Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/583785
set the tone for the rest of my time at seminary. I realized that I needed relationships not just to get through seminary, but also to respond to what God wanted to do in me. College allowed me to become me, but seminary pushed me to become who God wanted me to be. "I couldn't just dip my toe in the waters of spiritual and personal growth. Seminary threw me into the deep end and forced me to ask, What does it look like to be a young, disabled woman in ministry? I felt like I had three strikes against me with my age, my gender, and my disability." But the Lord, in His infinite love and grace, gave her companions from her classes at Denver Seminary to walk with her as she fought to follow the unique path the Lord had given her. "College allowed me to become me, but seminary pushed me to become who God wanted me to be." COMPANIONS FOR THE JOURNEY During her first semester at Denver Seminary, Nicole was introduced to a group of friends who were missional at their core, a value she shared. They were intentionally discovering how to do life together. "I had already been wrestling with the concept of calling," says Nicole, "and I realized that God had gifted me in unique ways. This community encouraged me to live out those gifts." She bonded with this group of friends, and the Lord used them as catalysts for the freedom He was bringing to Nicole. "As a result of belonging to this group, I grew in self-acceptance," she says. "I was able to be raw, and I didn't need to wear a mask around them." The opportunity to be authentic in her pain and grow in these relationships added personal depth and connection to what she was learning in her counseling classes. Then several of her friends from this group went on a mission trip to Kenya during the early part of Nicole's time at seminary. They had a layover in London long enough to wander around the city and into Holy Trinity Brompton church, where a program called the Alpha Course was founded. Her friends came home speaking more about Alpha than they did about Kenya. The group had been wondering for months how to make disciples and share God's love. Now the answer was clear: they would lead their own Alpha course. Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that freely explore the claims of Jesus and the basics of the Christian faith over a 10-week course. Each member of the group, Nicole included, took turns facilitating the curriculum for the larger group attending. The opportunity to be authentic in her pain and grow in these relationships added personal depth and connection to what she was learning in her counseling classes. "Our first Alpha course was held at Breckenridge Brewery, and we were stunned by the breakthroughs we saw happening," she says. The enthusiasm generated from that first course led to four or five more led by this same group of 18 FALL 2015 TAKE IT FROM HERE kakratua/iStock zhirong huang/iStock