30 Days of Thanks-Day 8

Today, I am thankful for my job as a Resident Chaplain and the people I work with. There's nothing like walking into the lobby and hear people squealing with excitement that you're there! It's very affirming that you have been called to this ministry and that you are in the right place for this time in your life.

I am blessed to have had the chance to be a resident chaplain for two years. The dorms are different and each year is different, but I am thankful for all the opportunities that I have been fortunate to have. I am glad that I am able to be in the dorm for these girls and offer support and encouragement to them. As I develop relationships with these girls, it is a blessing for me to see them grow and change during their time here at Campbell. I've also formed friendships with some of these people and I am blessed to have them as friends! I try to encourage them and support them in their lives and they let me know in little ways that they care too, like making sure I am okay or letting me know they miss me or inviting to different things going on and wanting me to help with these things. Days like today, when they drag me to Mr. Campbell because they want me to come along and spend time with them, make me grateful for the people I am surrounded by and the care and love they share for others.

As a resident chaplain, I am also super thankful to have an outsider's perspective of the residence life staff and how they approach and do their job. Though they have to enforce the rules, the Resident Directors and the Resident Assistants invest in the girls they live with. This is not just a job to residence life staff. I see the impact they are making on the freshmen girls. Because I've done this for two years, I can see the effect the relationship between the residents and the residence life staff has on the residents' college experience. The residents love college and have formed a  bond. The Residence Life Staff care about these girls they live with and it is a blessing and humble reminder to me that in each and every situation that I am in that I can still invest and care about those surrounding me, no matter what my situation is.