I know what I believe, but I also know how important it is to hear other people's views and where they come from.
Kayla Korb knew it would be a stretch if she came to Concordia. And initially, she really did not plan to come to Concordia. “There were no mountains, and it was way too far away," Kayla said. “I was just planning on going to the college close to me. But it was the craziest thing. Every time I tried to apply to that college; I would just get this knot in my stomach. It was crazy and it felt like it was totally a God thing.”
This conviction was part of what drove Kayla to come to Concordia. “I was always interested in understanding more about what we would learn in bible study. I wanted to know the Greek translations of things, or why people believed what they believed and acted the way they did. That’s when my pastor told me that I could be a Director of Christian Education.”
Kayla started researching the Christian Education Leadership Program at Concordia and she loved what she found. “Each time I found out a new thing, I would get more and more excited. I was really looking forward to the community of faith that Concordia had to offer.”
Kayla wanted to join a faith community because it is something she frequently tried to create in her own life. “In high school, I was in a religion class with people of all different faiths and denominations. It showed me firsthand how important it is to build a relationship first, understand someone’s background, and then eventually have a faith conversation.”
Now, Kayla is experiencing that community of faith firsthand. “I’ve already joined improv and I work for the school newspaper. I’ve been able to do that because everyone is so kind and welcoming. On the first day of classes, I was so lost, and I asked a group of girls for help. I didn’t even know they were upperclassmen until we were halfway to where we were going.”
Kayla wants to incorporate this welcoming nature into how she will be when she shares her faith. “I know there are times when I have felt God’s presence. Jesus is real, and God is real. But I also know how important it is to build a relationship with people. And that is what I hope to learn through mt time at Concordia.”