Anna's Semester Reflections

Okay, so this semester was the fastest semester of my life. I do not understand where the time went. Originally, I kind of figured that I would learn all of my life lessons my freshman year of college, but no. I have arrived at the conclusion that no matter what stage of life you and I are in, we will always be learning and growing in God. Fifth semester in college, and let me tell ya, it has been a time for sure. 

This semester has been a whirlwind for me, but so good at the same time. There have been new things that I have been involved with and so many new people that I have met, yet I am also involved with some of the same things as the years before which allows me to see the ways that I have grown and how the Lord has been faithful. One of the most exciting new things that has happened this semester is the fact that I have been blessed with an amazing job as a Biola University Student Ambassador where I get to serve prospective students just like you everyday! I have the most genuine staff of people that I work alongside and I am encouraged by them daily. This semester has brought its fair share of hardships and challenges, but one of the biggest joys and lights amidst all of that has been the opportunity to serve you guys with the most amazing staff of people. I prayed about this job for years, and God knew. Way to go God. 

If you have read any of my other posts from before, you will know that I am a dancer on the Biola Dance Team. I absolutely love my team, yet it brought a new share of hardships this year, many of them unforeseen. However, through it all, I have seen a sisterhood and community unlike any other who are all rooted in Christ rise up and stand up for one another. As the captain of the team this year, it was beautiful and moving to see. I know that God is so evidently working through this team this year, and as captain I have learned so many lessons about true leadership, encouragement, empowerment, and how to bring Christ into all that you do.

I have also been so, so blessed by friendships this year. Because I am halfway through my third year in college, I have a lot of the same friends that I have had from freshman year and those friendships have been growing and deepening and I am so blessed by them. While in freshman and sophomore year, I saw my friend groups expand and grow like crazy and I was meeting people left and right, junior year has for sure been a year where my friendships have deepened and became more true. I have seen the Lord and His goodness, faithfulness, and graciousness in the way that I have the most amazing friends who are all established in Him. Because my friends and I have a two year foundation where we have been getting to know one another for who we really are, I feel as though this year we were able to take that even deeper. And so, even though you may be worried or nervous or maybe super excited to make new friends at Biola, it still takes time and work to establish those deeply rooted friendships. I have been so blessed this semester to feel more solidified with my friendships. They have been the biggest blessing at Biola. 

And while this semester has brought so many blessings as I have mentioned above, there have also been a substantial amount of hardships I have experienced, yet I have seen the faithfulness of God more than ever before. Over the summer I went to Rwanda, Africa for my fourth time on a missions trip. While I was there, I learned more than ever before the importance and great calling we have on our lives to carry the name of God well wherever we go. That is how we do mission. Of course that includes Rwanda, Africa, yet that also includes everywhere that you and I go. We need to carry the name of God in those situations as well. From the classes we are in, the teams we are on, the extra-curriculars we are involved with, the people we live with, and in all that we encounter, you and I are called to carry the name of God well into those situations. Coming to this realization over the summer has shifted the way I thought of my life at its essential core. Everywhere I go I need to carry the name of God well, and for me that means that I need to constantly be reminding and encouraging others to know that their true worth is only found in the Lord. In all that I encounter throughout each and every day, I need to missionally carry the name of God well into those moments and remind those around me of who they truly are. And I have seen that radically transform my year and the way I act with others. We should always be carrying His name well, literally wherever we go. 

My entire life I have questioned my worth and if I am enough for people. At Biola, I have seen how my mind has drastically changed and the Lord has grabbed ahold of my heart. He has transformed me to know that there is nothing that I can do on this earth to make me better or more valuable to Him. The reason we all have an inherent worth and value is because of what Jesus did for us over two thousand years ago. I have truly been learning this year that if I want to see the value of others in who they truly are in the Lord, I need to first see myself with that value. I need to see myself as a beloved and worthy child of God and then I will be able to recognize the inherent value that all have and deserve. You, my friend, have so much value, and I pray you know that. 

This year brings so many unknowns as well. I think about the future more than ever and what I am going to do post-college now that I am over halfway through my college career. With that, it brings a whole new level of faith and trust I need to have in the Lord and in the fact that He has a perfect and sovereign plan for my life, and your life. It for sure is nerve racking to think about life after college and all of those different factors, but this semester I have been really learning how to lean into the fact that our God has a perfect plan for our lives. 

Well, that’s been my semester! God has been so good and so present, even with so much hardship. Spring 2020, BRING IT ON. 

With Grace, 

Anna Gus