My name is Owen Osborne, a sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in Information Science, and I’m eager to share a glimpse of my journey with you.
College has been a transformative time for me, not just academically but in personal growth and faith, largely thanks to my involvement with a campus ministry called Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) since my first year. My past spring breaks were spent on short mission trips to NYC and Orlando, FL, experiences that profoundly shifted my worldview and strengthened my faith. I am also on my Cru’s leadership team and help with our weekly meeting.
The gospel has profoundly impacted my college experience and life. Before coming to college, my faith had waned a lot. I was never involved much in my middle or high school youth groups because I didn’t fit in and struggled a lot with different issues at my original home Church; I often said that I’d find a place in college and used that as an excuse not to go. I attended church weekly but did not prioritize a personal relationship with Him. I allowed God in on the big things, like deciding what college to attend, but I wasn’t really relying on Him in most other ways. I failed to fully embrace God’s presence in my life.
This really changed in college, where I was much more intentional about finding a Christian Community that I could be a part of, and I made it a personal goal to start working on my relationship with God. I believe that the Holy Spirit really worked on my heart to bring me to a place where I could grow and love God while also being loved by other Christians. It all started on a random day when I finally saw the Cru tabeling I had missed several days before and where I later connected.
Through Cru, I met many new people who cared about me and helped lead me back to the gospel’s truth. I got involved with various events, and my beliefs were greatly changed in those early days, especially at my first fall retreat. This growth continued throughout my first year, especially after going on the NYC spring break trip; this trip really pushed my faith forward in many ways.
These experiences have helped me discover a purpose and helped me feel much more fulfilled in God’s Will for my life. It has completely reshaped my life and continues to provide guidance and strength as I go through college.
