A Community that Feels like Home
A Community that Feels like Home
Sam's Story | Salt Company
January 25th, 2023 | Citylight Fort Collins | Stories
Samantha Bontz grew up in a Christian home and knew that she wanted to find a spiritual family when she moved to college.
“I knew I wanted to be apart of a community that felt like home. One with an intimate community who desired fellowship and connection, one where I could grow spiritually, and where I knew I would be able to plant my spiritual roots for my time here at CSU.“
Sam first heard about Salt Company when she saw chalk art on the Plaza at CSU inviting people to Salt. I wasn’t until the end of the second semester of her freshman year that Sam really started to get connected though. On a whim, she decided to go to the Salt Company Conference with 30 other CSU students.
“I made a last minute decision to go to the Salt conference and walked into that weekend anticipating what the Lord would do in my heart. During the Saturday session the pastor preached on sin, which was nothing new but this time something in my heart clicked. For the first time that I can remember I felt truly convicted of the sin that I was feeding in my life and felt the weight that came with it. Arriving home I knew that I would not be able to withstand the weight that I was carrying, and while I am forgiven through Christ, I knew I needed to confess to a trusted mentor. And while I was terrified, I found true freedom in sharing my struggles with others and accepting Gods forgiveness and grace in my life.”
Sam shared her sin with Salt staff and started experiencing freedom and growth in her walk with God. She got plugged into a freshman huddle. When summer hit though, Sam had some curveballs in life thrown her way.
“After a tough freshman year and some difficult seasons, I was sure that the following semester would follow a similar pattern. I dreaded the start of the school year because I knew lots of change and newness was ahead, but was hopeful that I would continue to see the Lord work in my life in whatever way that looked like.”
God used Sam in big ways last fall! She spent most of her time the week before classes joining in Salt Company’s “mission trip to campus” - inviting anyone that walked by to play volleyball, spikeball, or kiddie pool kickball! She was now the girl chalking on the plaza inviting people to Salt. She helped tons of students connect to community and feel seen, known, and loved during a scary and new time of their life!
“I knew the struggles that came from waiting to get connected and wanted so badly for the freshman surrounding me that week to feel connected and part of something. I was so encouraged watching my fellow Salters welcome these freshmen in and found myself in awe of the ways the Lord was working in just a short week.
As the semester unfolded, I found myself in tears numerous times over the ways He was showing up in my life, literally on a daily basis. The Lord was quick to provide me the sweetest new friends after being afraid I would have none, roommates who quickly became my best friends, and countless other unexpected blessings that filled voids in my life and brought me abundant joy! Talk about feeling overwhelming gratitude😭”
Sam has continued to stay committed to community, to serving in Salt Company, and creating fun environments for others to feel comfortable to be themselves!
“Thanks to the Lords divine timing, I now get to spend my days with these friends, ALL DAY EVERYDAY (I might even be a victim of sleep deprivation for it🤪) but I’m living my best life! I could have never imagined my life this way but then again I can’t imagine it any other way. Its because of the Lords graciousness I get to be here, laughing, smiling, and feeling the joy of the Lord everyday!! He is full of redemption and this semester has been living proof of it!!”
“I knew I wanted to be apart of a community that felt like home. One with an intimate community who desired fellowship and connection, one where I could grow spiritually, and where I knew I would be able to plant my spiritual roots for my time here at CSU.“
Sam first heard about Salt Company when she saw chalk art on the Plaza at CSU inviting people to Salt. I wasn’t until the end of the second semester of her freshman year that Sam really started to get connected though. On a whim, she decided to go to the Salt Company Conference with 30 other CSU students.
“I made a last minute decision to go to the Salt conference and walked into that weekend anticipating what the Lord would do in my heart. During the Saturday session the pastor preached on sin, which was nothing new but this time something in my heart clicked. For the first time that I can remember I felt truly convicted of the sin that I was feeding in my life and felt the weight that came with it. Arriving home I knew that I would not be able to withstand the weight that I was carrying, and while I am forgiven through Christ, I knew I needed to confess to a trusted mentor. And while I was terrified, I found true freedom in sharing my struggles with others and accepting Gods forgiveness and grace in my life.”
Sam shared her sin with Salt staff and started experiencing freedom and growth in her walk with God. She got plugged into a freshman huddle. When summer hit though, Sam had some curveballs in life thrown her way.
“After a tough freshman year and some difficult seasons, I was sure that the following semester would follow a similar pattern. I dreaded the start of the school year because I knew lots of change and newness was ahead, but was hopeful that I would continue to see the Lord work in my life in whatever way that looked like.”
God used Sam in big ways last fall! She spent most of her time the week before classes joining in Salt Company’s “mission trip to campus” - inviting anyone that walked by to play volleyball, spikeball, or kiddie pool kickball! She was now the girl chalking on the plaza inviting people to Salt. She helped tons of students connect to community and feel seen, known, and loved during a scary and new time of their life!
“I knew the struggles that came from waiting to get connected and wanted so badly for the freshman surrounding me that week to feel connected and part of something. I was so encouraged watching my fellow Salters welcome these freshmen in and found myself in awe of the ways the Lord was working in just a short week.
As the semester unfolded, I found myself in tears numerous times over the ways He was showing up in my life, literally on a daily basis. The Lord was quick to provide me the sweetest new friends after being afraid I would have none, roommates who quickly became my best friends, and countless other unexpected blessings that filled voids in my life and brought me abundant joy! Talk about feeling overwhelming gratitude😭”
Sam has continued to stay committed to community, to serving in Salt Company, and creating fun environments for others to feel comfortable to be themselves!
“Thanks to the Lords divine timing, I now get to spend my days with these friends, ALL DAY EVERYDAY (I might even be a victim of sleep deprivation for it🤪) but I’m living my best life! I could have never imagined my life this way but then again I can’t imagine it any other way. Its because of the Lords graciousness I get to be here, laughing, smiling, and feeling the joy of the Lord everyday!! He is full of redemption and this semester has been living proof of it!!”
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