For the past five months, I have chosen not to share my faith on Odyssey. I have not been ashamed of my faith and never will be for that matter. My choice to keep my personal beliefs private was because I truly believe they stand and speak for itself. However, in celebration of the one who I call The Risen King throughout Easter, I have felt prompted to share in a vulnerable way that opens my work up for critique - because that is okay.

My relationship with God has always been kept fairly private. I'm not one to share what I am learning or growing from just to talk about it. I prefer to keep those things to myself, only sharing them when I feel led by the Holy Spirit, but that isn't to say that I keep my faith bundled up. For the past five years or so, I have focused on loving the overlooked. Whether it be on campus here at Marshall or just being kind to your everyday pedestrian. What I have found in doing this is that the raw teaching that comes from a service state of mind is abundant.

One of the most rewarding things about being a Christian is seeing the relationships you form with others actually make an impact. When little slivers of the light begin working in the midst of someones trials. Something I have always desired and prayed is for the Lord to allow me to be His vessel in my everyday life. I long to glorify Him in my career and in my tedious walk throughout the chaos that sometimes surrounds me. Because of this, it is easy to feel like I'm not doing enough; as though I am just barely missing the big thing that God has for me just right around the corner. That is when I allow my anxious thoughts to overtake me and fall victim to the lies of the enemy in my own difficult times.

In the relationships I have built and the trust that I have put in God to draw people into his love and mercy in real way, I have found that pursuit is hard. Actually, really hard. When you dedicate yourself to a few people in hope of sowing deep rooted seeds that can later be water by others that share your faith, it can be difficult to separate your own work from the work of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, it has been incredibly empowering knowing that the work done through me is not of my doing, but as I continue to live out my life in love, kindness, and honesty, it has become more and more apparent that the work of the Lord is one worth dedicating your entire being to. I'm grateful that my Savior died and rose again and that because of his great sacrifice, I can know him.