Choosing a major can be one of the most daunting tasks for a high school senior. I remember being so jealous of my friends who knew the exact degree they wanted to get and specific careers they wanted to explore. Throughout my senior year, I researched dozens of different majors and minors, trying to find something that interested me (even though it is TOTALLY acceptable to begin your first year without a declared major!) All I knew was that I was creative, passionate about ministry and missions and that wanted to work with people. I looked into Christian Ministries, Bible, Communication Studies, and Marketing but I finally landed on Public Relations. Biola offers so many concentrations within different majors so you can really find your niche. I love social media and media design, and thankfully Biola offered a concentration in digital management and social media through the PR program!  

Quiet time with Jesus on the beach. Bible open, feet in the sand and heart ready.
Quiet Time with Jesus on the Beach

After beginning my first semester at Biola, I was loving all of my classes. My PR professors were so intentional about getting to know us as individuals, and they began every class with prayer (as most professors at Biola do!) My professors were so passionate about public relations, it was contagious. However, the Lord was about to completely change my plans. Through a series of events, the Lord began to rekindle a passion for his Word. When the Lord leads me into something new, it’s never a booming voice from heaven, rather slow nudges and a burning in my heart. I continued attending my PR classes, but something inside of me was burning for something more. I have grown up reading the Word and recently I have fallen more in love with the Bible than ever before. The Lord began quietly asking me to study Bible. I kept shoving the feeling down because it was unfamiliar and scary, but eventually I couldn’t keep saying no, when God was clearly saying yes--I needed to change my major from Public Relations to Biblical and Theological Studies. Don’t get me wrong, this was nothing to do with what I was studying in PR. I loved learning about building trust between organizations, PR campaigns and communication, but I was so sure that the Lord was leading me to study the Bible--what my heart was really burning for.

Sunset at Huntington Beach
Sunset at Huntington Beach

 So, long story short, after prayer and consultation from advisors and my family, I made the switch. This was an act of complete obedience to God, and if you ask me any questions about my future or what I plan to do with this degree, I probably could not give you an answer right now. However, the Lord promises that wherever he leads, he will provide. I don’t have all the answers right now and that’s okay. Sometimes God allows us to see only the next step, and once we take that step, he will reveal more of our path. 

With that being said, don’t stress about what you will study (it will probably change anyways, LOL!) The Lord is so faithful to those who lean on him for guidance. All we need to do is rest in his consistency, his goodness and his sovereignty. 

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers--most of which are never even seen--don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?... Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions...don’t worry, you’ll find your everyday human concerns met.”

 Matthew 6:30-33 (MSG)

Until next time, peace! 

Jess