It’s difficult to be honest with one person, even more so with a group of nearly 300 people.  It’s hard to be vulnerable with one person, even more so with a group of nearly 300 people.  And that’s just what God asked me to do tonight.

I shared my story with professors, chapel and worship directors, my friends and my peers tonight, and let me tell you – it was probably one of the hardest things I have done, but easily one of the most important things I have done as well.  I hope that people were able to see my honesty and my vulnerability tonight, and that they walked away with hope and encouragement for their own situations and problems.  I hope that God was able to speak to people through my words tonight and that they were touched by what He has done in my life.

There’s no doubt in my mind that some people will now treat me differently, but from most of the reactions I saw tonight, I think many people won’t.  I saw friends riveted to the words I was speaking, I saw the shock in people’s eyes when they heard some of the things I said.  I heard the applause when I thanked my sister for being so awesome and for being there for me in the ups and in the downs.  I heard the response when I said, “God is good.”  I heard the room start to quiet when I began asking questions specific to many people’s circumstances.  I felt the prayers of my friends lifting me up as I spoke.  I saw good friends cry.  I cried.  I heard the response in people’s voice when the band played “In Christ Alone.”  I heard from so many people the encouragement to keep telling my story and to let Christ keep shining through my life.  I’ve also been hugged so many times, and have appreciated every one.  🙂

I’ve begun to think that this chapel speech was more for me than for the people I was speaking to.  Perhaps this was God’s way of showing me that I shouldn’t be silent, and that I should use my story for his glory.  Perhaps this was God’s way of telling me that it’s never going to be easy to share my story with people, but that I should keep sharing it all the same.  Maybe this is also the way that God is showing me again how much I need friends like Rachael, Lydia, Bria, Brandon, Ariel, Molly, Jen, Hannah, Helen, Ian, Kerry, Laura, Brenna, Ruth, Roland, Jared, Dr. Tshudy, Dr. Boyd, Katie, my swim team, and so many others.  Thank you to all of you, whether you read this or not, for being those people I can lean on and share with and care for.  You all mean so much to me, and I’m so glad that God has brought you into my life.  May God bless you as you continue to shine his light through your lives.

If you want the text of what I said tonight, feel free to let me know, and I’ll send it your way.  But for now, Thanks be to God, who is made perfect in our weakness and whose power is evident in my life.