蜜桃av

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Cameron Guild, sophomore nursing major at 蜜桃av Adventist University, has pursued two long-standing interests: athletics and mission work. At 11 years old, he knew that God wanted him to be a medical missionary. In high school, he got involved with athletics. With an intense training routine, he completed several half-marathons and one half-Ironman. He had also begun training for the Boston Marathon when he realized that God wanted him to run a different race鈥攐ne of strengthening his faith, which prepared him for unexpected health challenges and his goal to become a missionary.

Surrendering to God

Guild was marathon training when he went on a medical mission trip to Bolivia in 2021. On New Year鈥檚 Eve during the trip, he went to a chapel and prayed, 鈥淟ord, is there anything you want me to surrender? I鈥檓 willing to surrender anything to You.鈥� As Guild was praying, still wearing his running shoes after finishing several miles, he heard God asking him to give up running and devote that time to Him. 鈥淚t was almost like an arrow hit my heart,鈥� Guild says. He remembers thinking, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 do that. It鈥檚 too hard.鈥�

鈥淚 was sitting there shaking, but I knew I had just told God I would give Him anything. So, I took off my running shoes, laced them up, and handed them to God. It was that moment when I realized God had something more for me than I could have planned myself,鈥� he says.

The next morning, instead of going for a run, Guild dedicated his time to studying the Bible. 鈥淎ll this time I was seeking a deeper faith experience because I knew that God needed to grow in me a stronger reliance in Him and not in myself,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 realized that when I surrender, God empowers me to live a life of faith and power I never knew I could live.鈥� Little did he realize how important this would become during the following year.

Relying on God

In the summer of 2022, Guild decided to work as a colporteur, canvassing neighborhoods with books to introduce people to God. Halfway through the summer, he was praying and again surrendered everything to God. Only 15 minutes later, he had a medical emergency, became paralyzed, and was rushed to the emergency room.

鈥淚 was laid on the CT scanner thinking, 鈥極kay, is this the end?鈥欌�� Guild recalls. Then he felt something hit him in the heart, similar to the feeling of an arrow back when he had surrendered running to God. After feeling those pangs, he was able to walk again and released from the hospital.

Later that weekend, he had three strokes and three seizures, becoming paralyzed once more. 鈥淚 was in very critical condition, and we didn鈥檛 know what was happening,鈥� Guild says. Thankfully, he improved and regained control of his body, though he has had ongoing care for medical concerns.

Guild credits his recovery to a miracle of God and his resilience to a cultivated faith in God. 鈥淚f I hadn鈥檛 given up running back then, I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to accept those feelings of helplessness,鈥� he shares, believing his faith has helped him deal with precarious health.

Growing With God

鈥淕od continues to convict me to remove things from my life and replace them with ministry opportunities and people who will help me grow into a godly man,鈥� Guild says. His passion for evangelism and desire to be a missionary led him to the Soul-winning And Leadership Training (SALT) program, a collaboration between 蜜桃av and It Is Written.

鈥淚t was a launch pad for me, both academically and spiritually,鈥� he shares. 鈥溍厶襛v has inspired and equipped me with experiences, opportunities, and mentors who have led me closer to God. I鈥檝e grown so much mentally, spiritually, and physically by studying here. When I graduate from 蜜桃av, I know I will be confident, competent, and at my full potential.鈥�

With the experiences and life lessons he has learned, Guild now feels that he is running the race God wants him to complete. 鈥淭he reward at the end of this marathon is so much greater than a trophy or a medal,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t will be a heavenly crown.鈥�

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