Students share impact of decisions

Decisions, big and small, determine how people live their lives and what experiences they partake in. The world runs on decisions. But decisions do not just affect people. It also affects the community around them. Everyone on earth encounters similar experiences but sometimes the train of events and decisions that lead up to that experience shape the type of person someone becomes.

The Feather asked teachers and students at FC what decisions they have made in their lives and how those decisions continue to affect them and the community that surrounds them.

Choosing to trust God
Macie Thompson, ’19
Feb. 2, 2018

“One of the most impactful decisions I have made in my life is to follow Jesus. That is one my most impactful decisions because I live a life for him now and I get to spread his love everywhere I go.I was personally impacted because I joined the worship team at my church and at my school. It helped me to gain confidence and it helped me to understand how great God’s love for us is.”

Coming to FCS                                                                                                              Samantha Portale, ‘21.                                                                                                           Feb. 6, 2018

“One decision I have made was when I moved from Granite Ridge to Fresno Christian,” Portale said. “I didn’t like the school I was at very much and I thought a change of scenery would be good. This change affected the people I talk to and hang out with. I made a bunch of new friends but I also lost some of my old friends. My favorite part of FCS is the weekly chapels.”

Learning Piano                                                                                                                                                                                                     Wesley Hinton, ‘20,                                                                                                                                                                                           Feb.12, 2018

“A decision I made was to start playing piano again,” Hinton said. “I was forced to take piano lessons from about kindergarten to 6th grade, and then I quit. I didn’t play that much during junior high, and then I decided to start playing again in high school. This decision caused me to get involved in leading worship at my church and later playing keyboard at school, and has caused much growth in my musical abilities.“

Teach high school science rather than research
Dr. Karen Walters, FC science department teacher
Feb. 2, 2018

“One impactful decision I made in my life was deciding to teach biology instead of doing biology in the research lab,” Walters said. “It is really cool because then I get to share it with more people and it’s just more exciting that way. I hope I bring experience I’ve had in research to teaching science and sharing that excitement of discovery. I just really like sharing science. When I see those little light bulbs go off and when I see a student that enjoys what we’re learning it’s my favorite part.”

Play Basketball                                                                                                                                                                                                     Bryson Graham, ‘21                                                                                                                                                                                                 Feb. 7, 2018

“An important decision I’ve made is to play basketball,” Graham said. “It was important because it was like an escape for me. I could get away from homework and school and do something I love. I gave me something to look for in my day and gave me better relationships with players and coaches. My favorite part is getting better so I can do well I in games and get me and my team motivated.”

Becoming a Christian                                                                                                                                                                                        Landon Goldsborough, ‘19                                                                                                                                                                                      Feb. 7, 2018

“One of the most important decisions I’ve made in my life was the decision to follow Jesus and become a Christian,” Goldsborough said. “That decision changed the course of my life. It is the basis for all the decisions I made from then on.”

Joining karate
Ryan Brazil, ‘20
Feb. 1, 2018

“The most important decision I’ve made in my life would probably be joining karate,” Brazil said. “I was going though a really tough time last year and it really helped me and it has set me on the right path to go to God. And it also has helped me with discipline and self-control a lot of the time. So that helped me succeed in school, sports and hobbies. It really affected me in my attitude. My dad and my brother joined too.”

Adopting siblings
Cohl Obwald, ’21
Jan. 31, 2018

“One of the impactful decisions I’ve made is the assurance to my parents of adopting my little sister and little brother,” Obwald said. “For obvious reasons my little sister and little brother are with us everyday. They have brought joy because it’s just fun to spread joy to others. Before we adopted them they were in dilapidated orphanages and it was just like a super downer. And we are able to bring happiness to their lives.”

New York Times Magazine story “Can an Algorithm Tell When Kids Are in Danger?” (Jan. 7, 2018) on how / why Allegheny County child protective agencies incorporate data analysis into helpline decision-making: https://t.co/uE8DprRBzJ

— Legal Aid of SE PA (@LegalAidSEPA) January 7, 2018

The following video includes campus students who shared their most life-changing choices.

Transferring to Fresno Christian
Colton Allen, ’20
Jan. 31, 2018

“The most impactful decision I’ve made was probably coming to FCS in seventh grade,” Allen said. “It is really hard when you’re twelve and getting bullied for ridiculous things in sixth grade and you can’t do anything about it and no one takes it seriously because you’re a kid. I said, ‘I want to go to FCS, I want to be closer to God and I want to be able to talk about him.’ I wanted to be in a environment where it is friendly and people are actually kind to each other. So I came to FCS and I think that if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met all my friends some other amazing people. And I don’t think I’d be a believer if I hadn’t come to FCS. I was personally affected by getting closer to God. I knew there was a God but I didn’t know much about him. Then I took Mr. Richards’ Bible class and I learned all these amazing things.”

Devoting life to Christ
Tyler Villines, ’18
Jan. 29, 2018

“The most impactful decision I’ve ever made in my life was giving my life to Christ,” Villines said. “That is not just something that I make a decision and in a few years down the road it goes away. It is something that I continuously live by. It impacts my decisions every single day and it is also something that I can put my hope in when everything else seems completely hopeless. I feel like personally it has really motivated me to be a better person. In return people see the glow and they see the joy and peace that the Holy Spirit has blessed me with. And I feel like in turn that brings people to him. People see that and they want to be around someone who brings them joy. And if I can shine that light while also pointing them in the direction of Christ it completely changes the world.”

People all around the world notice each other’s decisions and the reasons for making them. As an ethical and moral human being, consider your own decisions as kind and compassionate or selfish and conceited.

For more articles, read The effects of mass marketing on high school students. For more discussions, read Join the Discussion: Thanksgiving break.

Carston Saelzler can be reached via email.