David

Up until the magical age of 18, most individuals have someone to help guide them in their journey of life, be it parents, grandparents, or some other guardian. When young people get to college a new door is opened up allowing an opportunity to taste freedom never imagined. Yes, mentors are still there, but ultimately they are making hundreds of different choices by themselves for the very first time.

We’ve found that many individuals in the college environment are looking to add purpose and meaning to their lives. Many will choose a lifelong career, consider a mate, and make choices that will impact the rest of their lives. So often we see poor choices being made because individuals are not looking to God for answers. They are walking around lost, broken, lonely, and confused.

Steve and I (Amy) were impacted to make choices to follow God with all of our hearts through our involvement with [nlcf] while in college, and that made all the difference in the world. God showed us what it meant to truly live and make smart choices. He showed us that we needed to be surrounded by people that really loved us and Him to help us in our journey. We found a family at [nlcf] which helped us see God for who He really is.

Without Christ, people continue to live for themselves and this world. Christ’s message of love, grace, and hope adds new meaning to our lives and gives us something bigger than ourselves to live for. It is so important for people to find God during this time and discover that they are made to be an important piece of God’s story. Finding God opens up the way to live life with purpose in each step instead of aimlessly wondering.

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About the authors

Beginning in 2007, Steve and Amy Englund are raising their financial support to both be able to work on [nlcf] staff full time.

When did you come to Blacksburg and why?

In May after we got married. We felt led to come to [nlcf] at Tech to be more integrated with the staff team, and we had a sense that God had plans for us in Blacksburg.

What did you study in college?

Steve: Sociology, minor in English. Amy: Recreation Parks & Tourism, concentration in Recreational Therapy… yup, it’s a mouthful.

What movie(s) inspire you the most and why?

Steve: Invincible because it’s a story of a guy who against all odds gets to live out his dream. Amy: I’m going to have to change mine to a song. I’m often inspired by songs but not so much by movies. It’s kind of funny but “Let Me Love You” by Mario is one of them because every time I hear it I think of Jesus singing to me of His desire for me to let Him be the #1 man in my life. It reminds me that He is the one who completes me.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Steve: courteous, service-oriented, hospitable. Amy: lots of fun! but if you were looking for 3 adjectives I would say purposeful, goofy, creative.

A place you’d love to travel together?

Hawaii, yeah baby!

What do you love most about [nlcf]?

The people and the energy. You can really sense God’s Spirit moving.

What do you, as a couple, do to stay passionate for God?

We pray together but to be completely honest we feel that this is an area that God is trying to put His finger on in our marriage so we can grow closer together and to Him.

We value the ancient roots of our faith. Soon after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the church began to develop a clearly articulated expression of what Christians believe. Various creeds and confessions emerged. The church struggled as a community to achieve a communal expression of the faith. This ultimately (but not exclusively) culminated in the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. We stand together with Christians everywhere across the centuries that have embraced these basic statements of faith. These creeds form the core expression of our faith. At [nlcf], these creeds are foundational for how we understand and express the truth of God’s story today.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Amen.

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father.

Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried. The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come.

Amen.