.png)
It is 2 o'clock. I am nauseous and extremely anxious. I am standing in the gym of an ALL WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN COLLEGE that I didn't really want to go to but was encouraged to checkout and tryout for their volleyball team. I tuck my t-shirt into my spandex, slip on my knee pads, tie my tennis shoes, and begin to stretch. I hear a whistle. We run to gather around the coach to listen to how the tryout will go. The pressure is high. My identity is on the line. I NEED to keep playing volleyball. Am I good enough to play in college? Am I enough? Wait… Do I even want to go here?
Wow. I remember this exact feeling like it was yesterday! (Spoiler alert: I received a volleyball scholarship and ended up attending Judson College and was a successful collegiate athlete) I started my freshman year as a confused and "undecided" college student. But, a very enthusiastic athlete. I was ready to do whatever it took to get my hands on a jersey and a spot on the court. God used my passions and desires to get me exactly where He was calling me, even though my ears were not trained to hear Him just yet.
I was not raised in a "church-going" family and did not fully grasp the concept of the Gospel until I was a junior in high school. When I showed up at Judson College, my only knowledge of the Bible was the Gospels itself. My coach was a God-fearing lady, and she saw something different in me. We spent our time traveling to and from games discussing Scripture, life, and everything in between.
I was hungry for the Word, but I was also very overwhelmed with how big and difficult the Bible was. I found it incredibly frustrating that I had no idea how to navigate it. How was this just a book you could open and read from anywhere? I mean, wouldn't you find it a little confusing if you sat down to read a book with someone, and they told you to turn to page 578 when you haven't even read page 1? 66 books in one book?! An Old Testament and a New Testament?! Are you kidding me? I've never been so frustrated, yet so hungry, for something in my entire life.
Through this frustration, I felt an overwhelming tug on my heart to declare a Religious Studies major and devote my undergraduate degree to soaking in the ends and outs of the Christian faith. This, my friends, was only the beginning of my story. God began to radically transform my life in ways that I had no way of preparing myself. My identity as a volleyball player began to shift as I grew a deeper understanding of my identity in Christ. Yes, you read that correctly. The one thing I cared the most about took a backseat to what God was calling me to. My love for the classroom and my desire to learn only increased. I was in the presence of a professor that deeply believed in me and called out my gifts as a student and as a future minister. My ability to digest Scripture and teach it in a way that was engaging and easy to understand began to make itself known as I created devotionals, Bible studies, and eventually lead our student chapel. My heart for service was ignited through a summer internship at a local nonprofit called Sowing Seeds of Hope. I was surrounded by powerful women that sought out needs in our community and demonstrated what being a "good neighbor" was all about. I could not get enough of them or their ministry! My eyes were opened to my purpose.
At this point in my life, I knew seminary was the next step for me. I am currently pursuing my Master of Divinity with a concentration in family ministries at Truett Theological Seminary. I desire to work with young adults through congregational ministry or nonprofit work. My prayer is that through my seeking and devotion to God's Word, I will develop skills and knowledge to break down Scripture in a way that is easy to grasp for those who are joining me on this journey of seeking.
Matthew 7:7-8 encourages me.
"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
You see, my story isn't extraordinary, but my God is! In this verse, Jesus is telling us to seek God in all that you do. Getting to know God takes faith, persistence, and courage! A relationship takes work, whether we are talking about relationships with a family member, a best friend, a significant other, or God. Do not give up on your pursuit after God's heart. God promises that if you keep seeking Him, you will find Him. Did you catch that? You have to keep seeking! Continue to ask God for wisdom, patience, understanding, motivation, and courage.
About the Author:
Kayla Oliver
Hometown: Odenville, Alabama
Undergrad: Judson College
Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 4:7 "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves."
Comments