Humans of Lee
Photo: Kyle Weldy
This week I met Senior Kyle Weldy at Bonlife Coffee, the location that he said enables him to see the truth in himself. He says it iswhere he is able to take away distraction and come face to face with who he is and where he is headed.
Four years ago, traveling from Leavenworth, Kansas, to Lee University, Weldy was on a road to redemption.
In high school, Weldy said he was caught up in a dark place, where he sought earthly desires above God. When senior year came around, Lee University was the last school he wanted to attend, but because of his mother, he applied last minute, and ended up choosing to enroll.
'I prayed for the first time and said, 'God, if you want me to go to Lee, then I need you to give me a sign,' ' Weldy said. 'It was a 90 degree day, no wind. But then the most refreshing breeze came through, and it shook everything. The cool thing was when the wind touched my face, it was as if God was confirming and comforting me in the idea of going to Lee, knowing it would be good for me. It's crazy how it has now brought me to where [I am] and who I am today.'
Weldy said experiences shape who you are. During our time at Bonlife, every story he shared was either a time of darkness or renewal, and either way he highlighted the importance of God breaking him in order to draw him closer with genuine faith.
One of Weldy's greatest passions is people. He said that it has always been people, but it has never been truer until now.
'My heart grows exponentially for people I don't know, and I think God is building my character that way as preparation for sending me out into the world to do his work in the future,' Weldy said.
After graduating next December, Weldy plans on moving to France to be a part of Youth With A Mission (YWAM), where he will participate in discipleship training for three months, then engage in outreach ministry, such as working with the Syrian refugee crisis, for the following two months.
'France has such a special place in my heart even though I've never been before,' Weldy said. 'It has become my greatest desire and urge to go ever since I've come across this ministry opportunity. I'm even learning French now: my phone's In French, laptop's in French, and I listen to French music.'
Weldy says he is looking forward to this experience because it is not just a mission trip to enjoy for a week, but a challenge to integrate into a new culture for a long duration of time with one goal in mind, spreading the gospel.
'I look forward to new experiences like this because I've learned that when I travel, it expands my horizons and changes who I am, and I love change,' Weldy said.