True Faith: Trusting and Aligning Our Desires with God's
By erin conner, writer & communications associate
Ijeamaka Achebe, a senior at Yale University, recalls parts of her journey through her academic career, wondering, "What is my purpose?" While she has a clear goal of becoming a doctor, she realized that goals and existential purpose are not necessarily one and the same.
Through Christian Union Lux's ministry at Yale, in part, Achebe began to realize that, above all, she wanted her career aspirations to be in alignment with God's will. After two years of participating in Christian Union Bible courses, she shared that her outlook on career is different than it once was. "Our secondary calling is career," she shared, recognizing that while a career is important, it is subordinate to her primary calling as a Christian.
Achebe is currently enrolled in a Christian Union Bible course entitled "Vocational Preparation," offered to seniors each year through Christian Union's leadership development ministry at ten highly secular and influential universities across the country. This course helps students integrate their faith with their career aspirations and understand their unique calling in God's kingdom. Christian Union graduates hundreds of students from its ministry each year, working to equip them to live out their faith in their personal and professional lives.
Achebe expresses her gratitude to God and for her experiences with Christian Union Lux's community of believers at Yale: "I'm so grateful for how the Lord reveals to me how much He considers me. I'm so grateful for the opportunity He has given me to experience the biggest blessing—to see His kingdom grow. I'm grateful for the journey I've had with CU to lead in different ways, from serving on the socials team to leading a frosh Bible course. I've grown so much from these experiences."
Achebe is observing a kind of spiritual awakening at Yale. "Something is happening here," she shared. "This is a critical time at Yale. The Lord is maturing His people in their gifts. CU Lux has grown exponentially since my start here. There are so many people wanting to know the Jesus of the gospel. I'm excited to see what is yet to come."
Recently, CU Lux took a group of 81 students on a winter retreat at the Incarnation Center in Connecticut, where they studied Scripture, worshiped, prayed, and were encouraged and equipped by Christian Union faculty. Fady Ghobrial, previously a ministry fellow at Harvard, taught on the topic of biblical spiritual gifts. At this retreat, Achebe gained clarity on her gift of exhortation and how she desires to use it to build up those around her not only in the context of ministry but also in the context of career and life.
"Because we love the Lord, we want to build up the Church at Yale and beyond. CU Lux has helped to equip me to ask God, 'How do I serve after I graduate?' and to follow boldly where He leads."
Achebe has applied for a fellowship in Africa following graduation. She desires to build meaningful relationships with others, particularly those to whom she plans to provide care, and to become a policy shaper in the area of public health. She places these desires into the hands of the Lord, trusting Him to shape and fulfill them. Her posture and poise demonstrate to those around her what it looks like to live in joyful anticipation of the goodness and provision of God. Her life is a testament to real faith. Those who know her are grateful to witness it.
Chitra Kovoor, women's ministry fellow at Christian Union Lux, shared, "Ije is a precious jewel and a powerhouse. It has been an absolute joy to witness how God is leading her. She is a faithful Christian leader, a powerful mentor, and an influential presence at CU and Yale. Her deep desire for God is matched by disciplined practices of prayer, fasting, and obedience, lived out with humility and integrity. Willing to pay the cost of following Jesus, she walks with much grace and wisdom and is deeply beloved by all in this community."
Ijeamaka Achebe's journey exemplifies the transformative power of faith in God. Her story inspires others to trust in God's plan and to use their gifts to serve Him and others, regardless of vocation.
