The Student Collective Volume VII Issue I

Story portraits
Zane Friesen
What does it look like to love people who are different?
Every day that we walk on this earth we’re given countless opportunities to love people who are
different. One of the best ways to love people who are different is by meeting them where they are at in
their life. Showing them that you don’t expect them to change for you or to compare themselves to you
is important to establish early on.At George Fox we have a wide variety of people that we cross paths
with daily. God created each and every person to be unique and to live into their own personal identity.
Just Because someone’s identity, calling, faith, looks, or abilities are different than ours doesn’t mean they
were somehow created less than everyone else. Just as God created you, He created the person society
would consider “different.” As a community we must work on loving others who are different, accepting
those who don’t stand where we stand, and we must work towards being one part of a much bigger body.
How has your experience at GFU shaped the unique aspects
of who you are?
Since being at George Fox I have experienced a lot of personal
growth in many aspects of my life.From the day I stepped
foot on campus for the first time, I felt an overwhelming
feeling of acceptance and relief. I felt like I could breathe
comfortably. Being at George Fox has truly brought out
the best side of me and has allowed me to further live
into the man that God created me to be. I immediately
felt like the faculty and professors were invested in me,
and that the students there were truly welcoming and
accepting of me.George Fox has a special feeling in its
community that is hard to put into words, but it is easy
to see the difference it has made in my life as I reflect
on the year behind me. I’ve been able to grow in my faith
in unimaginable ways using the many resources provided
by spiritual life and events put together by students.My
social, extroverted side thrives every day as I interact with
the many familiar faces that I have connected
with, and I have been able to grow
in my communication skills while
continuing to feel accepted by those
around me. I’ve been truly blessed
to see this growth in my life since
starting at George Fox, and I am
excited to see what the following
years have in store for me.
The Student Collective 17