Since Alyssa O’Donnell was little, she had a dream of teaching second grade and sharing her love of music and love of God. She wanted to be a light that these children could see.

To pursue this dream, after graduating from high school she entered a secular university with the intention of getting a  Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education. The first year there she concentrated on honing her flute skills and learning to play and teach the trumpet and French horn. What she also learned was how to make excuses and drift away from God. The drifting took wings, and all too soon she developed into a foul mouthed, bitter, and immoral young woman. She felt sorry about her lifestyle when she went to the Christian campus youth meetings, but eventually stopped going to those. The secular education she was pursuing was having its intended effect; the secularizing of her values and the elimination of her standards.

The summer following this first year of college she was scheduled to attend a church camp as a counselor, though she felt very conflicted because of what her life had become. Before the camp began, however, God began to speak to her through a devotional book and The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel, and she began to once again seek God. At the camp, though she felt most unworthy, God continued to call her to make a complete surrender. On a Wednesday evening under the preaching of Rev. Claude Nicolas, she obeyed God and made the surrender He was calling for. With a common interest in music, Alyssa spoke to KMBC’s singing group “By Grace” who were also at the camp. They challenged her to surrender a relationship she was in to God and pursue her music education dream at KMBC. After praying about it, she concluded it was the direction she should go.

Alyssa began at KMBC in the fall of 2013, and has not for a moment regretted her choice. She said recently that since coming here she has realized her value in God’s eyes and has been continually challenged to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the God who loves her. She also stated that she has been inspired by the faculty and staff to live a holy life because she has seen it done on campus.

Currently Alyssa is part of KMBC’s summer counseling team, and is being both stretched and blessed as she ministers in Jesus’ name. Please keep Alyssa in your prayers as she reaches for the dreams God has for her.