Student Blog Written By: Josias Castro, Fellows
Nine months ago, I not only set foot on a new campus, but I also set foot on a new journey. New faces and unfamiliar experiences filled my first few days as a fellow.
I wasn’t even aware that there was such a thing as silence and solitude embedded into the program. To say the least, I neither knew what to expect nor what was happening. And the reason why I chose to invest a year of my life in a program that I didn’t fully understand was that I had the hope that Impact 360 would provide the tools to help me cultivate a relationship with Christ.
Throughout this time, God has shown me through the impact curriculum who He truly is, not who I want Him to be, who He says I am, and what my purpose in life is, according to His will. I am not the same person who set foot on campus nine months ago, and I praise God for His redemptive work in my life.
The Impact curriculum is very intentional in the way they organize and plan things throughout. From Bible reading aligning with experiences, and discipleship aligning with content from the classes, everything seems to connect. God used this intentionality to reshape my life. I was able to let go of my future and solely rely on God because of silence and solitude during Spiritual Rhythms. I was able to let go of my past and forgive myself and others during a process that started during the True Face module and culminated during the Brazil experience. Finally, God seems to have revealed His plan for my life, His purpose fulfilled through my narrow vocation, and He continues to guide me, lead me, and influence my dreams and aspirations. God used the D.C. experience to show me such things.
Impact is not just a curriculum; it is a lifestyle. The objective truth is that God is real, Jesus sacrificed Himself to gift us salvation through grace, and as He ascended, He called us to lead others to repentance and to make disciples. We are called to influence others. We are called to impact the lives of others as we show them, through evidence in meekness and with a humble spirit, that there is, in fact, an objective truth. Impact has reshaped my whole vision of what a Christian is. Christianity is about living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ and discipling others. I can do this in any vocation I choose to pursue. My mission field is where God has placed me, and Impact has equipped us, and God has qualified us to hold meaningful conversations wherever we are. Living a life according to the Gospel, the cultural mandate, and the great commissioning, it is a choice and a lifestyle.
Finally, I am forever grateful to the people who have made it possible for me to be here. I believe that God has placed me here, but He used you, dear donor and supporter, to help me be here. I would not have such a beautiful relationship with God if it weren’t for this program and who God used to place me here. Thank you! And may God bless you and your family.
We believe that when a student is rooted in truth, they become a catalyst for the Kingdom wherever they go. Help us continue to forge disciples who possess the resolve to stay faithful and the tools to make disciples. Your investment in the Multiply Fund makes this transformation possible.