“Good friend, take to heart what I'm telling you; collect my counsels and guard them with your life. Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. That's right—if you make Insight your priority, and won't take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours; you'll have come upon the Knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5 MSG

Our God is into the details. So much so that He gave each of us the perfect blend of traits, characteristics, talents, and even quirks that make up the sum total of our essence. Nothing was an accident, and nothing will be wasted.

Young leaders often wrestle with their identity. They spend much of their time trying to emulate others, rather than looking within and discovering every ounce of goodness that makes them unique. It’s easy to take your own strengths for granted, while placing a higher value on the strengths of those around you. Yet this was not God's intended design.

Imagine waking up on Christmas morning and receiving a gift from your parents. They poured their heart and soul into procuring the perfect gift for you, hoping that you would not only love this gift, but would also use this gift. Yet instead of cherishing it, you push it aside and tell your parents you wanted what your siblings got instead.

Although the above scenario seems unfathomable to many, often times we do this to God. This exact scenario plays out when we want gifts that others have, while neglecting to maximize what He has set aside for us.

In order to appreciate what we have, we first need to realize it. VOUS College provides an avenue for self awareness and a greater understanding of why God wired us the way He did. It’s my prayer that each student walks in bold, godly confidence as their gifts are discovered and developed.

Erik Thebeau