On campus, we encourage students to develop holistically with Strong Hearts, Strong Minds, and Strong Voices. This includes in and out of the classroom growth. The Christian faith is the driver of our organization’s values, driving many of our students, staff, and supporters to better themselves and their communities. We do not have faith as a part of our formal curriculum, but rather encourage our students to grow in their spiritual walk as a part of their personal growth. Below, LMI Graduate Hellen shares part of her spiritual growth story and the importance faith has played in her leadership journey.
My name is Hellen Pineda, and I graduated from LMI approximately three years ago as a member of Cohort 12. Part of my testimony is that I came to know Jesus Christ when I was 17 years old. Before that, my life had no meaning or purpose. Once I accepted Him as my only and sufficient Savior, my life was never the same again. Now I live with a greater purpose, which is to live for the glory of God, and that encompasses every area of my life.
When I first joined LMI, I was still very new in my faith and perhaps very immature in many areas. However, my desire to serve the Lord was always very strong, not because of anything I could do, but because of the work of the Holy Spirit in me. Even so, being part of LMI was a huge challenge, especially in the spiritual area. I had to face many challenges and fight against my own sinful desires and habits and learn to depend completely on God during those two years.
While I was at LMI, I was part of the spiritual formation group, a team that led church services and activities that in one way or another allowed the students to connect with God. This was not only a challenge but also an enormous blessing, as it shaped much of my character as a daughter of God but also showed me my ability and desire to bring others closer to the Lord. Although the training that LMI offers was not merely spiritual, my growth was enormous through the trials and difficulties that we faced as students. I can firmly assure you that the experience at LMI requires a great deal of dependence on the Lord. Without Him, it would have been very difficult to remain until the end.
That is why I emphasize the importance of students having deep spiritual care, and for this, it is also necessary to have a leader who walks with the Lord in every area of their life. Personally, I had few leaders who truly brought me closer to God, and that was another challenge, although the few I did have were a blessing to me. As a former student, I pray that current students will have the spiritual support that is so necessary in their lives. Nothing that LMI offers can truly satisfy the real needs of each person. We need Jesus, the world needs Jesus, and LMI is no exception. If you don’t have Jesus, if you’re not walking with Him, the other areas of your life will be greatly affected. This is what He tells us: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5.
Today, Hellen is in seminary studying theology at a university in the United States. We are thankful that LMI was able to be a part of her spiritual leadership growth path, and that she has chosen to live a life dedicated to faith and leading others. We now have Jeandré Boshoff serving as spiritual formation coordinator, dedicated to investing in the spiritual life of students on our campus.