Jenna Nicole Wheeler: The Boy Who Changed My Life

This has led me to where I am today in my second semester of college and knowing I have the support of my friends, family and the blessings from heaven, I seem to be doing better than what I believed I would and feel even more at ease. The ever valuable lesson I learned is sometimes there are jobs we may think we cannot do we must

Ever since I was six years old, the year I was baptized, I have been on fire for the Lord. I attended a Christian school for eight years and have always been very involved at my church. My first experience outside of my “Christian bubble” was when I went to a public high school. For the first time in my life, I was out of my comfort zone. Being at a public school challenged my faith, strengthened my leadership skills, and forced me to branch out and meet people I would have never encountered otherwise. However, even though being at a public school helped strengthen my faith in ways I would have never guessed, I believe attending a Christian university—like Liberty—is the best choice to further my education. Going to college is new and exciting, but it can also be a demanding and intimidating experience. Being so far away from home, in a different environment,

I could sit here and share with the board a sad story of a young child whose single mother worked the graveyard shift every day of the week, just to provide for her four young children. I could also share how despondent that I felt growing up, and how my mother shopped for my clothes from thrift shops, how she would get excited when she found something named brand for us. But I won't do that, instead I would like to introduce you to a delightfully chaotic little girl named Audriana- Faith. On August 15, 2012 Audriana-Faith was born at 1:41 am, weighing in 6 pounds and 12 ounces. The day my daughter was born was a day embedded in my memory, but it was not the best day of my life. I know that's what you're supposed to say, but becoming a mother

This example of a family’s interesting dynamics that come about can be seen in a show called, “The Fosters.” In this show, the Foster family lives in San Diego where Stef Foster and Lena Adams (in later seasons being Lena Adams-Foster) parent five children, four of them being foster children and one coming from a previous marriage. The children’s names are Brandon (17yrs old), who is the oldest, Mariana (16) and Jesus (16), who are twins that were adopted after Stef and Lena got together, and Callie (17) and Jude (13) who are siblings that both got adopted. Stef is the birth mother of Brandon, coming from a previous relationship with another charater named Mike.

Jason Baldwin was born on February 17, 2008 at Bellevue Hospital located in Manhattan, New York. Mrs. Baldwin, Jason’s mother, gave birth to her son one week post term via a Cesarean at 6 pounds 5 ounces. Jason was declared a healthy baby boy and was discharged three days later. Jason Baldwin currently lives in the Bronx, New York with his mother, Abigail Baldwin, father Joseph Baldwin and his sister Kayla Baldwin. Mr. Joseph Baldwin is 46 years old and was born and raised in Greece, where he completed his bachelors degree. Mr. Baldwin came to the United States in 1997 and is currently self employed. Abigail Baldwin, Jason 's mother, is 36 years old and was also born and raised in Greece, where she received her high school diploma. Mrs. Baldwin came to the United States in 2005 and is currently a nurse at Montefiore Hospital. Jason 's sister, Kayla Baldwin is 15 years old and is currently attending the Bronx Lab High School.

Five years ago I never would have seen myself as a college student at Georgia Southern, I knew I would be in college, but why here? I was so young with my entire highschool life in front of me. I knew I wanted to be a nurse, but I had no idea how to get there. College was obviously in my future, but I never would have guessed I would be at Georgia Southern (a party school). I got here three weeks ago and was honestly still not sure I should be at this school. I have always been known as a “good girl”, so what was I doing here? God always has a reason for the things he does though, so I came here ready to see what hHe was going to do with my life. I found a church and have been actively involved since the day I got here. Now I have a bunch

Sixteen years ago, Skylar Blaize Pichey was born. She was born to a single mother, who got pregnant the first time she had sex. Her mom thought she loved this man, but soon came to realize he was no good when he hit her. She moved back in with her parents and was living with them during this time. Skylar was born 6lbs 6oz, just a little thing. Her mother’s only child, at the time and present day. Her mother fell in love at first sight. She was cared for by her mother and her grandparents, her father was occasionally around to see her, until her mother decided he would not be a part of their lives.

I had a pastor tell me, if I was going to fulfill the call on my life, I needed to go back to school and earn a theological degree. Honestly, I did not think about his advice very much. I already had a Bachelor degree in teaching. We began Donna Renfro Ministries in December 2003. In December 2004, I had the car wreck and my life changed forever this side of Heaven. By 2009, I had physically healed enough to consider degree seeking. Kevin and I made the decision to embark upon the journey of obtaining a Master's Degree at Emmanuel Christian Seminary. Over the course of the last seven years, I have earned two master's degrees and on June 26, 2016 I will graduate with my second doctorate degree. I have attended four separate schools for my graduate degrees. There was no way for any human to predict in 2003 what tribulations my family was going to face, but God knew. However, the pastor who advised me concerning theological degrees had given me the perfect advice for this season of our life. I earned my Master of Biblical Studies, Master of Religious Education, and Doctorate of Biblical Counseling after many surgeries including my first brain surgery. Now, I will graduate with my PhD in Theology after my second brain surgery. Going back to school taught me far more than Greek, Theology, or Christian History. I realized I could still learn, retain information, make goals, and achieve the goals in spite of facing death, an extremely ill child, and having my husband diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which was later changed to NMO. The car wreck took my neck mobility away; but, it did not take my life

This summer, I got to see firsthand the way my liberal arts education impacts the way I share Christ. Along with ten other OBU students, I was given the privilege of serving through the North American Mission Board in Portland, Oregon. My job as a church-planting intern was to build relationships with unbelievers, share Christ with unbelievers, learn what it would be like to actually plant a church, and ultimately, learn to live life on mission.

To begin, I was my mother’s first born. I am the oldest of the biological siblings and for 5 years I was an only sibling, I was treated much different and knew I could get away with more for these first years. After 13 years, my parents adopting my older sister. I was the oldest sibling for 13 years then I was the middle sibling. I was no longer the “rule setter” and instead had more strict rules due to my older sister’s behavior. She also came from a much different background than me and she helped shape me and open my eyes to how different people can be raised.

I was born in November 2000 in Mena, Arkansas, the first child and only daughter of Tommy and Sonya Kyle. I was a fast learner right from the get-go; I began speaking and walking before I was a year old. I was also very curious, and I was constantly asking questions. I spent the days of my childhood at my grandparent’s house, watching PBS TV shows and playing with puzzles and legos, while my parents were at work. When I was three years old my brother Braxton was born, and he joined our grandparents and I during our days.

As you know, I was one of your favorite students but I didn’t get to actually tell you my story. When my two sisters and I lost our mother to breast cancer, I was only seven years old. It seemed like immediately after her death my loving and grateful father remarried. I struggled with reality for years and I felt lost. By the time my twenty-first birthday came I was pregnant. I had little knowledge on anything. Honestly, I missed out on my mother’s reliance on God including her guidance. There were periods of hardship until I finally cleared my mind. I started to listen to my step-mother’s military ways and I took action. I started my education with my dreams in mind and enrolled at Parkland College.

There is not a singular event that has brought me to Colorado Christian University, rather an unexplainable journey that has placed this institution in my path. Since the day I was baptized in the First Baptist Church in Savannah Missouri at the age of 13 I have been avoiding a path that hind sight has shown me very clearly. From the beginning I have usually taken another route than the one I was intended. When I could have been more involved with my faith I typically did not fully engage. I entered college in 1990 with no real direction in mind. I was not invested and I did not succeed, but I also did not follow the still small voice that was calling me to service the lord. I left school after accomplishing very little and joined the military

In the late winter of 1999, Jeff and Lori Desrosiers found out that they would be adding yet another girl to their family. They had already been blessed with three beautiful daughters and, to Jeff’s horror, he would still be the only man in the house. Later in the year, on October 3rd, Lori delivered that fourth daughter, and that fourth daughter was me. I was born into this crazy Desrosiers family and got to be apart of all of their lives.

I, Lauren Lee Svatos, was born on August 4, 1998, at 4:04 P.M. to Chad and Brenda Svatos. My mom, Brenda, was working a night shift at the hospital the day before she was supposed to be induced. The next night she went into labor around midnight. My dad, Chad, drove my mom from Lake Andes, South Dakota, all the way to Gregory, South Dakota, to have me. Once at the hospital, the agonizing sixteen hours of labor began with my dad along for the ride.