It Has Changed My Life!

Narcissism.  That one word has been the ruler of my life, unbeknownst to me.  Yes, I loved to help people, but only if it helped me in someway.  Whether it would keep them out of my head...it was all about me, me, me.

Then I came to Messiah College and became a history major (who would've ever thunk?) where I can honestly say that mine life has changed and my eyes have been opened.

History, if the one secular study that is unselfish.  It forces the reader, the 'interacter', the historian to get out of his or her shoes and enter into someone (whom is usually dead) else's'.  It is an amazing practice that everyone, but especially Christian need to focus on.  It's not about me.  It's about you.  It's about them.  Being a history major has taught me to empathize with people. To challenge myself to put away judgements and ill misconceptions.  To just look at the person and to love them.  All we need is love right? I mean that's all people are looking for, to meet someone that won't judge them, but to care for and about them.

Besides, Jesus' greatest commandment was a two part ordeal.  Part A: Love God.  Part B: Love people.  You can't love God and not love people since in the beginning God created us in his (or is you believe God is a female, her) image.

Reading a document that was written well before my time is an exciting ordeal!  I can to read someone else's thoughts! A psych major's dream!  INterpret their words, bring past events to life!  But all that has to be preceded by understanding what they went through, their context.

I want to thank the Lord for placing me at Messiah College.  But most importantly, putting me in the midst of wonderful and caring professors in the History Department.  There are no words that I can say that will express the deep gratitude I have for you.  To them, I pray that they continue to inspire students.  Coming into my freshman year, if you would've told me that I would've been transformed in mind, body (yes body) and soul by the HISTORY department, I would've called you a liar!

To everyone that is/was a history major.  I hope you have/will have similar stories to mine.  I hope that you are able to gather the great virtues that this discipline gives: empathy, caring, understanding, compassion, listening, and most importantly: love.

To everyone else...What are you waiting for!  Sign up and get yo history degree!  Just kidding (kinda).  I hope you find the joy in whatever you do.  The Kingdom has a place for every single one of you and your abilities.  Don't let them go to waste.  If God can use a terrorist like Paul, a murderer like Moses, and a adulter like David, he sure can use me and you!

Just as the body, though one, has many parts, but all it's parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ~ Romans 12:12