The Beauty of a Relationship with Christ

I do not think most people are against faith. I think they have seen versions of it that looked like performance, routine, or judgment, and they decided it was not for them.

I understand that. I have seen both versions. The version that is about appearances and the version that actually changes how someone lives. There is a real difference between them.

What the Relationship Actually Is

For me, a relationship with Christ is not a chapter I keep separate from everything else. It shows up in how I think about ambition. It shows up in how I treat the people around me. It shapes how I handle seasons that are harder than I planned for.

In Phi Delta Theta, I serve as the chaplain. That role means leading Bible studies, encouraging my brothers to think about what they are grounding their lives in, and creating space for conversations that most college students rarely have. It is one of the most meaningful things I do because it has nothing to do with a grade, a project outcome, or a resume line. It is about people growing.

The Part That Gets Underrepresented

The part of faith I think people underestimate is peace. Not the kind of peace that means nothing is difficult. The kind that lets you stay grounded when things are uncertain, when a project is not working, when you are tired and behind, and when the future feels unclear.

Philippians 4:6-7 describes it better than I can. Present your requests to God with thanksgiving, and the peace of God, which transcends understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. That kind of peace is not explained by external circumstances. It is available regardless of them.

That is what I keep coming back to. Not faith as a label or a social identity. Something that actually changes how I show up when things are hard.

On Ambition and Direction

Matthew 6:33 is the verse that has most shaped how I think about priorities. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. I do not always get that priority right. But it is the standard I return to.

Faith does not make the work less important. It makes it less likely to become the only thing. I have seen what happens when someone builds everything around results and nothing else. The results arrive and the emptiness stays. Faith gives direction that achievement alone cannot provide.

A relationship with Christ is not a productivity system or a motivation strategy. It is something deeper than that. It is the foundation that the rest of life runs better on top of. I am still learning what that means in practice every week. That is probably how it will always be, and I think that is the point.