When asked about her journey to seminary, Christian Brooks, middler student from St. Louis, Mo., responded, “This is such a crazy story but you can really see how God has been orchestrating things.”

Christian’s plan after majoring in accounting at University of Pittsburgh was to get a job in accounting or pursue further schooling in that area of study. She enjoyed math and felt comfortable swimming in the sea of numbers and calculations, but for her there was no fulfillment in it except that as an accountant she would be well paid. So that was her plan—until senior year. Every time she would be praying, seminary always seemed to pop up, which she brushed aside until she could not ignore it any more.

“I applied to so many jobs. I was able to get 15 interviews, and made it to the final round of 10, and got none of them. I even tried to volunteer but they wouldn’t take me. I couldn’t even give my time for free. So I went back into my Bible and asked what I am supposed to do.”

In her prayer and study, she decided to make a deal with God. She was going to apply to one seminary and if she was accepted, she would go. Christian started at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary that next fall as a dual degree student in the MDiv/MSW program.

But God was not done yet. In her journey, Christian has discovered her love for children and passion for youth through working at Manchester Youth Development Center. Her ultimate goal now is to open a non-profit for kids in the inner city, providing services like tutoring and extra-curricular activities, hoping for it to become an overall community center.

“Growing up in the inner city I noticed that a lot of community centers are closing down and a lot of programs like that for kids aren’t getting defunded, so they have to shut down. I’d like to open up a center for kids.”

Christian continues to discern God’s will in her life, seeks to see God at work in the people around her, and looks forward to the other unexpected places God will be taking her.

 

When asked about her journey to seminary, Christian Brooks, middler student from St. Louis, Mo., responded, “This is such a crazy story but you can really see how God has been orchestrating things.”

Christian’s plan after majoring in accounting at University of Pittsburgh was to get a job in accounting or pursue further schooling in that area of study. She enjoyed math and felt comfortable swimming in the sea of numbers and calculations, but for her there was no fulfillment in it except that as an accountant she would be well paid. So that was her plan—until senior year. Every time she would be praying, seminary always seemed to pop up, which she brushed aside until she could not ignore it any more.

“I applied to so many jobs. I was able to get 15 interviews, and made it to the final round of 10, and got none of them. I even tried to volunteer but they wouldn’t take me. I couldn’t even give my time for free. So I went back into my Bible and asked what I am supposed to do.”

In her prayer and study, she decided to make a deal with God. She was going to apply to one seminary and if she was accepted, she would go. Christian started at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary that next fall as a dual degree student in the MDiv/MSW program.

But God was not done yet. In her journey, Christian has discovered her love for children and passion for youth through working at Manchester Youth Development Center. Her ultimate goal now is to open a non-profit for kids in the inner city, providing services like tutoring and extra-curricular activities, hoping for it to become an overall community center.

“Growing up in the inner city I noticed that a lot of community centers are closing down and a lot of programs like that for kids aren’t getting defunded, so they have to shut down. I’d like to open up a center for kids.”

Christian continues to discern God’s will in her life, seeks to see God at work in the people around her, and looks forward to the other unexpected places God will be taking her.