Leaving for college and adapting to a new area away from
family and friends is never easy for any high school graduate. Adjusting from seeing parents, brothers,
sisters, nieces, and nephews everyday to only visiting once a semester is very
challenging for most students. At times,
loneliness, heart ache, and frustration from missing loved ones distract many college students from tackling the important tasks they have at
hand such as studying for tests, completing homework assignments, or even fun
activities like eating and hanging out
with friends.
As for myself, I had to
face these struggles a year early. I
decided to move to Virginia during my senior year of high school in order to establish
relationships and make myself comfortable before attending a Christian university just as I had always dreamed.
In early September last year, my father and I packed our bags and jumped
on a plane to Lynchburg, Virginia. The
very next day, I attended my first day of school at Liberty Christian
Academy. Though I was in a completely
new place with completely new people, God blessed me with an indescribable
peace with which I was so grateful for. I
did not feel at home, but I knew God was always there with me, and He would
always provide.
Still, coming from the outskirts of the city of
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I felt very misplaced in a small town surrounded by
trees, mountains, and an endless amount of country and the accent that comes
along with it. As my father and I drove
around to explore and familiarize ourselves with the roads and buildings, I
planned for our adventure to last at least two hours, but was quite disappointed
when we finished within twenty minutes. We returned to our hotel and it was at this moment that missing home
really hit me hard.
A few weeks later we
began to look for a house to live in so my mom and sister could move down with
us. It wasn’t until the beginning of
November last year that we found an apartment that we decided would be our new
home. Later that week, my dad drove to
Wisconsin and brought my mom and sister back to Virginia to live with us. This was a big moment for me because at this
time my parents were separated and had been since my freshman year of high
school. My sister had been living with
my mom in their own apartment, and my dad and I had been living with my
grandma.
Even with my family back
together and all living under one roof, I did not feel completely at home here
in the town of Lynchburg, VA. I
continued through the school year believing God would continue to keep my heart
at peace and one day give me the sense the satisfaction of Liberty being my
home. Throughout the year, I gained some
new relationships but none that really stuck or encouraged me at the spiritual
level I had desired. Graduation flew by
and soon I found myself packing my belongings to move in to the dorm. I was sure by now that God would have given
me that warm, comfortable relief of finally feeling at home here at Liberty, but
still I found myself moving again and far from the feeling of home.
As basketball practices and classes began to
start, I began to develop a love for college.
I spent most of my time with my team at practice, sitting together in
convocation, eating meals after practice, on team outings, and just chilling in
the dorm. Without knowing it, I began to
warm up to my team really fast. They are
by far the nicest bunch of girls ever combined on a basketball team, and I must
say some of the most gorgeous girls also!
Never once have I ever heard our team talk badly about another teammate behind
her back or to her face.
Our team is
constantly encouraging one another with high fives, words of gratitude,
spontaneous notes left in our lockers, or even baked goods just to make
everyone know they are important and loved.
No one is ever left behind in anything.
Personally, I struggle when it comes to endurance and every time I am
struggling, my team is always there to cheer me on and run with me even when
they are not required to. Whenever I am
corrected by a coach, immediately afterward I hear my teammates say, “You got it next time Mo” or
“Keep your head up, you’re doing great.”
I cannot count how many hugs and times I am told I am loved by my team
every day.
One major thing the upper
classmen so that really touches me is they treat us freshman like we are anyone
else on the team. We are never looked
down upon because we are freshman, nor do we ever have to carry the luggage or
gear like other freshman around the country do. Also, sometimes freshmen have to do silly things like dance and sing in
front of Wal-Mart to be initiated to the team.
Our team is different. We did
not have to humiliate ourselves in order to become a part of the team; instead
we were accepted with love and open arms just as Jesus does for His
children.
I came to realization of all
this on my birthday this year. I have
received much better gifts and spent the day doing more exciting things than
having basketball practice and going to class, but never have I had a birthday
where I felt more important. My team
went out of their way to make me feel special.
I was almost tackled a few times by the hugs I received. They captivated my heart when I saw the
excitement they had for me because it was my birthday.
That moment was life changing for
me. Not only because I could see and feel
Jesus’ love through my teammates, but also because at that moment, I realized I
had finally found my HOME! Though
Lynchburg Virginia may be made up of trees, dirt roads, and lots and lots of
country, it is the place that brought my family back together, the place that
has provided a Christian university with so many great Christian people, and
blessed me with a team that makes it feel like home - a team with a flame burning fiercely
for Christ that cannot be shut out, blown out, or put out!
Go Flames!
-Moriah Begin #13
