CeliaLeibow

Dr.Cooper
COMM494:SeniorSeminar
PersonalCredo
Sincetheverybeginningofmyeducationcareer,startinginKindergarten,ithasbeen
consistentlyaskedeachyearwhatdoyouwanttobewhenyougrowup?InkindergartenI
answeredbysayingIwantedtobeavet,infifthgradeIwantedtobeanactress,andinhigh
schoolIsaidIwantedtobeateacher.However,eachtimethisquestionwasasked,aspecific
answerwasalwaysrequired,anIdontknowwasneverasufficientanswer.Inschool,
studentsaretrained,sotospeak,tocommunicatewhotheyaregoingtobebygivingasinglejob
title,usuallyonethatiswidelyacceptedasordeemedsuccessfulbyourculture.WhenIfirst
startedcollege,suddenlymyanswertothisquestionwasntsosimpleanymore.IthoughtI
wantedtobeateacher,andtriedtofitthatmoldbutitjustwasntme.MyjunioryearofcollegeI
changedmymajorfromEducationtoCommunication.AsImadethischange,Iwasinfatuated
withtheideathatbeingaCommunicationmajormeantIhadsomanyoptionsanddoorsopen
becauseitwassuchabroadmajor.ItwasduringthisyearofchangethatforthefirsttimeIdid
nothaveasufficientanswerforthis.Infact,forthefirsttimeIdidnthaveananswertogiveat
all.ItwasduringthisyearwhereIbegantorealizethatwearentshellsofhumanbeingsuntilwe
achieveacertaincareerorjobtitle.Ibegantotrulyunderstandthatlifeisntaboutwaitinguntil
wevereachedacertainpointforourlivestobeginorthatmyidentityisnotinwhatjobIhave.
AsIreflectonthemanyuncertaintiesthathavearisenthroughoutmycollegecareer,especially
inthesefinalmomentsasasenior,IhaveseenmyselfgrowandtransformintothewomanGod

hascreatedmetobe,whetherIhaveknownwhatIamgoingtodoornotIhavebecomemore
sureofwhoIaminChrist.AsIpreparetoleaveWheaton,andentertheadultworldIhopeto
usethispersonalcredoasaguidingpointofhowIwanttolivemylifeasadaughterofChrist
andasacommunicator.Inmylife,Iwanttocommunicate,bothinwordandaction,myidentity
inChrist,myheartforservingothers,mypassionforadventure,andmyloveforlaughter.Iwant
mylifetoboldlycommunicatewhoIam,beyondjustwhatmyjobis.
Throughoutmycollegecareer,therehavebeenmanytimeswhereIhavequestionedwho
IamorwhatIwantedtodowithmylife.SomanytimesIhavelinkedmyidentitywithwhat
careerpathIwaschoosing,andinthemomentswhereIwasuncertainofwhatIwantedtodoI
feltasthoughIdidnthaveasecureidentity,whichislargelyinpartbecausethatiswhatwas
constantlycommunicatedtomegrowingup.However,scriptureexplicitlytellsuswhoweareis
notrootedinourworksratheritisinourHeavenlyFather.Ephesiansclearlycommunicates
whereouridentityisrooted:
ForweareGodshandiwork,
createdinChristJesustodogoodworks,
whichGodpreparedinadvanceforustodo
WhenweunderstandthatwearemadeinGodsimageandweareHischildren,when
thisbecomesthetruestthingaboutusthewayweliveandcommunicatewiththosearoundus
changesdrastically.Myidentityisnolongerboundbymyplans,ratheritisrootedinthefact
thatIamachildofGod,createdwithaspecificpurpose.Ephesiansgoesontoexplainhowwe
aretoliveoutourlifeandcommunicatewithothersaschildrenofGod:
Becompletelyhumbleandgentle;bepatient,bearingwithoneanotherinlove.

MakeeveryefforttokeeptheunityoftheSpiritthroughthebondofpeace.Thereisone
bodyandoneSpirit,justasyouwerecalledtoonehopewhenyouwerecalled;oneLord,one
faith,onebaptism;oneGodandFatherofall,whoisoverallandthroughallandinall.
IbelievewearecalledtoliveandcommunicateasisoutlinedinEphesians.Ibelievewe
aretocommunicatewithlove,peace,andhumilitywithoneanotheraschildrenofGod.As
followersofJesus,IbelieveweshouldactandliveinawaythatcommunicatesHisloveand
humility.IfIamlivingandcommunicatinginawaythatalignswiththisscripture,thenIdont
needtobeworriedaboutifImchoosingtherightjoboraboutfindingmyidentityinwhatcareer
pathIamchoosingbecausemycallingandpurposeliesinmebeingadaughterofGod.WhenI
amlivingoutscriptureandcommunicatinginawaythatalignswiththesepassagesIam
fulfillingmypurposeandlivingoutmyidentity.
AsIreflectontimeswhereIhavefeltlostorconfusedastowhatIamdoingIcanthelp
butthinkofoneofmyfavoriteC.S.LewisquotesfromMereChristianity.Lewiswrites:
Imagineyourselfasalivinghouse.Godcomesintorebuildthathouse.
Atfirst,perhaps,youcanunderstandwhatHeisdoing.Heisgettingthedrainsrightand
stoppingtheleaksintheroofandsoon;youknewthatthosejobsneededdoingandso
youarenotsurprised.ButpresentlyHestartsknockingthehouseaboutinawaythat
hurtsabominablyanddoesnotseemtomakeanysense.WhatonearthisHeupto?The
explanationisthatHeisbuildingquiteadifferenthousefromtheoneyouthoughtof
throwingoutanewwinghere,puttingonanextrafloorthere,runninguptowers,making
courtyards.Youthoughtyouwerebeingmadeintoadecentlittlecottage:butHeis
buildingapalace.HeintendstocomeandliveinitHimself

LewiswritesaboutawillingnessinustoletGodworkinusandtrustHim.AsIthink
backontimeswhereIfeltsoconfusedandsolost,IcanthelpbutthinkaboutthewayIreacted
tounpredictableeventsthatarose.Thereweretimeswherethemoreoutofcontrolmylifefelt,
themoreItriedtotakecontrolofitmyself.AsIgrewdeeperinmyrelationshipwithJesus,
Lewisquotebegantoringtruer.Thispastyear,assomanyuncertaintieshavearisen,andso
manyplanshavechanged,IamremindedthatGodisbuildinganewhouseinme.TimeswhereI
havefeltinthedarkmostorscaredoftheunknownsofenteringtheadultworldafter
graduationIamremindedthatGodisequippingmeandpreparingmeforHisplans.Itisinthese
timeswherefaithtrulycomesintoplay,trustingthatalthougheverythingfeelslikeitisin
shamblesthattheLordisgoodandfaithfulandhasapurposeforourlives.Ibelieveweareto
liveinawaythatcommunicatesthiswillingness,faithfulness,andtrustinHimandHisplan.I
wanttolivemylifeinawaythatallowsGodtobuildmeintothehouseHehasplannedforme
tobe,andnotthehouseIwanttobe.Iwanttolivemylifeinawaythatcommunicatestothose
aroundmethatmystrengthcomesfromHimandthatItrustHiminalltimes,evenwhen
everythingseemstobegoingawry.
AsIfurtherreflectonuncertaintimeswherefaithinHisplancarriedmethrough,Ithink
ofchallengesthatarosethatthwartedmefromtrustinginHiswill.Themostfrequenthindrance
inmywillingnesstoallowGodtobuildmeintowhateverhouseHewantsmetobewas
comparison.Itisinthemomentswheremylifefeelsasthoughnothingisundercontrol,andI
feellikeIamamessIstartlookingatotherpeopleandcomparingmyselftothem.Thisiswhere
thedownwardspiralbegins,andthefaithinHiswillstartstodisappear.Therewasoneinstance
inparticular,whenIwasservingataYoungLifecamptwosummersago.DuringtheweekIwas

leadingIfeltincredibleinsecurethatthehighschoolstudentsIwasleadingdidntlikemeandI
feltcompletelyinadequatetobeaYoungLifeleader.AsIgaveintotheselies,Ibegan
comparingmyselfandmyrelationshipswithhighschoolstudentstotheotherleadersthatwere
there.Oneofmyleaderspulledmeasideandtalkedtome,andsomethingtheysaidtomethat
day,andcontinuetosaytome,wasCelia,remember,comparisonisthethiefofjoy.Youallare
onthesameteam,lovingthesehighschoolersandshowingthemwhoJesusis.Thisis
somethingthathasstuckwithmeeversince.Godhascreatedusall,uniquelyandwonderful,to
furtherHiskingdomandproclaimHislove.Whenwestartcomparingourselvestootherswe
growdissatisfiedinwhoweareandwhowewerecreatedtobe.Weareremindedin1
Corinthians12:46thatwehaveallbeengivendifferentgiftstousetofurtherHisKingdom.The
passagestates:
Therearedifferentkindsofgifts,butthesameSpiritdistributesthem.
Therearedifferentkindsofservice,butthesameLord.
Therearedifferentkindsofworking,
butinallofthemandineveryoneitisthesameGodatwork
ScriptureinformsusthattheSpirithasgivenusalldifferentgiftsandtalents,andallofus
usingthemmakesupthebodyofChrist.Wedontneedtocompareourselvestoeachother
becauseaschildrenofGod,HecreatedusallwithspecificgiftstousetofurtherHisKingdom.I
wanttoliveandcommunicateinawaythatreflectsthis.HenriNouwenwritesinhisbook,
Compassion,abouthowsooftenweusecompetitionagainsteachotherasameasuringstickof
whoweareandawaytomotivateandvalidateourselves.Hecontinuestowrite,Inandthrough
Christwereceiveanewidentitythatenablesustosay,IamnottheesteemIcancollectthrough

competition,buttheloveIfreelyreceivedfromGod(Nouwen21).Itisunnecessarytocompare
ourselvestooneanotherbecausethevalidationwehoetoreceiveisnotsomethingwecanearn,
butisgiventousthroughhim.Iwanttolivemylifeinlinewiththisscriptureandcommunicate
inawaythatbuildsothersupandencouragestheminusingtheirgiftstoglorifyHim.Ibelieveit
isimportanttoliveandcommunicateinawaythatisntjealousordoesntdiscourageandput
othersdown,butratherinalovingwaythatcelebratestheirgifts.
Injusttwoshortmonths,Iwillbewalkingatgraduationandreceivingmydiploma,
officiallyendingmycareeratWheatonCollegeandenteringtherealadultworld.AsIthink
aboutthisdayandthefuture,myhopeisthatIwillreflect,live,andcommunicateinawaythat
accuratelyportrayswhoIamasachildofGod.AsIreflectonmytimeatWheaton,Ihopeto
usewhatIhavelearnedinmycourses,bothacademicallyaswellaspersonally,tofurtherHis
KingdomandbringglorytoHisname.Ibelieveitisnecessarytocommunicateinawaythatis
just,thatshowsloveforothers,andthatbuildsandstrengthenstheothermemberoftheBody.I
believeitisnecessarytoliveinawaythatreflectsfullrelianceontheLordandfaithfulnessin
Hisplan.AsIpreparetoleaveWheatonIpraytotakewhatIhavelearnedhereandusethis
knowledgetoliveandcommunicateinanaccordinglywaytomybeliefs,beingalightinthe
world.

Works Cited
"Ephesians 2:10." The Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version Containing the Old and New
Testaments. New York: T. Nelson, 1952. N. pag. Print.
"Ephesians 4:2-6." The Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version Containing the Old and New
Testaments. New York: T. Nelson, 1952. N. pag. Print.
Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. New York: MacMillan Pub., 1952. Print.
McNeill, Donald P., Douglas A. Morrison, Henri J. M. Nouwen, and Joel Filrtiga. Compassion,
a Reflection on the Christian Life. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
"1 Corinthians 12:4-6." The Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version Containing the Old and New
Testaments. New York: T. Nelson, 1952. N. pag. Print.