life beyond the well…

Category Archives: Life


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The Challenge to Be Different

This summer I had the opportunity to learn more about the financial aid process through an internship at Duke University. While I learned tons and feel that I added a few tools to my professional toolkit, I also had the opportunity to fellowship regularly at a church that I’ve loved since first visiting in college.

There was a Wednesday night service where the pastor preached a word about the importance of being different. Essentially as Christians, we can no longer be satisfied with doing things the way the world does things- we have to be true to what we say we believe and be willing to be different.

That word has stuck with me, and has become my “theme” for the year. And, while I knew it would be challenging, I think I slightly underestimated the challenge. For me, the biggest challenge encounters occur with people who are Christians in name, but perhaps not in deed. I won’t hate on that because I’ve been there, I’m coming from there, and I realize it’s a process. But as I desire more for my life and to live for God at the highest level, I can’t allow myself to be surrounded by everyone. And I can’t surround myself with everyone. Everyone isn’t for me. I’m not for everybody. Just because I see you on this road with me doesn’t mean that we have (or even desire to have) the same destination.

The challenge in being different lies in the fact that you may have to be alone.

I struggle with this. At the end of the day, I always want to feel that someone is in my corner, that they have my back, that they know me and love me for who I am.

I also struggle with this because I know that a current environment where I spend the majority of my time can’t provide this- nor should I expect it to. It’s like craving something that you know is unavailable- and will be unavailable indefinitely.

It seems that God has heard my sincere plea in that I desire to be different; that I want to live for Him and serve Him to the highest ability. And it seems like He’s issued me a challenge: will I desire this and pursue this through the most difficult, uncomfortable, isolating situations; trusting Him to comfort and provide in areas where I lack?

Challenge accepted.

Until next time- peace and blessings!


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Unspeakable Joy

When working with teenagers, a lot of your day can have intense and extreme emotions.  Extreme frustration.  Extreme delight.  Extreme anger.  Extreme sadness.  As they go through these emotions, sometimes I do too.  Sometimes their actions push me to THAT point; other times, things that happen to them allow me to feel a certain way.  Nevertheless, it is a constant emotional cycle.

I’m not sure if I’ve done enough to explain the joy that working with students can bring, and partially because it’s difficult for me to find the words.  For example:

  • How do you find the words to describe the feeling you get when you watch a student overcome their fear and stretch themselves to conquer something that has previously terrified them?
  • Or what words are there to describe the feeling you have when a student who has repeated grades, runs to show you his report card- and you see that he not only has grown 21 points in one class since the last quarter, but he’s also earned Honor Roll?
  • Even still, how do you describe the feeling when your seniors tell you that after years of dreaming and working, they’ve been accepted into their top choice college?

I don’t always do a good job of articulating the sheer joy and delight that working with students can bring.  The 3 moments that I described above are very real- and I experienced them all over this past week.  It’s safe to say that working with students creates moments of unspeakable joy, and I’m very blessed that they have allowed me to be a part of their lives.

Unspeakable joy.

Until next time…