by Drew Hines
Director of Development
St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center
The devil is an architect, a mastermind of destruction. For our culture, for our youth, for our loved ones, for us. The unfortunate truth is that he has a plan for our lives and he strikes when we are vulnerable, isolated, and confused. But the devil isn’t the only one with a plan for our lives… Praise God.
I have the privilege of working with college students every day and get to witness just how far God will go to show them the plan He has for their lives and for yours and mine. There are 150+ students committed to weekly Eucharistic Holy Hours, over 450 students in Bible studies, and hundreds of students who are about to hear the Gospel from their peers—the sheer size and energy of the faithful college population is overwhelming. I could share statistics all day long—the students in OCIA, student leaders going on retreat, the number of Greek houses with Bible studies, etc. but I think the most powerful witness is from the students themselves.
One young woman who graduated in May said she started seeing last year that her faith isn’t just another part of her life. She told me, “It’s the place from which everything should flow. It’s not just an isolated thing, it’s truly a source of life. That is not at all how I saw it to be before college.”
Another student shared about her experience of committing to a weekly Eucharistic holy hour.
“The days I had my holy hour I noticed a general peace and just ability to deal with stress,” she said. “I signed up for a holy hour every year after that. The Sacraments are so accessible here. That’s the bread and butter.”
Despite the many strategies we’ve put in place and efforts we make to help students encounter the Lord, the truth is God doesn’t actually need us. God doesn’t need us to save our college students. He doesn’t need us to do any of the hundred things we do to engage students. But, God also didn’t need to become man, yet chose to anyway. In doing so, he chose to invite us to participate in His plan, the plan He has for us and for the students on campus and to help others encounter Him. The Lord has a plan for young people’s lives. He has a plan for our lives. ”For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
These stories, these students, and just actively viewing the Lord at work cause me to be very grateful for the small way I get to be a part of the ministries at the Newman Center. I’m thankful to be frequently inspired by the students and reminded that the Lord continues to have a plan for my life.
