Healing Hopelessness by Elias

Healing Hopelessness by Elias - March 2025 Scholarship Essay

It's no secret that the world around us is broken. Anxiety and depression run rampant, many struggle to afford the essentials to support themselves and their families, and, perhaps most distressingly, people have lost hope that the state of the world can improve. In short, many people are desperate for help. It is easy to be overwhelmed by this truth, but when I look at the world, I see an opportunity to make a significant difference in people’s lives. As I enter my adult life and career, I will commit to serving the people around me and to help them find hope for the future.
The work of ministry has always felt close to my heart. As a pastor’s son, growing up in and around this work was extremely formative for me. I have seen both the incredible fruit and the many hardships of a life in service to those in the community. This experience has instilled a passion in me for people who are hurting and in need and has made me uniquely gifted to perform the work of ministry. I truly desire to bless others through my work, and I feel that I can thrive in the work of ministry.
Ten years from now, I envision myself beginning a life of serving those in my community. The need I most wish to address is hopelessness. Even beyond their immediate physical needs, many suffer from loneliness and lack direction in their lives. People need support and a reason to continue pushing forward to improve their lives. In many instances, the primary thing someone needs to be motivated to pursue their goals and dreams for the future is someone to believe in them. I hope to seek out people who feel alone and isolated and bring them into community. I hope to provide for their physical needs as much as possible and equip them with everything they need to pursue a better future for themselves and those they love. Through my parents and friends, I have personally felt the impact that loving people can have on someone’s outlook on their life; I hope to be that person to many people in the future.
In this next season of life at Anderson University, I hope to be further equipped to enter the work of ministry. I will dive deeply into the instruction, learn practical methods for this work, and take advantage of the professors’ experience as experts in their field and as mentors in my life. Ten years from now, I hope to be implementing the practices I learned in college in my service in the community. With my experience in ministry, my unique gifting, and the training I will receive at Anderson University, I believe that I can make a significant impact on the world and in individual people’s lives. I truly desire to bless people in my work, and I cannot wait to see the many people that I will be able to help in the future.