The Evangelical Christian Voice in Chiropractic Since 1953 The 2011 CCA Auxiliary Scholarship Christian Chiropractors Association 2550 Stover, B-102 Fort Collins, CO  80525 Toll Free: 800.999.1970 Local: 970.482.1404 Fax: 970.482.1538   FIRST PLACE ESSAY “How I Stay Close to the Lord Jesus Christ in My Busy Schedule as a Chiropractic Student” by: Brad Ford Life definitely is busy as a chiropractic student, much busier than I ever thought it could be.  Without the support of Jesus in my day, my life would be a great burden.  As a child, I was raised to start the day off right by committing it to the Lord.  Typically this involves reading the Word and praying.  For the last few years, I’ve started going on morning prayer walks.  God speaks to me in my spirit and fills me up to prepare me for the day.  I’ve found that the more I praise Him, worship Him and adore Him, the closer I get.  He’s also taught me the importance of being silent and listening to Him rather than just talking at Him all the time.  I’ve surrounded myself with fellow believers to ensure that I am encouraged in the faith and held accountable.  My wife and I are connected to a fantastic church and a pastor who pours into us on a weekly basis.  In addition to the Word being preached every Sunday, we get to participate in corporate worship and communion as a reminder of the great sacrifice God made by sending His Son to die for us to take on the full penalty of our sins.  At school, I made sure to seek out fellow believers, which led me to the CCA club on our campus.  The relationships I’ve made at CCA have been a huge blessing, and the weekly Bible studies have allowed me to grow in my knowledge of the Word. My most recent revelation on developing an intimate relationship with my Lord Jesus Christ involves stepping into leadership positions that He has placed in my path.  Since I first started attending chiropractic college nearly a year ago, I’ve grown into leadership positions in two Christian-based student clubs, one of which is the CCA club on campus.  As well, I’ve joined the financial stewardship team at our church.  Each position has allowed me to grow in an area I never would have had I turned them aside.  Also, the mentorship that I’ve received from other leaders in these organizations has built me up, and the examples that they set in their own close walks with the Lord have inspired me to reach new levels in my relationship with Him. Finally, my relationship with my wife has brought me closer to Jesus.  I’ve learned that the more I honor and respect her and let go of my own selfish ambition to take care of her needs, the more I honor God and the closer I get in my relationship with Jesus.  My faith has grown immensely since she’s been in my life.  We are nearly done with a one-year Bible school correspondence program that we enrolled in together.  Being able to study the Word, share journals and pray together with anyone on a daily basis has been a new experience for me, so to do this with my wife has been a tremendous blessing. Admittedly, I don’t always feel close to Jesus, but it’s only when I forget everything that He’s done for me and when I try to do it all on my own that my day becomes burdensome.  But when I focus on Him, the joy of the Lord becomes my strength and just like He promised – His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30).      Brad Ford