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For the past nine months, I have been learning what it looks like to live as a Christian after college. I participated in the Capital Fellows Program at McLean Presbyterian Church in Northern Virginia. It is a leadership and discipleship program for recent college graduates, focusing on vocation, community, service, and leadership. In this article, I hope to share with you some of what I learned during this year of living out faith and work. 

"When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, 'Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.'" John 13:12-15.

There I was, at church like I was every Monday evening, surrounded by my 12 peers. Our program director, John Kyle, also sat in the room and had just read us this passage from John 13. We were talking about leading like Jesus. Familiar with this passage where Jesus washes his disciple's feet, I thought I knew where he was going. And in some ways, I was correct. In order to lead like Jesus, we need to serve one another. We spoke often of this throughout the duration of the Capital Fellows program. Christian leadership requires serving others out of a Chirstlike love for them and the knowledge of their dignity as fellow image bearers. 

What I didn't see coming though, was what happened next. John Kyle's wife opened the door and pushed a cart full of pitchers with warm water, empty basins, and folded white towels into the room. John Kyle grinned and said, "Now we are going to give you all the opportunity to literally wash one another's feet." We all looked around, and slowly moved towards the cart full of supplies. I had grown to love these people over the last seven months, but washing their feet still seemed uncomfortable. The idea of serving them was super easy in my head, but when it came time to actually wash their feet and have my feet washed, I was hesitant. However, the evening turned into a sweet hour of washing feet and prayer. I never would have expected this. 

I share this story with my Rockbridge community not to encourage you to go get a pitcher and literally wash feet (though I guess that worked for me). I share it more so as a reminder that serving like Christ requires action. At Rockbridge, we learn about taking every thought captive in obedience to Christ. However, we must not stop there. In our learning we take every thought captive to obey Christ, and in our living we must take everything as an opportunity to lead and serve like him. 

Throughout the program, fellows work a paid internship in their field of choice, take seminary classes, serve in the community and in church, read through the entire bible, have group discussions on various topics, receive Christian career mentorship, and live with host families. Instead of just talking about how to live a Christian life after college, this year gave me the opportunity to do it.

Throughout the program, fellows work a paid internship in their field of choice, take seminary classes, serve in the community and in church, read through the entire bible, have group discussions on various topics, receive Christian career mentorship, and live with host families. Instead of just talking about how to live a Christian life after college, this year gave me the opportunity to do it. Yet I learned that "doing it," putting faith in action, is impossible without Christ. 
With all that this year required, at times I lost sight of Jesus. During those times, my joy for my work came and went, my eagerness to be in community lessened, my desire to serve dwindled, and my leadership suffered. Even though they brought hardship, I am thankful for those moments. Through them I realized that without Jesus, every aspect of life loses its meaning! I need Him. We all do. I often thought of Galatians 2:20 this year. It says, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." As a Christian I am not the one living. It is Christ that lives in me. He loved me and gave himself for me. So I live my Christian life by faith in his work in me and through me. 

Capital Fellows was not the first place that I learned about living life as a Christian. Rockbridge laid the foundation. I remember singing the Alma Mater at the beginning and end of each school year. Asking God to be in my head, eyes, mouth, and heart. I was often reminded that the work I was doing was not for myself, because God was the one working through my head, heart, and hands. Rockbridge is full of hard-working students and parents that love Jesus and live out their faith in a way that honors God. However, in the hustle and bustle of school, it is easy to lose sight of the Savior, even though he is the one that is living in us! 

The Capital Fellows program gave me more intentional opportunities to practice putting my faith in action, pointing me to Jesus. This practice is something I will need for my whole life. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, we will live out opportunities to live and serve like Him. Because of Jesus, we have joyful purpose in work, have eyes to see the dignity of others in community, have hearts with zeal to serve, and have guidance and wisdom in leadership in all stages of life.

If you are interested in hearing more about Capital Fellows, feel free to contact Sarah Williams (sarahkwilliams17@gmail.com). For more information and to apply, click this link: https://www.capitalfellows.org/apply

Sarah Williams (Rockbridge Academy Class of 2020) graduated from Clemson University in May 2024, completed Capital Fellows this year, and she will be starting graduate school at George Washington University in August for occupational therapy.