Growing Closer to God

“When it came time for my college decision, I knew I needed a school that was going to push me in my faith and allow me to be surrounded by a faith based community. Marian university seemed like the perfect fit for me given that it’s a Catholic university. Growing up in a Catholic home & only attending private, Catholic universities made it easy for me to get involved in my faith. However, that didn’t mean I had a personal relationship with Jesus. When I got to college, I knew I wanted/needed to find that personal relationship with Christ. Freshman year of college, I struggled trying to balance my faith, school work, friendships, going out & everything else that comes with it. It was easy to get so busy with everything and forget about what matters most, my faith. I found myself wanting to go out and hang around people who weren’t bringing me closer to Christ. The exact reason I came to Marian was to grow in my relationship with God not further apart. I knew a change needed to happen. I started to find true, authentic friends that encouraged me to go to mass with them every Sunday and spend time in prayer. I am grateful to go to a school that has mass everyday of the week, adoration, night prayer and so much more. A community that encourages us to pray for one another and meet people where they are. My sophomore year has been a year of spiritual growth for me; I find myself reading the Bible and attending mass not just on Sundays. I try my best to spend time in prayer and be with God. College can be very hard and stressful but it can also be filled with so much joy and love if you surround yourself with people who want what’s best for you. Take time to stop and simply be with God in prayer, nature, through music or whatever allows you to be fully present with Him. When you allow God to work through you, you will not only start changing the lives of those around you but you become the person that God created you to be. Everyday is another day for me to grow in my faith and help those around me. College is the time to meet new people and inspire those around you to grow closer to Him. It’s never easy, but it’s always worth it.

-Annie Klare (sophomore), Marian University