I had so many ideas of what my future would look like, and then I went to Manna University.
When I graduated high school, I was trying to do what I wanted to do. I didn’t seek the Lord in my decision; I held my future tightly in my hands. Then I received a rejection letter from my “dream university.” That weekend, I heard about an internship with Manna Church and biblical higher education through Grace College of Divinity. Ultimately, I was lost—my idea of my future was never going to work, and my sweet Heavenly Father knew that. The moment I heard about an internship and Bible college, I just knew that was the next step for me. Maybe it was because I felt like I had no other option, or maybe I chose to believe this was God’s plan all along.
God will not call us to do anything without enabling us to do it. To do so would ensure that God’s plans would not be fulfilled and would guarantee that God’s children would be frustrated.
This next step wasn’t going to be easy.
This lost girl was stepping into a call she never knew was possible. The first class I took at GCD was Destiny and Calling with the great Dr. Steven Crowther. Destiny and Calling explored God’s calling on my life as an individual. We discussed spiritual gifts, talents, personality, and passions, all with the goal of discovering God’s destiny for each student. This course opened my eyes to ministry career paths and biblical leadership. One lie from the enemy that I believed was that I was not a leader. But everyone can either be born a leader or be made one. God’s call is also the promise of giftedness and the use of those gifts in the exercise of our ministry.
Now, as a called, capable, and chosen woman, life after Bible college has been sweet. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Christian counseling in 2023, which equipped me with practical tools and opened the door for me to work at a psychological institute. Through this opportunity, I was able to support and train administrative staff, serve physician assistants as they cared for individuals in need of medical support and guidance, and most importantly demonstrate the love of Jesus freely, with no strings attached.
At one point, we were all lost souls until we encountered a Man who died for us and rose again so that we could be free, free to walk out the gifts and calling He has placed on our lives. Today, I have the privilege of serving at Manna University as an Enrollment Counselor and Academic Advisor for new undergraduate students. I am honored to use the gifts the Lord has given me to help students step into this new journey of Bible college. I love sharing the tips and lessons I learned as a student, while also listening to their stories, some that reflect my own, and others belonging to the single mom, the one who hasn’t been in school in “ages,” the one who feels underqualified…and the you who may be wondering if this step is possible. Say yes to the call the Lord has placed on your life, and I promise you won’t regret choosing His will over your own.
Cherish Thompson, Enrollment Counselor