Passionate. That is one word that describes senior Refuge leader Lindsey Johnson, who is currently pursuing some of her passions. Johnson, a Christian studies major with a biblical studies emphasis and a mass communications minor, strives to be a leader across campus.
In addition to her passion for ministry, Johnson considers herself a “coffee-addict.” She enjoys visiting Dr. Jacks Coffee Shop every morning, but likes to keep things interesting.
“Every morning we play a game. I bring my own coffee to them and they put in different flavors and I try to guess what they are,” Johnson said.
Johnson needs all the caffeine she can get, as she is busy using her voice and love for writing to share her own story. She has a blog called “Tragic Triumphs” where she is able to reflect on her own life and the work God has done in it.
“Writing allows me to look back and see how God has worked in ways I can’t even imagine,” Johnson said.
In her blog she explores the struggles we as humans go through to find our true identity. She discusses how easy it is to find ourselves seeking our identity through others and communicates what she has learned through her own experiences. Johnson knows that nothing on Earth defines us. She explains that God uses these situations to glorify Himself and shine a light in our lives. Ultimately Johnson believes strongly in combining our story with God’s story.
Johnson’s journey of becoming a Refuge leader is a symbol of faithfulness and God’s work in itself. Two years ago, she thought about leading Refuge but ended up going a different route with Noonday instead. She did not apply for the Noonday position, but was asked and felt it was God leading her. She describes her time serving through Noonday to be “a humbling experience”.
This May God revealed a new plan for her. Without applying for Refuge, Johnson was asked to be the speaker and accepted. She sees this as a true act of God, as she ironically never applied for either position. She followed this direction, as she was willing to serve wherever she was needed.
As Johnson accepted this position as an act of faith, she continues this idea throughout her service with Refuge. She feels that this idea of faithfulness has been put on her heart to share with others. Johnson recently spoke about Psalm 51, dealing with sin and restoration. She explained that she was nervous to talk about sin, as it is the root of the problem in this world. The message that she is striving to communicate is that we are to rely on God’s grace, as he is always faithful to restore us. She also discusses the importance of following where God wants us to go because he is faithful to us.
“Refuge truly is a time of Refuge. We go to learn who [God] is and what he wants us to learn from Him, and he is always faithful to show up,” Johnson said.
Johnson expresses that her biggest fear is being wrong, which makes her dependence on God that much more crucial. She spends a lot of time studying each message and how she can communicate it in a way that people will understand. She explains that with every message, God speaks words through her.
By Emily Brosius, staff writer
