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What is it about sending a child off to college that causes us to reflect so much on our own experiences? In the last couple months I have spent a lot of time thinking about launching my oldest son, Christopher, off to college. He has applied to three Christian liberal arts colleges, Westmont being one of them. As I think of what God has in store for him, I have found myself reflecting on God's goodness to me and my own personal journey of faith.

If someone had told me during my last semester in high school that I would end up serving God overseas, I probably would have laughed in their face. I never had a desire to travel. My life was full of indecision. I was so weary of studying that I had no desire to continue on to college. I didn't have any idea what to do with my life and had no real interest in pursuing a career. I wanted to follow God, but I didn't know where He was leading me.

My path through college meandered. Beginning as a Pre-Med major I switched briefly to Business and then settled on Religious Studies following a short-term overseas trip to Papua New Guinea. During that trip, God spoke to my heart and made it clear of the importance of God's word in changing people's lives. Many people around the world were living without the knowledge of God's love for them simply because they didn't have his word in a language that spoke to their heart.

I remember spending time in meditation as part of my class "Foundations of Spiritual Formations" taught by then Professor Bill Nelson. Though it was homework, I found it so refreshing in the midst of a strenuous workload to stop and think about God and His word, what he had to teach me.

Today, more than ever, God's word is precious to me. It's what keeps me going and what I miss most if I choose to neglect it even for a day. 2 Tim. 3:16 tells us our time in God's word is what teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains us in righteousness. Through scripture, we learn that God's desire for us is to become more like his Son, Jesus Christ and that he wants us to have his heart for the lost. We learn that we were meant to be people of influence wherever God has placed us. We are the salt and light that the world so desperately needs. Salt needs contact to be effective, so it's in relationship with others that we make a difference in their lives. The more time we spend in God's word, the more we believe his promises, trust in his goodness and faithfulness and recognize his blessing in our lives, blessings that are meant to be passed on to others. I have personally come to see that it's not so much WHAT we do that matters; it's who we are and how we do what he's given us that matters. When we learn to reconcile our desires with His and trust in his sovereignty, we are at peace.

With grateful reflection,
Michelle Kotlar Lockwood (Class of '89)

For more details regarding Michelle's journey following graduation, click here to read her story in-depth.