A Connection with the Divine

Student leaders are inspired to come to know Christ and make him better know to others

It occurred to me during our small group discussion that “worry” and “trust” would be recurring and common themes during and beyond the retreat—we had read Luke the day before: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”; now, we had finished reading the story of Jesus walking on water, and were contemplating about the implications of its deeper meaning in our lives. I was enlightened by a conversation with a small group member, entering into a deep discussion about knowing when and how to “step out of the boat”. We agreed that staying within the safety of the comfort zone by having one foot in and one foot out doesn’t cut it. Following a new calling, she noted, entails learning to be bold; in order to venture out, one must eventually learn to set aside fears and doubts. It dawned on me then, the power of trust in helping us overcome the impeding consequences of worry. And so during the closing prayer, I prayed for her, that she would be able to wholeheartedly trust in what God has planned and find peace in what she feels called to do.

Walking outside at the end of the day, listening to the waves crashing against the cliff, and watching the sun set where the glistening sea surface meets the horizon brought on a sense of calm and spiritual awareness that kept me rejuvenated, unwaveringly peaceful, and wonderfully blissful this entire week. Returning from the retreat, I hope to live my faith not out of a sense of duty, but as a disciple of His son so that I might come to know Christ and make Him better known.

Victoria Fan (’18) is a junior at Stanford studying neurobiology and chemistry