by Nate Kwak

It’s definitely been the best 4 years of my life. I became a Christian shortly before entering college, and had no idea what to expect. I had never moved away from the same home in Orange County since the day of my birth, and moving just 2 hours south to San Diego was a huge step for me.

Freshman year, God gifted me with a room meant to be a double that I had all to myself because my roommate-to-be decided to not attend UCSD at the last moment. Then God, a month and a half later, gifted me as I was eating spaghetti and studying my Math 20C book, in Canyon Vista. Paul Molina enthusiastically approached me and said, “Hi, Nathaniel? I’m Paul. I’m going to be your new roommate!” That year, I discovered the joy of drinking the pure spiritual milk of the Word, growing tremendously in knowledge, not to mention excitement, in regards to the character of God. With the consistent phone calls from Juim on Saturday nights and her ever faithful minivan, I immediately committed to Lighthouse from week one.

By Sophomore year, God challenged me to practically live out all the things I was learning. This was extremely difficult as He revealed to me more and more of my depravity and sinfulness, especially in light of slowly being given more ministry responsibility and also in living with an apartment full of Christians in Warren (Chris, Ben, Paul). It was tremendous fun partaking in fellowship with brothers and really struggling in figuring out whether or not playing Super Smash Brothers and toying with Zippo lighters really counted as fellowship.

By Junior year, God was slowly developing me to really see that life really wasn’t about me. I had heard about it time and time again from Pastor John. “IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU,” he would scream… lovingly. Man, three years in and still going strong, that guy. But God continued to patiently reveal to me that though I knew this concept, denying self, taking up the cross, and following Christ really meant giving it all up. Back when I accepted Christ, God bought my life with a price and I was freed from the world, joyously made a doulos to Him! This realization was extremely sobering, but extremely refreshing.

Senior year, this year, has definitely been a time of solidifying. God has been teaching me to bear down and understand that it really isn’t about how I feel or about the circumstances that I am thrust into. There have been many moments where I question God, many moments where I don’t feel like pursuing holiness. But God always gently reminds me that He is unchanging and faithful. What can I do but drop to my knees and praise Him with all that I do? What less can I give to Him than my all? The truth has never been more engrained in me than now. Neither has sleep… every year my bedtime has moved closer and closer to the “PM” side of my bedside clock.

Lighthouse has been such an encouraging church body through it all. It was at this church, through all its struggles and joys, that I was given a foundation of truth. It was its members who held me accountable to staying on the straight and narrow path. God used the leadership of Lighthouse to work his process of sanctification in me. It was a place where I saw a family of believers really encourage one another and love one another in a genuine manner. From Flocks to Affinity groups, from Scripps Ranch to Sorrento Valley, from 100 members to 250 members, the four years I’ve enjoyed here in San Diego as a part of Lighthouse has been one of the prevalent blessings of my life. To the glory of God the Father.

Favorite place in SD: Hands down, the Cliffs. With a guitar and a Bible, I can spend countless hours there
Favorite verse: Philippians 2:5-11
Advice for collegians:Talk to everyone you can. Wherever you are, just talk to people. Encourage Christians, evangelize to non-Christians. For the guys, talk to the older guys at church, don’t spend all your conversation on video games and sports, talk about God…and don’t make it a weird thing to pray with others. Pray honestly. Pray genuinely.