I found throughout my time at Neumann that my faith in God has grown and I know that it will only continue to grow. College presents to us many challenges that we have to overcome. Challenges in school, family life, work, and in relationships can be overwhelming at times. Keeping faith in God can help lead us in the right direction.

Tonight’s Gospel from Luke (21:5-19) discusses how many challenges would be presented to the followers of Jesus. Through following Christ, they could be persecuted and put to death. The last sentence of the Gospel of Luke states, “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” Following Jesus through all the hardships may be difficult. Just like for his original followers, leaving Christ behind could be a temptation for us, but through persevering our lives will be saved. The persistent love of God will save us during our hardest moments. My faith in God has grown due to my perseverance in my love for Him. I have had many hard times the last couple of years but I continue to choose God. Going forward in my life I know that if hardships occur, and I know they will, I can turn to God for guidance. We must not forget that God is with us not only in the good times, but also the bad. I believe that God is more present when we are living through hardships. Many might think that God is absent in those times, but I believe it is the complete opposite. During the good times God is walking along side of us, but during the hard times God is carrying us. I believe that Neumann, through Campus Ministry, has given all of us a great opportunity to be proud of our faith and to express that faith in the service of others. I am very thankful for Campus Ministry and what they bring to this university. I can’t wait to continue my faith journey through Neumann and see where it takes me.