When I stepped foot onto campus, I felt like a fish out of water.

Here I was, a native of one of the most liberal states in the US, coming from an entirely public-school background—and a pioneer of sorts, as the only believer in my family. I was entirely outside my element. I was scared of all the unknowns that were ahead of me, but I knew there was no better place to make the transition into adulthood than a school committed to my spiritual growth.

I lacked the spiritual foundation that is critical for any believer to have, and I was at the right place to build it. After high school, I planned to either not go to college or attend a secular university. Yet, as we know, Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” His ways for me were far beyond anything I could have asked or imagined (Ephesians 3:20). Looking back on who I was on the first day, I can see that the Lord was preparing to do a great work in me.

Although many things were foreign to me, TMU was the perfect introduction to the Christian life I didn’t have back at home. Everywhere I looked were professors who taught their subject from a biblical worldview and had a genuine care for their students.

In the dorms, I found likeminded peers who were serious about their walk with God. Leaders around campus became mentors who challenged me as I began forming my own convictions about God and His Word. And every single week, chapels, classes, Bible studies, and my church kept exposing me to the richness of Scripture. I fell in love with the Bible more and more over the years and then watched it come to life in Israel for a semester.

In particular, the faculty and staff have had a unique place in my heart. In the classroom, I’ve watched my professors express their enduring love for the Lord and have also had the privilege of witnessing how that changes the way they live as spouses, parents, and friends.

I’ve sat in their offices as a student while they patiently answered question after question. I also received counsel and care as a sister in Christ. Galatians 3:28 is truly lived out, in that there is no division between peers and superiors at this school. We are all united and equal in Christ.

My professors told me early on, “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.” Indeed, it has been humbling to learn this lesson—as most students eventually do. However, the thing I’m most grateful for in my time at TMU is that the goal was never to impart all knowledge to me. Rather, the goal is to train believers to use their gifts and passions in whatever vocation God calls them to, so that all will be done for the glory of our Master (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Whether in science, music, business, English, or athletics, TMU teaches its students how to worship God with the talents He’s provided. I’ve not learned all there is to know, but I’ve been equipped with the right tools to be a light in a dark world and to practically grow in God’s Word.

As my college career quickly comes to an end, I still feel a little uneasy about the unknowns ahead. But I can confidently say that I now have that spiritual foundation I was looking for. I’ve been well-trained to think biblically about the world and my circumstances, and I have total confidence that no matter what happens, God’s Word will be a sufficient guide to all that comes my way. I can confidently say that the effects of my days at TMU will endure long after my tassel is moved to the left side.

I will forever remember the growth and change that the Lord accomplished in me over the last three years, and I will forever praise His name for sovereignly bringing me to The Master’s University.