Michelle Key

I am a senior at Campbell University. I was born and raised in North Carolina, by two loving a parents who I owe the world to. I grew up within the context of the Christian church and at a private Christian school (K-12). While Christianity was the central piece of my life, most of my heart laid within the sport of swimming and my academics. I started swimming at age 5 and by 11 years of age I was competing for a local club team, which I stayed with until graduation. I ate, drank, and breathed swimming. I was also I very accomplished and dedicated student, with sights set on becoming a UNC student one day. At the offer of a swimming position on Campbell University's swim team, however, I readily reliquished my dreams of donning Tar Heel blue to be able to compete at the collegiate level. At Campbell, no longer insulated by Christianity, I began to pursue the typical college life from the glory of an athlete. I still clung to my Christian name, but little else. My sophomore year, I met a girl who began to invite me to her bible study and invest in my life. Between her influence and God sovereignly stripping every ounce of satisfaction in the world from me, I became envious of her and miserable with who I was. The following summer I went to Orlando with Campus Outreach to their Summer Project where I truly encountered the gospel for the first time in my life. In June, a decided to stop running from God's grace, and I surrended my life to Christ forever. In September of 2011, I was baptized at The Summit Church. I'll never forget when my pastor asked me if I would follow Jesus for the rest of my life, and I replied "Anywhere." Since then, He has changed my heart radically for His glory, and I am dedicated to living my life as an offering here at Campbell to tell others of the promise we are given in Christ. And after that, I am following anywhere, to any nation or city to live for the One who died for me.