Written by Ella Quigley, Class of 2027
“Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:24
When people ask me, “Why Chattanooga Fellows?” I often don’t know what to say. My answer seems pretty boring. I learned about it through the career counselor at college and applied with the intention of simply seeing what might happen. Honestly, I did not fully understand the program until the interview process. When I was invited to write this blog post and really ponder what brought me here, I realized that there was more to the “why” that I didn’t see at first.
Going into college, I had absolutely no idea what to major in. Nothing sounded interesting. As a college athlete, Exercise Science seemed like a natural choice, so I declared it as my major sophomore year. Around that time, I was getting more involved with campus ministries and was hired as the project coordinator for the Chaplain’s Office. At the end of that year, I switched my major to Sports Leadership with a minor in Public Relations, still unsure of what to do with it.
By senior year, everyone was asking me, “What’s next?” Those questions, along with the pressure I put on myself to have an answer, left me overwhelmed, thinking I had to have it figured out. Because of my love for both sports and ministry, I interviewed some people in those industries to see where God might be leading me. After not feeling led in any direction that I pursued, I began to wonder if I would ever find the right path.
“Unfolding over pursuing.” -MickiAnn Harris
One of the assignments for our Faith & Work class was to interview three people from different industries to learn about their views on work and how they arrived where they are today. During one of these interviews, I spoke with MickieAnn Harris, the Spiritual Formation Director at Pray Chattanooga. She explained to me that her vocation became clear through her unfolding story, where she let God lead her instead of taking control herself.
I think this is a great way to see how God unfolded my own path to the Fellows throughout my years in college. If I hadn’t joined the Chaplain’s Office, I might never have discovered my love for serving others through my work. If I hadn’t discovered that passion, I might have never told my career counselor I was interested in ministry. If I had already known what I wanted to do after graduation, then I might never have even gone to the counselor.
Looking back, I can now see how God used my experiences that felt uncertain to guide me here. Although we stumble again and again along our path, God holds us by the hand and guides us to where we need to go.
I think that’s my answer to the “Why Chattanooga Fellows?” I didn’t arrive here because I had everything figured out. I arrived by learning to trust Him and letting His story unfold through me.
