Student Stories: Mine.

{Each week for the next 6 weeks I am going to be sharing a story about an RUF student’s experience in college. My friends’ stories reflect a big piece of why I am so passionate about and excited for my work with this ministry.}
Today I am sharing mine. 

It’s funny how we can go through life living on the surface. What I mean by that is a big portion of our lives are too scary for us to actually deal with (an addiction, a traumatic experience, an insecurity...the list goes on). And so, instead of living in the fullness of this life (the highs AND the lows) we just repress the hard stuff with the naïve hope that it’ll “go away” over time. But it doesn’t.
This was my story coming to college with years of baggage—distorted eating habits, morphed body image, and an idol of perfectionism that became darker & darker, and simultaneously more & more dangerous.
It wasn’t until my freshmen year of college, on a coffee date with a friend/ student leader I met through RUF, that I came face-to-face with this darkness. It wasn’t until the moment that my friend shared HER story with me (similar to mine) that I really believed for the first time 1) I wasn’t alone in my struggles 2) There was hope for me 3) Jesus sees every part of me— imperfect, broken, messy— and loves me deeper still.
It was through this conversation over coffee, Jesus revealed to me the beauty of my brokenness, the power of vulnerability, and the importance of imperfection. It was from this moment on that I actually sought help, invited people in to the ugly parts of my heart/life, experienced healing, and grew deeper in my understanding of how precious and deep the Father’s love is for me— that He not only gave Himself for me, but also gives me people to do life with... the ups AND the downs.
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