Deep Trust in the Lord
By: Isha Madanu, B.S. Computer Science ‘29
Written on: June 22, 2026
As a first year student coming into Georgia Tech, I was excited, but also nervous, to begin a new chapter of life. Although new opportunities, people, and experiences were waiting around every corner, I couldn’t help but feel as though the transition meant leaving behind the faith community and relationship that I was able to foster through my four years of high school. Despite that uncertainty, the Georgia Tech Catholic Center became a place where I found my anchor, and a welcoming space that allowed me to reconnect with my faith in the midst of an unfamiliar setting.
After a few weeks into my first semester, the pressures of coursework and adjustment gradually drew me away from the faith practices that were once common in my spiritual life. But this shift changed as I was sitting in Sunday Mass, and I was reminded of the Catholic Centers’ daily offering of Eucharistic Adoration. This sat in the back of my mind, and a few days later, with an hour left before my next class, I decided to spend time in quiet meditation before the Lord. In those serene minutes, the Lord found me as I was, among my distractions and anxieties, calling me back to Him and gently reminding me of His constant presence. Only twenty minutes in company with the Blessed Sacrament brought me both a refuge from the demands of daily life and a reassurance that the Lord had never left me in these moments of worry.
Further into the year, I learned about the GTCC’s community Lenten mission, led by Father Branson. By practicing the tradition of Lectio Divina, reading, meditating, and praying with the Scripture strengthened my gratitude for life’s blessings and allowed me to find answers to the questions in my heart. I found myself surprised and grateful that every meditation came with the lesson, answer, and prayers that I needed at the time.
Completing my first semester, I found a deeper desire to step into the GTCC community. I could feel the Lord’s call when I discovered the opportunity to give back with the CC’s Pillar positions. By serving the community through a couple of volunteer positions, I was able to see the joy in giving back to the opportunities that strengthened my own faith and experience the welcoming environment within the GTCC. What began as a search for stability, came a deeper trust in the Lord and meaningful connections that encouraged growth in my faith life. My experiences from the opportunities presented at the GTCC, and the community surrounding it, are gifts that I will forever be grateful for in my college life.
