Throughout my college journey as an accounting student, there has been one phrase that has served as my prayer: “Thy will be done.” These four words have been my battle cry, reminding me to trust in His will and to surrender my worries and anxieties. As fate would have it, this year’s campus conference is titled the very same phrase, reigniting that familiar voice in my heart.
I don’t know what will happen, as I’ve been tapped as the program head or director of this event. I am still a student in Manila, and my service area is in Cavite. I have classes until Saturday, and I have to make up for my parents because I haven’t been home for a few days. Also, our thesis has started. A lot is going on, and there will be more to come, I know. I don’t know what to do, what is needed, or where to start. All I know is that I have to do something—do whatever is given to me.
But with everything that is happening, I have found myself adding an extra line to my prayer, and that is “Lord, let me suffer more.” During Holy Week this year, I spoke with a priest, and he said that if we are not suffering, we are not living our lives; we are lifeless. I know these things will never be easy, but Lord, let me suffer more, test my patience more, test my understanding more, and test my love more for me to fulfill my purpose. Our lives would be meaningless without suffering, and I thank God that I suffered and am still suffering because, with that, I am living my purpose, carrying my cross, and knowing that with all of the things that have happened and will happen, I am not alone in this journey. Just like Mary suffered for 3 days when Christ died, the resurrection is the symbol that in every suffering there is always something good or great that will happen. There is no resurrection without a crucifixion.
And truly, the Lord is faithful to His promises, and His promise for the campus conference was won from the beginning. Throughout the whole preparation for the campus con, there are a lot of decisions to be made, a lot of people to talk to, a lot of people to understand, and a lot to organize. Yes, it’s tiring that in every class I wonder how the shooting of the short film is going, if the social media posting is now, and what else is needed in the program, the band and dancers. How is the practice going? It got to the point that even though I was sick and we had finals in school, I still didn’t stop doing and thinking about things. It feels like I’m not trusting anymore in His plans; I’m just relying on my decisions, my plans, my time, and myself. I forgot that the title of the campus conference is Thy will be done. With all of those realizations during the middle of my class, it hit me that maybe some of the college students right now are just like me, who struggled to trust even more in whatever God wants because it’s really hard as a college student to feel like you always need to be sure of things and to know everything. That’s why, since that day, I’ve said to myself, “Okay, Lord, whatever you want, I will accept with all my heart and with all joy.” Until D-day, the Lord is testing my trust in His plans and His people, but praise God for all of the things that happened. Up until that day, I didn’t know what else would happen, but all I knew was to give it all to the Lord, and my only prayer was, “Lord, let me see your will.”
Campus Conference 2024: Thy will be done. I don’t know where to start, but I know that at the end of this story, no matter what happens, only his will prevails and will happen. The smiles and tears at that event are a testament to His grace and goodness. There is still a lot more in store for me and for those people, but in all ways and always according to His will, may His will be done.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ate Des is a Mission Volunteer assigned in MFC Campus. She is the director of the Campus Conference 2024 held at Adamson University.
