Molly Brinker is a 10th-grade student here at Park. Molly is known for her bubbly personality and athleticism. She made the varsity track team just as a freshman. Living with her has allowed me to see all the highs and lows, but there are still things about her I overlook.

Molly is a variant of the Biblical name Mary. I can testify that Molly lives up to the meaning of her name. Regardless, Molly and I spend plenty of time goofing around, making memories, and driving around. One thing I have neglected is noticing her love for Christ. Molly is a loyal follower of Christ. I have never taken a step back to think of the reasons why she picked this up, or even how much peace she had found in following Him.

Molly has found her purpose through Christianity.

“Christianity has impacted my life by taking people out of life and surrounding me with the greatest group of girls. It has also made me a more caring and intentional person. It has made me understand not only myself but also others more. It has given my life a purpose and has made everything fall into place,” said Molly.

For the most part, when we pick up a new habit or activity, someone has influenced us to begin it. Molly was influenced by her friends to attend Young Life Camp.

“I started reading my bible after my first Young Life camp. At this camp, we learned that Jesus died for us and that the only way to live a full life is to draw near to God. I also learned that God wants to hear from me, and likes to see me reading my Bible to learn more ways to better my life through him. I was gifted my first Bible by my Young Life leader and this started everything,” said Molly.

Molly tries to read at least two chapters out of her Bible each day. Being dedicated is hard, but when you have something keeping you motivated, it gets easier. 

“Something that has inspired me is seeing the changes God makes in my life, whether good or bad, I can see him working in my life for my ultimate purpose. I know that being close to God will always better me. Something else that inspires me is knowing that no matter how anxious or worried I am God will always be with me and that when Jesus was on Earth before he went on the cross he was extremely nervous but knew that what he was doing was extremely important so I try to live with this same mindset,” said Molly.

Now, Molly has fulfilled her days with studying and understanding her life through Christ. She attends church on Sundays with our grandfather, Papa. She also attends the Young Life Bible study and club. She is also a member of the FCA club.

“My Papa is the only other religious family member, so when I started getting into Christianity I called him and asked about going to church. Now a year later, we still go to church together every Sunday,” said Molly. 

Starting something new can be scary, and hard. Molly has been through that, and having someone to guide you can make it a thousand times easier.

“My advice for people just starting to read is to know that you are reading for a purpose, not just to read to read, but to read until you get something out of what you’re reading. This makes you walk away feeling like you are bettering your life and relationship with God instead of just making reading your Bible a checklist. I recommend starting in the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. I say this because these books are an example of Jesus’ character and starting here allows you to understand Jesus adding a lot to your faith,” said Molly.

Molly has read through multiple Bibles, and throughout that time, she has picked up a verse that she lives by:

“Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul. Do not depend on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.”