We want to know how college has affected your faith. God is at work around you — in campus ministries, in your classwork, when you're out on the town, or in a moment of meditation.

How does God speak to you? STEPnetwork.org wants your story. E-mail it to web@stepnetwork.org with your name, college or university, hometown, and major. A photo of you or your activity would be greatly appreciated.

Here are a few stories to get you started:

Jake Joseph: All will be well College is dotted with experiences you will remember and cherish forever. For Jake Joseph, a pair of wintertime retreats — the same location, some of the same people, but different experiences — has sustained him during a year overseas in France. A walk through an Iowa field still provides a place of calm reflection and a reminder of God's wonderful creation, and a song reminds him that despite all the troubles in life, all will be well.
Brandon Cook: "Don't forget us" During a visit to Jordan with the World Student Christian Federation, Brandon Cook met with Arab Christians, an often overlooked and forgotten element in Middle Eastern culture. As Christians leave the area, those left behind are poor, their communities poorer for the skills that leave with the emigrants. The Christians who remain feel abandoned by their Christian brothers and sisters abroad, and they have one simple request: Remember.
Patrick Moon-Rhoades: Get involved As a commuter student, heading home after class could become an easy habit for Patrick Moon- Rhoades. He's made the decision, though, to get involved on campus through campus radio and his local community's food pantry. When you head to campus next fall and encounter the inevitable activities fair, don't just fill up on the free candy or stock up on pens. Find a cause, and get involved.
Jake Joseph: The ties that bind Although Jake Joseph's college is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, it's easy to forget that when the student body either flocks to theologically conservative Christian groups or wishes the school had no religious ties at all. In the middle ground is the college chaplain's office, which Jake has found to be a sanctuary from the storm and a reminder of the ties to the UCC he and the school share.
Meredith Jackson: You are what they're waiting for Going to college can be the biggest change a person can experience, including the search for a new church. It's a search for community, for God, and for a sense of justice in the world. Congregations need to take the challenge of ministry with college students — there is so much to be gained for students, for congregations, and the world when the right connections are made.
Katie Blaisdell: Holy words "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O God, my rock and my redeemer." Psalm 19 gives us a simple prayer, and during the pressure-filled week that included a lot of writing and speaking, Katie Blaisdell considers herself blessed to hear this psalm. It's also helped her remember words aren't the only way we talk to each other and to God.
Brandon Cook: Plant a seed "Plant a seed in whose shade you will never sit." Brandon Cook found this saying recently, and as he mulled it over, he realized that many of the things we do to improve the world — planting seeds, fighting intolerance and prejudice, trying to end poverty — are projects which we will probably never see fully realized. We'll see the saplings, but not the trees. It's helping him find hope and patience are closely related.
Tony McMahon: No going back Four years ago, Tony McMahon wasn't sure he was ready to leave high school but realized high school was done with him. Now that he's graduating from Heidelberg College, he's chomping at the bit to move on. The next step in Tony's life, graduate school to study clinical psychology, and the potential to help others has Tony understanding that as fond as going back seems, we are always moving forward.
Chrissy Stonebraker: Loving our neighbor Christ calls us to "do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God," and Chrissy Stonebraker tries to live into that calling in all she does. She sees how that compassion can resonate with two friends who have been scorned by the church for their sexual orientation, and she hopes for a way we can all live lives of justice, kindness, and walking with God.
Katie Blaisdell: Continuing the conversation When California voters approved Proposition 8 in November, eliminating the right for same-sex couples to marry in the state, Katie Blaisdell turned for inspiration to another civil-rights pioneer and the words he spoke on her own campus. With protests for peace and songs of solidarity, the civil-rights movement brought equality across racial lines. Despite Prop 8, Katie hopes we can continue to her prophetic words of equality and continue the movement for equality.
Noah Gillespie: One body Noah Gillespie has been to a lot of ecumenical events that lift up unity. At those same events, he's seen Christians opposing inclusion. He doesn't understand how inclusion should be a topic that threatens unity, understanding the Gospel as news that all are welcome, that all human beings, especially the marginalized, oppressed, and suffering are sacred. What does the Bible have to say about this?
Meredith Jackson: Rebuilding the movement and reenergizing the passion To Meredith Jackson, youth and young adult ministries always seem to be "under construction." Her vision of effective young adult ministries includes networks connecting the people doing great work in unique locations,creating resources to help young adults find a church and friends, but it also acknowledges that within a diverse church, there are moments when young adults need other young adults who understand their needs.
Brandon Cook: Unity in discord Two recent gatherings of Christians, one for Disciples youth and the other an international ecumenical gathering, gave Brandon Cook two distinct but similar views of how Christianity can be unifying. At times we find ourselves at odds with each other based on opinions or theology, but when we put our focus where it should be, out of our differences a beautiful image can be formed.
Katie Blaisdell: Cinderella goes to jail "Katie Blaisdell, 21, of Orange, California, was arrested on August 14 during a protest outside Disneyland." The terse wording of a police blotter doesn't tell the whole story. The protest focused on fair treatment for workers at hotels near the tourist attraction. Her arrest was the culmination of years of learning to love for all of God’s children, of standing up to injustice, and to standing up for what's right. What are you willing to be arrested for?
Meredith Jackson: Singing out values from within Sarah, a nearly silent church camper, had Meredith Jackson wondering if Sarah was shy, or if she was uncomfortable being at church camp. After her family group established the camp as a place of respect, acceptance, and love, Sarah finally felt she could share her unique circumstances — and her personality changed to a confident, outgoing camper. Meredith hopes the world can someday share those values, but she also knows she has to speak up to make that happen.
Tony McMahon: Shop talk Spending his summer days working in a factory, Tony McMahon hears a lot of talk radio — and the chatter from co-workers about issues of the day. He's stunned by the closed minds they have about many issues, particularly homosexuality, and wonders if it's possible to mend the splits in American thought.
Noah Gillespie: That all may be One Ecumenism is nice in theory, but can it actually happen in real life? Noah Gillespie believes he saw true, authentic ecumenism when he attended the United Methodist Student Forum. Inclusiveness was integral, traditions and languages abundant, and shared community transcended differences. It has left Noah hoping the gathering can be a template for a larger ecumenical faith.
Meredith Jackson: From talk to action for marriage equality The California Supreme Court's recent ruling legalizing gay marriage, coupled with New York's announcement the state will recognize such marriages, creates a whole new set of questions for progressive Christians. Meredith Jackson believes campus ministries should take the lead in thinking about how faith will shape the resulting dialogue.
Brandon Cook: With wisdom and justice for all When a Sudanese student at Transylvania University faced immediate deportation due to an anti-terrorism law, Brandon Cook re-examined how his understanding of justice in the Bible influences his position on immigration and America's changing policies in the post-9/11 era.
Katie Blaisdell: Corpus Christi Katie Blaisdell is still mourning the loss of her grandmother, who played a vital role in shaping Katie's faith. Katie found this Easter especially difficult, feeling like Cleopas on the Road to Emmaus, so focused on a recent death that she can't see resurrection. But seeing a reinterpretation of the Passion story, Corpus Christi, helped Katie remember the Easter story, and it's helping her celebrate her grandmother's new life.
Tony McMahon: Changes After spending a semester overseas, Tony McMahon came home a different person. He's not quite sure how he's different, but the change was good. Back home in the United States, he's struggled to hold onto the changes, but it's not coming easy. Relationships end, and problems aren't yet solved. As winter's end nears, Tony senses a third act coming to his self-discovery, and he's left to wonder what's next?
Chrissy Stonebraker: Fiat Lux Who has brought the light of knowledge into your world and into your faith? Reflecting on the motto of her school, which translates to "Let light be made," Chrissy Stonebraker thinks about how her school and its Disciples heritage has helped enlighten the world and its students.
Brandon Cook: Formal or informal? When you speak to God, what voice do you use? Do you talk to God the way you talk to a mentor, or do you talk to God like a life-long, familiar friend? Hearing the Lord's Prayer in German — and speaking to God in a familiar voice — helped Brandon Cook reflect on how the way he views his own relationship with God.
Danica Lute: He ue no ka 'aina hanau: A cry for the homeland Danica Lute joined the Hawaii Army National Guard last April. In a time when many question why somebody would enlist in the military, Danica explains she is serving her country — both the United States and the Hawaiian nation and homeland she holds so dear.
Katie Blaisdell: Jesus without borders While studying in Costa Rica, Katie Blaisdell divided her worship time between Catholic and Evangelical churches. Coming from a strong ecumenical background, she was distraught to see how the two different churches excluded each other. The experience has given her insight on our own imperfect church and the value of ecumenical dialogue.
Meredith Jackson: The intersection of faith and politics Meredith Jackson has known since fifth grade she wants to work in politics. At about the same time her faith began developing, and she worked to reconcile her two passions. So where do faith and politics meet in these times when many believe that a poisonous mix?
Tony McMahon: Different Directions Tony McMahon's campus minister and mentor headed west — leaving Tony disappointed and angry. Even worse, he didn't get a chance to say goodbye in the right way. After some time, though, Tony understands that he has to forgive, that doing God's work sometimes means leaving those who mean the most to you.
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