Exodus 365 is something I would have never imagined doing in college, but here I am. At first, I saw it as a challenge. If I complete each discipline every week, I will be all set. In my eyes, this would be the ultimate level of discipline for self-improvement.
However, as I grew in my faith and talked with others who were sacrificing the same things, I learned that it wasn’t supposed to be looked at as some checklist challenge. My heart took a turn. The purpose of Exodus is really to sacrifice some of the things I enjoy doing and give them to the Lord. I also learned to give up "my time” and fill it by spending time with the Lord. Don’t get me wrong, this is a challenge, but my intention and pursuit are different from when I started.
Exodus put in perspective how worldly I am, and this scared me. But I needed this reality check. Right off the bat, I was struggling with giving up sweets, social media, and frivolous internet. However, it was necessary for my growth, considering that I would like to be able to lay down my life for my faith. It is crazy to think that I should be able to give up my whole life, but I struggle with making time for only twenty minutes of prayer each day.
Many people believe that to be a follower of Christ you must hold on for dear life because it will be tough living for him. But I say that being a follower of Christ is more like letting go for dear life, leaving all our desires behind to go serve him. We must let go of the things on this earth and keep our focus on the things above. This fueled my purpose, and this is what Exodus 365 taught me. I am forever changed.
Dan Campbell is a sophomore from Brighton, MI. He is studying Physical Education and Health. Dan runs on the cross-country team as well as the track team at Hope College. He loves nature, going on hikes, and exploring.