Coming into my freshmen year, I was almost expecting to fall away from my faith by getting caught up in the stereotypical freshman scene. That all changed when I got a text from, Clare Tichawa, who is now my bible study leader. When she first told me about SLS I blew it off and didn’t even consider going, but a few weeks later I felt moved by the Holy Spirit and found myself in Fr. Vogel’s office signing up. Leading up to the trip I had many second thoughts about going and was very anxious considering I hardly knew anyone else going. That changed the second I stepped into the conference center and became overwhelmed by a feeling that the Lord was about to do great things. The entire conference blew me away. It was a HUGE conversion moment for me. My relationship with Christ has since grown in incredible ways and continues to grow daily, but this would not be possible without the amazing friends that He placed into my life at SLS. Friends that were so welcoming and who are true witnesses of God’s love. Friends that strive to live virtuous lives and glorify the kingdom daily, that are running right alongside me in my faith journey. At SLS, the beginning of many authentic, deep, and beautiful relationships were rooted. Relationships that have changed my life and will last a lifetime. Now, I can’t imagine my life if I had never stepped foot in the Newman Center or at that conference. I thank Our Lord every day for the many graces He has given me, truths He has revealed to me, and friendships he has brought to me through both the Newman Center and FOCUS. 3
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