Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of one day traveling the world. To know a myriad of languages, to understand a colorful smattering of cultures, and to become well-versed in different global traditions, in my eyes, was the zenith of living- what more could fulfill the soul? Despite the often heartache-inducing desire to experience the world for what it is, the yearning to help people always trumped the longing to travel. I remember being only a few years old, wobbling around, holding a plastic stethoscope in my chubby toddler hands to my little sister’s head, not knowing how to use the tool but wanting to help anyway. Though those silly games have long passed, I have fallen in love with simple servitude. The bringing of a cool glass of water to my mom when she lays sick in bed, the drawing of curtains when my little sister’s head hurts because she needs to rest, the washing of a scratch when one of the little kids I babysit falls and scrapes her hand. Medicine--nursing, while particular in the types of medications you give, the doses, and proper care of a unique and valuable human life, at its heart, is the same- simple service. Yes, nurses must be intelligent, calculated, driven, and have excellent interpersonal skills, but they must also be selfless, patient, compassionate, and, more than anything else, loving. My ultimate goal is to be a missionary and to share the hope and love of Jesus Christ. In my life and maturing of my faith, I’ve come to know Jesus as many different things: provider, friend, savior, comforter, and lover of my soul. Something I think we forget all too often is that Jesus is the Greatest Physician- healing our aches, worries, and the rifts in our hearts that nothing else ever could. By going to nursing school, I have the opportunity to travel around the world as a traveling nurse while serving in mission work. In many third-world countries where a mission would take place, all that people need are simple injections, pills, or technology that American doctors have on hand. By being able to go and take care of sick people and demonstrate genuine love for patients, there is an opportunity to open the doors of a conversation where hope is present. Yes, you are healed from your physical ailments, but have you heard of Yeshua, who can cure you of any sickness or disease AND of the sorrow and the worries you carry too? Yahweh, who loves you so much that He sent His beloved Son to die for you so that you could be with Him, should you believe? Whether or not I end up doing mission work abroad by getting my BSN, I am ready to take care of people wherever I go. With the ultimate goal to make a difference in people’s lives, nursing will prepare me with the skills I need to fulfill that goal. I plan to attend Ouachita Baptist University this fall and, in my sophomore year, apply to the nursing program. While at OBU, I will have opportunities to intern at different medical centers. Post graduation, I will take the nursing exam (NCLEX). Afterward, I plan to work in a hospital for a few years, saving money and becoming better acquainted with nursing, and then head into global missions, taking my education, hope, and love for Christ and people with me.

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of one day traveling the world. To know a myriad of languages, to understand a colorful smattering of cultures, and to become well-versed in different global traditions, in my eyes, was the zenith of living- what more could fulfill the soul? Despite the often heartache-inducing desire to experience the world for what it is, the yearning to help people always trumped the longing to travel. I remember being only a few years old, wobbling around, holding a plastic stethoscope in my chubby toddler hands to my little sister’s head, not knowing how to use the tool but wanting to help anyway. Though those silly games have long passed, I have fallen in love with simple servitude. The bringing of a cool glass of water to my mom when she lays sick in bed, the drawing of curtains when my little sister’s head hurts because she needs to rest, the washing of a scratch when one of the little kids I babysit falls and scrapes her hand. Medicine--nursing, while particular in the types of medications you give, the doses, and proper care of a unique and valuable human life, at its heart, is the same- simple service. Yes, nurses must be intelligent, calculated, driven, and have excellent interpersonal skills, but they must also be selfless, patient, compassionate, and, more than anything else, loving. My ultimate goal is to be a missionary and to share the hope and love of Jesus Christ. In my life and maturing of my faith, I’ve come to know Jesus as many different things: provider, friend, savior, comforter, and lover of my soul. Something I think we forget all too often is that Jesus is the Greatest Physician- healing our aches, worries, and the rifts in our hearts that nothing else ever could. By going to nursing school, I have the opportunity to travel around the world as a traveling nurse while serving in mission work. In many third-world countries where a mission would take place, all that people need are simple injections, pills, or technology that American doctors have on hand. By being able to go and take care of sick people and demonstrate genuine love for patients, there is an opportunity to open the doors of a conversation where hope is present. Yes, you are healed from your physical ailments, but have you heard of Yeshua, who can cure you of any sickness or disease AND of the sorrow and the worries you carry too? Yahweh, who loves you so much that He sent His beloved Son to die for you so that you could be with Him, should you believe? Whether or not I end up doing mission work abroad by getting my BSN, I am ready to take care of people wherever I go. With the ultimate goal to make a difference in people’s lives, nursing will prepare me with the skills I need to fulfill that goal. I plan to attend Ouachita Baptist University this fall and, in my sophomore year, apply to the nursing program. While at OBU, I will have opportunities to intern at different medical centers. Post graduation, I will take the nursing exam (NCLEX). Afterward, I plan to work in a hospital for a few years, saving money and becoming better acquainted with nursing, and then head into global missions, taking my education, hope, and love for Christ and people with me.

Ever since I was little, I’ve dreamed of one day traveling the world. To know a myriad of languages, to understand a colorful smattering of cultures, and to become well versed in different global traditions, in my eyes, was surely the zenith of living- what more could fulfill the soul? Despite the often heartache inducing desire to experience the world for what it is, the yearning to help people always trumped the desire to travel. I remember being only a few years old, wobbling around, holding a plastic stethoscope in my chubby toddler hands to my little sister’s head, not knowing how to properly use the tool, but wanting to help anyway. Though those silly games have long since passed, I have fallen in love with simple servitude. The bringing of a cool glass of water to my mom when she lays sick in bed, the drawing of curtains when my little sister’s head aches and she needs to rest, the washing of a scratch when one of the little kids I babysit falls and scrapes her hand. Medicine, nursing, while deeply important and particular in the types of medications you give, the doses, and proper care of a unique and valuable human life, at its heart, it is the same- simple service. Yes, nurses must be intelligent, calculated, driven, and have excellent interpersonal skills, but they must also be selfless, patient, compassionate, and above all else, loving. My ultimate goal is to be a missionary and to share the hope and love of Jesus Christ. In my life and maturing of my faith, I’ve come to know Jesus as many different things. Provider, friend, savior, comforter, and lover of my soul. Something I think we forget all too often, is that Jesus is the greatest Physician, healing our aches and our worries and the rifts in our hearts that nothing else ever could. By going to nursing school, I not only have the opportunity to travel around the world as a traveling nurse, but to more greatly serve in mission work. In many third world countries where a mission would take place, all that people need are simple injections, pills, or technology that American doctors have on hand. By being able to go and take care of sick people and demonstrate genuine love for patients, there is an amazing opportunity presented to open the doors of a conversation where hope is presented. Whether or not I end up doing mission work abroad, by getting my BSN, I am fully equipped to medically help take care of people wherever I go. With the ultimate goal to make a difference in people’s lives, nursing will equip me with the skills I need to fulfill that goal. I plan to attend Ouachita Baptist University this fall, in my Sophomore year applying to the nursing program. While at OBU, I will have the opportunity to intern at different medical centers, and after I graduate to take the nursing exam (NCLEX). After that I plan to work in a hospital for a few years, saving up money and becoming more well acquainted with nursing as a whole, and then head into global missions, taking my education, hope, and love for Christ and people with me.

Ever since I was little, I’ve dreamed of traveling the world. To know a myriad of languages, to understand a colorful smattering of cultures, and to become well versed in different global traditions, in my eyes, was surely the zenith of living. Despite the often heartache inducing desire to experience the world, the yearning to help people always trumped the desire to travel. I remember being only a few years old, wobbling around, holding a plastic stethoscope in my chubby toddler hands to my little sister’s head, not knowing how to properly use the tool, but wanting to help anyway. Though those silly games have long since passed, I have fallen in love with simple servitude. The bringing of a cool glass of water to my mom when she lays sick in bed, the drawing of curtains when my little sister’s head aches and she needs to rest, the washing of a scratch when one of the little kids I babysit falls and scrapes her hand. Medicine, nursing, while deeply important and particular in the types of medications you give, the doses, and proper care of a unique and valuable human life, at its heart, it is the same- simple service. Yes, nurses must be intelligent, calculated, driven, and have excellent interpersonal skills, but they must also be selfless, patient, compassionate, and above all else, loving. My ultimate goal is to be a missionary and to share the hope and love of Jesus Christ. In my life and maturing of my faith, I’ve come to know Jesus as many different things. Provider, friend, savior, comforter, and lover of my soul. Something I think we forget all too often, is that Jesus is the greatest Physician, healing our aches and our worries and the rifts in our hearts that nothing else ever could. By going to nursing school, I not only have the opportunity to travel around the world as a traveling nurse, but to more greatly serve in mission work. In many third world countries where a mission would take place, all that people need are simple injections, pills, or technology that American doctors have on hand. By being able to go and take care of sick people and demonstrate genuine love for patients, there is an amazing opportunity presented to open the doors of a conversation where hope is presented. Yes, you are healed from your physical ailments, but have you heard of Yeshua, who can not only cure you of any sickness or disease, but of the sorrow and the worries you carry too? Have you heard of Yahweh who loves you so much that He sent His beloved Son to die for you so that you could be with Him in paradise should you choose to believe it? Whether or not I end up doing mission work abroad, by getting my BSN, I am fully equipped to medically help take care of people wherever I go. With the ultimate goal to make a difference in people’s lives, nursing will equip me with the skills I need to fulfill that goal. I plan to attend Ouachita Baptist University this fall, in my Sophomore year applying to the nursing program. While at OBU, I will have the opportunity to intern at different medical centers, and after I graduate to take the nursing exam (NCLEX). After that I plan to work in a hospital for a few years, saving up money and becoming more well acquainted with nursing as a whole, and then head into global missions, taking my education, hope, and love for Christ and people with me.

Like Ryan, I love a good political argument. I'm not very popular at parties, I must admit, because my chosen topics of conversation, are not the most well received... Whether it's talking about religion or politics and the ways that America mirrors the societies like that of Ancient Rome, Canaa, or China or whether it's laughing about the latest fiasco that happened with my Uncle during early voting, I see a priceless value in reflecting on politics and cultural anthropology. Not only do we learn more about ourselves as we reflect on other societies through history, but we also are able to better imagine our future, and tying together political science and cultural anthropology, be able to see what decisions will guarantee our success, and which ones will ultimately lead us closer to our destruction. Though conversations on politics are not the most loved conversations in the world, help us to find common ground with many people. If we are able to separate our opinion and view from absolute truth and who we are as a person, we are more capable to have conversations with other and peaceably disagree. Neither are necessarily right or wrong, but different. By reflecting on cultures, whether modern or ancient, we are able to take what others have discovered and apply it to our own culture, therefore strengthening our government, society, and people. This year, I'm going to be turning 18, which means that this is the first year I will be able to vote. I'm beyond excited to be able to take part in the selecting of our next officials, which probably sounds strange- that a 17 year old girl is excited to vote, but I truly believe that every vote matters, and that every voice deserved to be heard. Last summer I attended Girl's State in Texas, which was basically a prestigious political science camp. I have to opportunity to run for mock state office, submit real negative debate in the senate (Texas Courthouse), and learned a lot about what it meant to be a citizen, and the responsibilities I carry. As I seek to further my education and learn more about people, politics and government, I'm excited to be able to make the world a better place by being able to defend my positions, better listen to other's, and understand how to make compromises. By being able to learn more about our history, our countries people, and our own politics, I will be able to talk to more people, and truly understand what they mean. By being able to hear others, the world will become a better place, even at a small scale.

Ever since I was girl, I’ve dreamed of traveling. To know a myriad of languages, to understand a colorful smattering of cultures, and to become well versed in different global traditions, in my eyes, was surely the zenith of living. Despite the often heartache inducing desire to experience the world, the yearning to help people always trumped the desire to travel. I remember being only a few years old, wobbling around, holding a plastic stethoscope in my chubby toddler hands to my little sister’s head, not knowing how to properly use the tool, but wanting to help anyway. Though those silly games have long since passed, I have fallen in love with simple servitude. The bringing of a cool glass of water to my mom when she lays sick in bed, the drawing of curtains when my little sister’s head aches and she needs to rest, the washing of a scratch when one of the little kids I babysit falls and scrapes her hand. Medicine, nursing, while deeply important and particular in the types of medications you give, the doses, and proper care of a unique and valuable human life, at its heart, it is the same- simple service. Yes, nurses must be intelligent, calculated, driven, and have excellent interpersonal skills, but they must also be selfless, patient, compassionate, and above all else, loving. My ultimate goal is to be a missionary and to share the hope and love of Jesus Christ. In my life and maturing of my faith, I’ve come to know Jesus as many different things. Provider, friend, savior, comforter, and lover of my soul. Something I think we forget all too often, is that Jesus is the greatest Physician, healing our aches and our worries and the rifts in our hearts that nothing else ever could. By going to nursing school, I not only have the opportunity to travel around the world as a traveling nurse, but to more greatly serve in mission work. In many third world countries where a mission would take place, all that people need are simple injections, pills, or technology that American doctors have on hand. By being able to go and take care of sick people and demonstrate genuine love for patients, there is an amazing opportunity presented to open the doors of a conversation where hope is presented. Yes, you are healed from your physical ailments, but have you heard of Yeshua, who can not only cure you of any sickness or disease, but of the sorrow and the worries you carry too? Have you heard of Yahweh who loves you so much that He sent His beloved Son to die for you so that you could be with Him in paradise should you choose to believe it? Whether or not I end up doing mission work abroad, by getting my BSN, I am fully equipped to medically help take care of people wherever I go. With the ultimate goal to make a difference in people’s lives, nursing will equip me with the skills I need to fulfill that goal. I plan to attend Ouachita Baptist University this fall, in my Sophomore year applying to the nursing program. While at OBU, I will have the opportunity to intern at different medical centers, and after I graduate to take the nursing exam (NCLEX). After that I plan to work in a hospital for a few years, saving up money and becoming more well acquainted with nursing as a whole, and then head into global missions, taking my education, hope, and love for Christ and people with me.

An incredibly unique and lovely thing about human beings is our ability to wonder and be in awe. No other species is like us in that way: Nature is not impressed by nature, but we shape our lives, our desires, and our religious views around it, around something bigger than ourselves. The everyday world is full of beautiful moments that in many instances go softly unsung. If we stop and take a moment to ground ourselves and appreciate where we are, art flows. I've always loved to create. For a long time, I wrote poetry, took pictures, drew, painted and played music. When I was in early high school though, I stopped. I struggled with comparison, disordered patterns of eating, and depression. Instead of using art and music as an outlet, I completely withdrew into myself and my self loathing. Eventually, I got to a point where I literally wanted to die, and feeling unable to discuss those feelings with anyone around me, I turned back to art. I began to write poetry again- at first tentatively, feeling out what it felt like to create again after such a long period of refusing to. Then, I began to compose sorrowful music full of broken melodies and half finished musical thoughts. I began to draw again, and then paint. And slowly but surely, as I was able to create and express myself, what I was creating with from depressed and gloomy, to something more hopeful and bright. I truly believe that art is the creative documentation of simple, everyday moments that captured us in just the right way, that we wanted to stop a moment in time forever, expressing in our own unique way. For a long time, I missed to much and found no value in anything, but now, the everyday world constantly takes my breath away, and I wish I could capture moments in such a way that people could feel the emotions that circulate within my soul as I pull out a camera to take a snip of a moment that will never exist the same way again. Those moments highlight the peace, the love and joy that being a human should bring. We are here on this wild, beautiful Earth for a reason, and the nature around us is no more beautiful than we are. The everyday world inspires me to appreciate the slow moments, the moments we don't normally think about, and to dwell in them, to appreciate them for what they are, to stick around just a second longer- savoring the peace, the quite, and the comfortable silence they hold before moving on to the next thing. The arts, for me, are about peace and finding the inner source of contentment, and being able to express ourselves in the areas where words are lacking. If I can take the art I create in my darkest, most broken moments and use then to help other people heal, then that's the whole point. Art is meant to be shared, and by sharing my experience with other people- helping others feel seen, heard, and valued, then I will be bringing positivity to the world.

An incredibly unique and lovely thing about human beings is our ability to wonder and be in awe. No other species is like us in that way: Nature is not impressed by nature, but we shape our lives, our desires, and our religious views around it, around something bigger than ourselves. The everyday world is full of beautiful moments that in many instances go softly unsung. If we stop and take a moment to ground ourselves and appreciate where we are, art flows. I've always loved to create. For a long time, I wrote poetry, took pictures, drew, painted and played music. When I was in early high school though, I stopped. I struggled with comparison, disordered patterns of eating, and depression. Instead of using art and music as an outlet, I completely withdrew into myself and my self loathing. Eventually, I got to a point where I literally wanted to die, and feeling unable to discuss those feelings with anyone around me, I turned back to art. I began to write poetry again- at first tentatively, feeling out what it felt like to create again after such a long period of refusing to. Then, I began to compose sorrowful music full of broken melodies and half finished musical thoughts. I began to draw again, and then paint. And slowly but surely, as I was able to create and express myself, what I was creating with from depressed and gloomy, to something more hopeful and bright. I truly believe that art is the creative documentation of simple, everyday moments that captured us in just the right way, that we wanted to stop a moment in time forever, expressing in our own unique way. For a long time, I missed to much and found no value in anything, but now, the everyday world constantly takes my breath away, and I wish I could capture moments in such a way that people could feel the emotions that circulate within my soul as I pull out a camera to take a snip of a moment that will never exist the same way again. Those moments highlight the peace, the love and joy that being a human should bring. We are here on this wild, beautiful Earth for a reason, and the nature around us is no more beautiful than we are. The everyday world inspires me to appreciate the slow moments, the moments we don't normally think about, and to dwell in them, to appreciate them for what they are, to stick around just a second longer- savoring the peace, the quite, and the comfortable silence they hold before moving on to the next thing. The arts, for me, are about peace and finding the inner source of contentment, and being able to express ourselves in the areas where words are lacking.

An incredibly unique and lovely thing about human beings is our ability to wonder and be in awe. No other species is like us in that way: Nature is not impressed by nature, but we shape our lives, our desires, and our religious views around it, around something bigger than ourselves. The everyday world is full of beautiful moments that in many instances go softly unsung. If we stop and take a moment to ground ourselves and appreciate where we are, art flows. Art is the creative documentation of simple, everyday moments that captured us in just the right way, that we wanted to stop a moment in time forever, expressing in our own unique way. As a photographer, the everyday world constantly takes my breath away, and I wish I could capture moments in such a way that people could feel the emotions that circulate within my soul as I pull out a camera to take a snip of a moment that will never exist the same way again. Those moments highlight the peace, the love and joy that being a human should bring. We are here on this wild, beautiful Earth for a reason, and the nature around us is no more beautiful than we are. The everyday world inspires me to appreciate the slow moments, the moments we don't normally think about, and to dwell in them, to appreciate them for what they are, to stick around just a second longer- savoring the peace, the quite, and the comfortable silence they hold before moving on to the next thing. Art, for me, is about peace and finding the inner source of contentment. The everyday world inspired me to seek those moments more.

There are few things as lovely as a field brimming with a myriad of differently colored flowers. Even on a pixelated game where the flowers hardly look like flowers at all, there is something so beautiful about planting and tending to flowers, and later, being able to appreciate the flowers that have grown out of something so small as a seed. While Minecraft is a game of survival, there are low moments that often go unsung. I find the simple things like farming, gardening, fishing, and chopping wood to be my favorite activities. I love to camp in the real world, and there's something very peaceful about being able to basically pretend camp online and to be able to cultivate something beautiful. I've played Minecraft for years and have never reached the netherworld without being in creative mode, let alone learned how to brew potions. I am more than content to set my game on easy survival mode and pretend like I'm a homesteader, growing my own wheat to make bread, harvesting my potatoes for soup, and planting sugarcane to later on bake my birthday cake. From my small wooden houses, I love to leave an open window, and, if possible settle near a naturally occurring meadow full of flowers, but, if that isn't a possibility, I pick up a few varied kinds of flowers from my travels here and there. Minecraft reminds me that life doesn't always have to be so fast paced, and it's okay to sometimes just stop and smell the roses.

My favorite book in the entire world is "To Kill a Mockingbird". Atticus Finch unarguably is one of the most influential and well remembered book characters of all time. Though I was young the first time I read the book, I still remembered being awestruck at Atticus's sense of morality and his passion for defending those who could not defend themselves. Atticus Finch is a good example of what Christians today should be like. In the book of James, the author writes this: "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained". As a Christian, it is our job to defend and take care of those who need it out of our love for the Father. Even though I'm not interested in going into law, like Atticus did, I desire to serve others and advocate for the voiceless. Another admirable quality about Atticus is his commitment to those he is defending, even when it negatively impacts him. At the time "To Kill a Mockingbird" takes places, segregation was still a practive, and Black people were regarded as inferior. Atticus Finch represented a Black man in court and the entire community was angered by his decisions. Nevertheless, Atticus continued to treat his client as he should and defended him to the best of his ability. He did not worry what other people though of him, and instead continued to boldly do what he knew what was right. Lord willing, I'm planning on attending college this fall with the intention to double major in missions and nursing. I desire to carry the good news of Jesus Christ with me to the nations. I know that this will be met with push-back, and at times I will be persecuted. But Atticus Finch, and other people like Paul, Luke, and Barnabas teach me to boldly continue to do what I know is right. People will always have an issue with what you do, and many of the books and movies I've read or watched in my life have taught be that regardless of push back, the truth is the truth, and it needs to be shared. Just over a month ago, I returned from a mission trip to Kenya, which not only cemented my desire to share the good news of Christ, but cemented the knowledge that trials, tribulations and persecution will occur no matter where you go. But, Christ is still good and in control, and our purpose is not to bring glory to man or to ourselves, but to God, as Galatians 1:10 addresses. By going to nursing school and majoring in missions alongside it, I will be fully equipped to travel the world as a medical missionary, providing physical healing to sick people, and the opportunity to be spiritually healed by presenting the gospel. There is nothing more important than a relationship with Christ, and by helping people medically, the door is opened to learning about the greatest physician, Jesus.

Undeniably, speaking our minds and standing up for our morals can be difficult. When faced with opposition, it is easier to succumb to the pressure and be who people want you to be than standing up for what is right. I stay true to myself and continue to speak up for what I believe because I know how it feels to abandon my beliefs to fit them. It has taken a long time to discover what I care about and accept that I have a passion for things many people don't. I think that if no one is brave enough to speak their mind, our world will regress. Because of the boldness of some, we can grow as a world. I never want to be a person who hides instead of speaking up. I want to change the world for good, and I have to do that by speaking my mind. I continue to speak my mind because I care. I care about my opinion, your opinion, and the opinions of people who aren't brave enough to share their ideas. I want to be bold enough to speak my mind so others become bold enough too. We have to stand together, but we can't start standing until we learn how.