December 10, 2024 by

The Easiest Decision 

If you are anything at all like me, before settling on Cedarville, you were also considering other Christian colleges that boasted about all kinds of campus bells and whistles. Before I decided to apply to Cedarville, I was all set to attend another popular Christian university. I originally chose it because it boasted an ice-skating rink, and I dearly loved ice skating. In making that choice, however, I lost sight of the truly important aspects I should have been looking for. 

In March 2023, I came to Cedarville for a weekend to visit my older brother. It was this particular weekend that I was able to attend a Cedarville chapel for the first time as an (almost) believer. During this chapel, I also began to doubt everything about my previous enrollment decision, even though I thought that it was surely too late to upset the course of my entire college career. 

Fortunately, the Lord had other plans for my life, and I am so thankful that I chose to listen to Him during that weekend. After giving my life to Christ in April of 2023 and having a “what if” conversation with my dad, I applied to Cedarville on a whim one random day and quickly decided that Cedarville was just the right place for me. 

That transfer turned out to be one of the easiest and best decisions of my life. 

Cedarville’s “Bells and Whistles” 

While Cedarville University may not have an ice-skating rink, it does possess the godliest Christian community that I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I have learned that alone is the most important thing to think about when making your college decision. By community, I mean friends and mentors who encourage you not only in your faith but also in every aspect of your life. The Lord has a funny way of bringing up a community in your life, sometimes in the strangest places. 

Leah Angstadt and her friends pose for a photo at Hocking Hills State Park.

I have found my community to be particularly encouraging during chapel. Words cannot express how much of a joy it is to be able to sit amongst other believers during chapel each day — something I have learned is unique to Cedarville. In fact, I would recommend choosing Cedarville based on chapel alone. Chapel has been particularly encouraging to me because it has allowed me to realize that most of my fellow students are in the same boat — we are all doing our best to grow in our faith and love for God and each other. 

Studying Abroad 

One of my all-time favorite parts of Cedarville thus far has been my time studying abroad this summer in Valencia, Spain. Not only is studying abroad a wonderful excuse for you to roam around God’s breathtaking creation, but you can also earn school credits while doing so. Words cannot express how inspiring it is to walk through the old churches in Valencia, some of which are older than our country, and experience these different countries and cultures. 

Leah Angstadt poses for a photo with other students and professors from her study abroad program.

Not only is there godly fellowship between the other students, but the Cedarville professors working with study abroad are so encouraging as well. There is a sense of inherent camaraderie formed when you are the only English speakers in the general vicinity, and the friendships you form during this time are sure to stand the test of time. 

Would I Choose Cedarville Again? 

I have found everything I was looking for at Cedarville, and so much more … even though I do not have my ice-skating rink. I have found my greenhouse and have watched my faith grow unbelievably during my brief time here; I would gladly exchange everything any other college offered to me for that alone.  

I have no idea what my life would look like today if I had ignored the call of the Lord and gone somewhere else, but I do know how much I would have missed Cedarville. I would never have known all the amazing friends I have been blessed with nor my church community that feels like a second home to me now. 

If the Lord is guiding you towards Cedarville, my greatest advice to you is: LISTEN to Him! The remarkable thing about our God is that we can trust Him when He calls us to decisions and experiences that might be outside of our comfort zones and original plans. And, oftentimes, these are the decisions He uses to transform us. 

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