also had many personal problems surrounding his home life, so he had a lot of added pressure. Osborne states that to cope with everything he was going through at the time, he turned to “worldly things like pornography, vaping, marijuana.” Most people tend to turn to worldly things when something goes wrong. All Osborne wanted was to have a fatherly figure to coach him through the issues, but unfortunately, his father had also fallen victim to the possessions of this world. Osborne’s father was an addict who eventually faced jail time for his choices. This issue is the reason Osborne gave for falling into vaping. Vaping is tangible, and he could hold onto that and knew it would always be there for him, whereas he never knew if his dad would be there from one moment to the next. This period in Osborne’s life may have been difficult, but as he said, people “overcome it and through adversity, we grow,” which is something that he “had to realize when [he] graduated from high school.”

Osborne recognizes that “God places people in different scenarios to test them not just by their faith but by how long will that person be there for you to grow and then he just pulls them out of your life, and you just gotta keep going.” He is referring to the fact that, through different stages in our lives, we meet new people; sometimes these people are for the best, and other times the opposite. However, God always knows who and what each person needs in every part of their life. Once a person has played their role in your life, it is time for them to be a key individual in someone else’s growth. Our staff wanted to know how someone who had faced so many setbacks could lean on God. He contemplated the question for a while as if he had never really thought about it but knew the answer in his heart.

When Osborne explained his reasoning for leaning on God, I felt inspiration sweep over me. The student said, “[I]t is a faith thing. It is more of we don’t just go day by day trusting that he will come through; it is that we go day by day and when we feel like he is the farthest away is when he is actually closest to us.” Many worry about what is to come and let their anxieties get them down while trying to push the Creator away. Trying to alienate oneself does not help because God will stick with you like no other. He is like a burr when you are upset that you want to get off so bad and to get away from, but it continues to cling on. This description proved true when Osborne shared his financial problems with us. He did not believe he would be able to pay for college and began doubting if he would be able to go. God had his back, though, and when Osborne received his financial aid back for college, he realized something amazing had occurred. He could attend college because everything would be paid, plus an additional $100. Osborne’s girlfriend pushed him to continue praying and remain positive because “God’s going to do something crazy, and you are not going to expect it.” Osborne had his girlfriend by his side during this trying time and continues to claim that she encourages him to be ceaseless in his faith. As he said, “[s]he is a big light” to him. The interviewee has the big, physical light on Earth guiding him to the light in Heaven. Having that is truly remarkable and a blessing, as people should create relationships that grow their connection with God. Osborne reflects on his favorite Bible verse, Romans 3:23, because it shows how much God loves despite what people go through and the situations they put themselves in. Osborne added that “God is amazing, God is great, God is good and all-merciful, and he is righteous and just.” Everyone faces troubles on a daily basis, but your relationship with God is something you can always turn to. Sometimes you may turn to worldly things, but it is never too late to be accepted by Christ. He is always walking by your side, holding you up, and if you stumble and fall, he will pick you up and carry you to where you need to go.