Reflective Journal: Colorado Christian University

On October 27, 2016, we met to obtain clarification on your work destinations and work performed on the day prior.

The event or experience in my life that will influence my academic work and goals here at Colorado Christian University (CCU) is much more than a single event. I believe that everything in my life that has brought me to CCU to further my education and pursue God’s calling: helping people.

For me, and probably many of my fellow students, higher education always seemed like a foregone conclusion: I never questioned if I was going to college, just where. No other options ever occurred to me. After working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other options have become brutally clear. When I'm back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy re-writes seems like a cop-out after seeing what I would be doing without school. All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound trite now ring true."(Braaksma,

Ever since I can remember I have always been passionate about helping other people, which then sparked my desire to continue my education. As I began to grow older I witnessed my four brothers drop out of high school, and that lead to the expectation

I have thought long and hard about a specific event in my life that has influenced me, my

I am writing this essay concerning myself and my experience that will take place with Colorado Christian University. I believe CCU will be a very good place to start and pursue my education. Just to know that its a Faith Based Organization and College is good enough for me. I have been wanting to get back into school to further my education for a long time now and because of many obstacles and procrastinating on my part has delayed the process. But I believe that if its going to happen for me and my family then its now or never. This will help enhance my knowledge in what I already know to help me become A better Pastor and In the Educational Field. Just to let you know a little bit about myself I am the Senior Pastor and Founder Of The Worship

Occasionally, I sit back and think what if I hadn’t dropped out of high school. What if I had not joined the Army? What if that What if this. I was compelled to tell myself for every wrong turn, I made; it was my way to succeed in making the right turn. Life hurls a curve ball, and you have to maneuver yourself to catch it. With an unyielding mind and determination; the wrong turn can be the right one However, it is the way we were supposed to follow that curve ball with the anticipation of will I catch it, or will I drop it. Going back to school to obtain a degree will improve my quality of life, strengthen my self-esteem, and grant me knowledge to obtain exceptional opportunities.

Over the past two years, Oklahoma Baptist University has proven to be a life-changing place for me. I have learned not just about studying and preparing myself for a future career, but also invaluable truths and life lessons that I will never forget.

Ever since I started to seriously think about my future, I had aspirations of getting a degree and becoming a professional. Specific careers have changed constantly, ranging from becoming a teacher to an engineer. As I got older, I began to assess my strengths and weaknesses as well as my likes and dislikes. I know a college education is essential in today’s economy and society. Doors are opened to those with college degrees and a better lifestyle is guaranteed. A college education is not only economically beneficial but intellectually as well, for it provides a unique learning experience as it caters to an individual’s interests

He went on to tell me that in his experience, education never ends. “Even if you go to college and get a PhD, you still learn new things every day.” After he went to all of his formal education, he got a job, got married, and had a kid. Then, the recession hit. In a way that made him seem distant, he said, “I was 49 years old, unemployed for the first time in my life, and had a kid to raise.” During this time, he learned more about the world than he ever did in

I think that by pursuing an education I will have more opportunities available to me to help my community and my family. I am working towards a degree in Liberal Studies which I will use to become a multiple subject accredited teacher. Once I achieve my goal of a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies I would like to continue my education through a graduate program. I am motivated to pursue a college degree because neither of my parents finished college, and therefore I would like to be the first one in my family to do so.

Although I stumbled quite a bit along the way, taking courses that challenged me mentally, making grades that aren’t indicative of my true performance in a course while searching for a major and career I would be passionate about, at least I was afforded a chance to do so. My education became more than just an academic pursuit; it became

I graduated high school at age sixteen; looking back, I didn’t think I had too many options when it came to continuing my education. I grew up as the youngest of eight children in a single parent family unit, who would experience financial hardship and make ends meet by receiving a lot of hand me downs. Attending school every day was essential not because of education, but because it was a way for my siblings and me to be guaranteed to eat a healthy meal at least five days a week. My mother worked hard and long hours, which meant there was no time for learning or getting any help with school work. I was not a very good student and the majority of people, including my high school teachers did not anticipate me furthering my education as an adult. The premise would be that I get married and start a family and that’s exactly what I did.

It has been a long and hard road toward obtaining my higher learning credentials. Immediately after high school I attended college, falling short academically in my first several years of college led me to be to believe that I wasn’t smart enough to attend college. At the base of my soul, I knew I was college material, I just needed the right tools to exert that drive and ambition. On and off again routine of my educational pursuit led me to the disgust of own myself. At the age of 31, I reach my breaking point, thinking I will never graduate with my bachelor’s degree. Most people pursue higher learning to increase their earning potential but at that point in my life, I reached my financial goal. A coworker told me about the University of

As I continue to reevaluate my life and all that I had dreamed and hoped for myself when I reach my mid thirties, I did not think I would be still in school trying to get an education. Reflecting back on my past experiences and decisions I made I would have done a lot of things different. Life seems to bring about maturity, perseverance and determination in people and I believe at this point in my life I am determined to succeed because I have been battling a college degree on and off for the past 15years. Pretty sad to admit but reality has finally set in and I have decided that