I'm Still Confused....

To be honest I pretend like I am secure in my decision in wanting to be a journalist but sometimes I am not so sure. Being at 98.7 Kiss FM has definitely opened my eyes. I am now aware of the many other options that are available within the field of mass communication. What I am sure about is that I want to work in a media oriented environment.

However, I don’t want my interest in radio (and the positions I am learning about here) to overshadow what I initially intended to do. I can be interested in many fields but I don’t want to confuse those interests with my decision in which career I choose.

I am finding that I am good at taking action and speaking. My co-interns constantly express their admiration for the way I speak with our listeners. They say I have a way with words. So lately, I have been thinking more about broadcast journalism (my first love) and public relations.

I know that with God’s help I will soon realize what I specifically need to be doing with my life!

Great Opportunities

I have loved my experience thus far in Washington, D.C. Through The Washington Center and IGE, I have had a lot of great opportunities. This past week, during my weekly programming at TWC, I listened to a F.B.I. agent talk about his work experience. I found it really interesting to learn about white-collar crime and how the F.B.I. operates. I also went to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The interns at IGE toured the building and met with an attorney that works in employment law. This was a great opportunity to learn about law school, working for the federal government, and how faith can be applied in this context. I am really excited for next week as well. I will get the chance to go to The Becket Fund, which is a Washington, D.C.-based public interest law firm protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. This is exactly the type of work I would like to pursue someday. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn so much in my field of interest.

He Can ..

This past week at work has been very stressful for me. My first reaction to confusion is PANIC! I am still trying to figure out why I always react this way to trouble; it might be because I am a semi-perfectionist. It’s funny because scripture says, “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” When troubling incidents occur, I really don’t think about God like I should. I worry and rely on my own emotions. In addition, all of these incidents that I’ve panicked about have never resulted in disaster. God always comes through for me. I have nothing to complain about. I really need to trust that He has the power to fix all things. Whether it is a prize not labeled correctly or an email sent to the wrong executive, He has the power to make it RIGHT! “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up” (Proverbs 12:25). I’m going to take God’s advice and cheer up!

How God has Blessed

After being in Oxford, England for almost a week now, I am amazed at how the Lord has blessed me. As part of a Christian study abroad program, I have been able to meet and hang out with some awesome young people who love God and are committed to academic excellence. Perhaps the biggest blessing this past week, however, has been finding a church where I feel I can really get plugged in, even though I am only in England for five weeks. On a whim, a couple of friends and I decided to go to a late night service Sunday at St. Aldate's, a church that appears on the outside to be traditional Anglican. We had been going full steam all day, and we had already attended two other services at two different churches. My friends and I were tired, and we almost did not go. However, I really felt in my heart that we needed to attend the service, and so, at the last minute, we decided to go ahead and attend. I am so glad we did! St. Aldate's late service is designed for students, and when my friends and I walked in, we found the sanctuary filled with young people talking, praying, and generally preparing themselves to encounter God. The service was mainly charismatic in nature, and we sang well known worship songs by Chris Tomlin and other Christian artists. Additionally, we were able to witness the baptisms of several students who had decided to make a firm stand for Christ. Their testimonies before their baptisms were so inspirational, and the students gave all the glory to God for their deliverance.

After the service, I felt refreshed spiritually, and I marveled at the Lord's goodness in bringing this congregation to my attention. The service was also a reminder of how God is preserving a faithful, vibrant remnant of Britain's next generation in a land where church-going and Christianity is, surprisingly, generally viewed as eccentric or old-fashioned. The young people who attended St. Aldate's that night were genuinely excited about the things of God; and their enthusiasm and passion was extremely moving. This church, sedate and reserved on the outside but burning with passion for Jesus on the inside, is doing their part to spread the Kingdom of God in their circle of influence, and it was a blessing to have been a part of it that night.

Moving Along

Working with JAG is a great experience. Being able to speak with clients concerning Powers of Attorney and Wills makes you feel like they are putting their life in yours hands. Military attorneys are trusted, and I am proud to be taking care of the military community. I never had much appreciation what what America's military services do, but know I had a greater appreciation. Both of my parents were in the military and I not only traveled around the world, but I also lived on military bases for the majority of my life. I no longer take the government employees for granted--especially now that I am one. The most valuable thing I learned is how to compile memorandums and documents in preparation for court hearings. Next week I should be able to sit in at one of the court hearings.

Oxford Adventures: Studying Abroad in the UK

Greetings, fellow Regent students! My name is Elise Leal, and although this is technically an internship blog, I have been asked to do some posts about a five week study abroad program that I am doing. Run by Best Semester, the program is located in Oxford, England. My sister Emilie is also enrolled in the program with me, and together we will be blogging about our experiences in the UK, posting weekly or biweekly posts about our studies and cultural experiences. We arrived Friday morning, and will post an update within the week. Stay tuned!

Christian-Muslim Understanding

The highlight of my week was the Global Leadership Forum, sponsored by IGE and the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. This year’s forum was titled “Evangelicals and Muslims: Perspectives on Mission and Partnership.” It was hosted at Georgetown University. The expert panels discussed identity, missions, theology, partnership, and peace within the contexts of Christianity and Islam. I believe a forum like this is crucial within the global complexion of our society today. Muslims and Christians make up about two-thirds of the world’s population and need to learn how to live peacefully with each other. This forum emphasized the importance of acknowledging the differences, while learning to respect and understand the other. Through this experience I gained a greater compassion and love for Muslims. Just because I disagree with some of their views about God, does not give me the freedom to hate, fear, or disrespect fellow human beings made in the image of God. I hope this forum will continue to open up honest conversations between Christians and Muslims.

Mc Donalds GospelFest

Today work was good. It’s been very busy around the station lately. This past Friday, Kiss FM received tickets for the annual McDonald’s Gospel Fest. Bishop T.D. Jakes, Roberta Flack, Hezekiah Walker and many more will be performing at the show this year. Listeners began competing to win tickets in February and now there are over 150 winners. This week, the winners have been coming in, one right after another to pick up their tickets. Therefore, it has been really hectic. I like to be busy though! I’d rather be moving around doing work than sitting still. I am learning so much. My work environment is so inspiring. Most of the young adults I work with have college degrees. Once again, I am really grateful for this experience. I learn new things every day. Although I am still shy and apprehensive at times, I am becoming more comfortable in this environment every day.

Busy Week: Summer Jam!

So, Tuesday's and Thursday's are my recuperation days. Last week was the fastest, craziest, painful week of my life. On June 6th, Hot 97, my internship’s (Kiss FM) sister station had it’s biggest concert of the year: Summer Jam. Because the event was so big, Kiss FM interns were also required help. We went to the Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey (the venue for the concert) at 9am Sunday morning. I along with my co-interns got home the next day around 3am. Although, I was tired and irritated at the end of the night, my overall experience was amazing. It was so fascinating; being apart of the setup process. As an intern, I assisted in putting up banners, making sure clients/sponsors (of the concert) were comfortable and handing out programs to over 50,000 attendants. I also got to enjoy a full concert (all-access style) with some of my favorite artists. Unfortunately, I had to work the following Monday from 9a.m.. to 5p.m. However, it was well worth it! Now, I am fully rested and every time, I think of all the blessings that have come along with this internship, I smile. God is good!

First Week In DC

I arrived to Washington D.C. on May 26. I was a little nervous, but also really excited. This is what I always wanted to do. I have been interested in American history and politics from an early age. Having the opportunity to live and work here has been a dream come true. Taking the Metro everyday and living in a large urban environment, for a mid-west boy like me, has been an adjustment, but I have loved living here so far. I have been able to see the National Archives (Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence), the National U.S. History Museum, and the Capital. Also, working at the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) as an intern has been tremendous. My internship is predominately research based, studying how religion relates to state and society internationally. IGE, through their “top-down, bottom-up” approach, works to create sustainable environments for religious freedom worldwide. In the weeks to come I hope to gain a greater global comprehension of the world and find tangible ways to insure religious liberty. This is my passion, specifically the intersection of religion and law. 

JAG!!!

I started my first day of work this week at the Judge Advocate General (JAG) office at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. For those who have never seen the show, JAG is a legal office that handles all legal matters of military soldiers like court marshals, wills, notaries, and traffic tickets. It is a great atmosphere (laid back yet focused) and I will actually get to create legal documents and work with clients. To get my internship I called the desired work location, asked if there was anything I had to do in order to work in their office, and went through their application process (which took a few weeks to prepare and 3 months to approve) and I began working with JAG.