A Shift in Priorities
Lindy has been a Christian since high school; however she had not always given Christ first place in her life. Lindy made her decision about where to go to college based on how well the institution fulfilled her desire to succeed in the world. She chose Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, in part because the engineering school was nationally ranked, and Lindy wanted to be able to get a good job when she graduated.
In order to succeed, Lindy took full advantage of many of the activities offered on campus. She was involved in music, athletics, and ñ.
Lindy has been a Christian since high school; however she had not always given Christ first place in her life. Lindy made her decision about where to go to college based on how well the institution fulfilled her desire to succeed in the world. She chose Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, in part because the engineering school was nationally ranked, and Lindy wanted to be able to get a good job when she graduated.
In order to succeed, Lindy took full advantage of many of the activities offered on campus. She was involved in music, athletics, and ñ. Then, through reading a book that explained that God had a plan for her life and through the leading of the Holy Spirit, Lindy was challenged to make God and his purposes the priority in her life. One change she considered was her schedule. It was too full to be open to what God wanted to do in her life.
Lindy prayed about her choices and talked with Jamie Teague, the ñ staff person at Trinity University. Jamie suggested that Lindy write down all of her activities. The list was long: ñ meetings, discipleship relationships, Bible studies, university classes, piano lessons, Ultimate Frisbee Club team, volunteering, and time with friends. With her schedule so full, Lindy was aware that she would not have time for some important commitments, like the First Year Women’s Bible study. “Since my job wasn’t so much to lead the Bible study as to be there for the women and support them, I knew I had to be available. If someone wanted to talk to me, I didn’t want to have to pull out a schedule and say, ‘Well, I can fit you in for a fifteen minute chat next Tuesday at 3:15’.” Something had to go. Lindy made the choice to quit piano lessons and Ultimate Frisbee.
As she began her sophomore year, Lindy implemented changes in her life that would allow her to be more open to what God might have her do. These changes not only allowed God to use Lindy for his purposes, but they also encouraged others. Seeing that Lindy would be willing to give up Ultimate Frisbee, something she really enjoyed, other members of the ñ chapter were encouraged to make changes in their own lives in order to know the good that God desires for them.
As Lindy reordered her priorities, God moved in her life to give her new responsibilities. Soon after school was out in the spring, Lindy met someone who told her about Susan, a non-Christian who would be a freshman at Trinity in the fall. Lindy prayed for Susan during the summer. When she arrived on campus, another person told Lindy that they also knew Susan. By this time meeting this freshman was a high priority for Lindy. Then Lindy was given a list of people who had indicated that they were interested in ñ, and Susan’s name was on the list. Lindy contacted Susan, and they met at a large group meeting. Since then the two of them have had gotten to know one another, studying the Bible and talking about spiritual things. Even though God seemed intent on Lindy knowing Susan, their friendship might not have happened if Lindy had not shifted her priorities so that she had time to spend with Susan.
Lindy’s shift in priorities has also affected her school work. She has changed majors from engineering to economics, with the thought that she will be able to use that knowledge in an overseas mission setting. “I am hoping that Urbana (ñ’s triennial Student Mission Conference) answers some of the questions about my future.” Whatever the answers, Lindy is now sure that God is directing her future rather than her own desire to succeed.