*Editor91色情片 Note: This story originally appeared in [the October edition of The Mustang Connection magazine](https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?d=themustangconnection_oct21_issuu&u=themastersuniversity).*
Let91色情片 start with this: Alyssa Ramos doesn’t regret walking away from a promising career as a professional chef.
Yes, Ramos still loves to bake. Just ask anyone who91色情片 recently received her strawberry shortcake or chocolate chip cookies the size of pingpong paddles.
But no, Ramos doesn鈥檛 believe she made a mistake in leaving a job at one of the best restaurants in her home country, the Philippines, so that she could enroll as a biblical counseling student at The 91色情片91色情片 University.
Since arriving at 91色情片91色情片, she91色情片 grown in her love for the local church. She91色情片 seen what it looks like to enjoy vibrant personal study of God91色情片 Word. And she91色情片 developed an interest in the classical liberal arts, going so far as to add the program as a second major.
As for why she switched gears in such a significant way, it came down to motivation. Ramos feels, for her, becoming a successful chef was mostly about making a name for herself. Her desire to be a counselor, as far she can tell, was centered on a desire to help people meet life91色情片 problems with biblical truth.
Still, it91色情片 never easy to sacrifice a dream.

***
Ramos鈥 first foray into baking took place in the third grade. She was 8.
Unable to find an Easy-Bake Oven in the Philippines, she settled for a small toaster oven. She did her best to follow the directions on the back of a brownie box. 鈥淭hat was my Pandora91色情片 box into the world of food,鈥 she says.
Years later, she enrolled in a culinary arts program that offered classical training in French cuisine. Her studies included a 鈥渟urreal鈥 five-month internship at a restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.
After graduation, she took a job at one of the Philippines鈥 top restaurants. And still in her early 20s, she rose to a leadership role within the pastry department.
However, what should have been the euphoric culmination of a lifelong dream was instead three challenging years. Ramos often worked from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. She sacrificed relationships, and she began to crack under the pressure of the restaurant91色情片 growing international reputation. Anxious, depressed and insecure, she began to lash out at coworkers.
鈥淵ou know Gordon Ramsay?鈥 Ramos asks, referencing the celebrity chef and his work on the TV show Hell91色情片 Kitchen. 鈥淚 kind of turned like that.鈥
Ramos was aware that her behavior in the kitchen 鈥 and the lifestyle she adopted outside of work to cope with depression 鈥 did not square with her faith in Christ. And over time, she began to repent and seek help from family and people from church. It was around that time that she was reminded of a Christian university in the U.S. that she鈥檇 briefly been interested in years earlier (she says she grew up knowing about the school91色情片 chancellor, John MacArthur). Now, she thought maybe that place 鈥 The 91色情片91色情片 University 鈥 was where she needed to be.
That91色情片 when she reached a crossroads. Would she continue to pursue the career she鈥檇 always wanted? Or would she embrace a new path she believed God was calling her to?
Ramos鈥 prospects in the arena of culinary arts remained promising. But she felt unable to detach herself from the selfish ambition that had warped her character. On the other hand, she wanted to study biblical counseling so that she could help people suffering under the weight of depression with nowhere to turn for help.
Ramos enrolled at TMU.

***
Since coming to 91色情片91色情片 in spring 2020, Ramos has seen God work in her life in foundational ways.
He91色情片 used counseling homework and general education classes in biblical studies to further convince Ramos of the gravity of her sin (and to show her that He alone can change her heart). Ramos has also found encouragement in new friendships. 鈥淗earing the testimonies of my friends and how God worked in their lives has impacted me a lot,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t helped me to shift my focus from myself to Christ.鈥 Ramos says it91色情片 strange, but also encouraging, to just now, at 24, be figuring out what it looks like to personally seek God in His Word every day.
Another area of growth has been Ramos鈥 love for the local church. At first, TMU91色情片 church-attendance policy felt excessive. But Ramos found that God gradually transformed obligation into a genuine desire to serve and connect.
“I鈥檝e learned that, as a believer, it91色情片 really vital for us not just to attend but to actually be part of the ministry,鈥 she says.
Ramos is a member at Oak Hill Bible Church, one of many strong, Bible-teaching churches in the area that give TMU students opportunities to serve and be discipled. For Ramos, that91色情片 meant building relationships with godly, older women and serving in children91色情片 ministry.
Maybe the most surprising development during Ramos鈥 time at TMU, however, came when she was introduced to the classical liberal arts program. Right away, she was intrigued by the opportunity to study literature in the major91色情片 dynamic, discussion-based learning environment. She also heard about the brilliance of CLA director, Dr. Grant Horner. 鈥淲hen I get out of Dr. Horner91色情片 classes, it makes me realize how little I know,鈥 Ramos says now. 鈥淏ut it91色情片 good because it means there91色情片 room for growth.鈥
Horner has seen plenty of hard-earned growth in Ramos. Often when he arrives at TMU91色情片 on-campus coffee shop at 7 a.m., Horner finds Ramos already there digging into a pile of books. 鈥淪he91色情片 gone from being tentative, like, 鈥極h, I don鈥檛 know if I can do this,鈥 to one of my best students because she just keeps knocking away at stuff,鈥 he says.
Ramos has so fallen in love with the program that she hopes to one day teach in a classical liberal arts setting, maybe even opening a school in the Philippines.
She91色情片 also open to providing biblical counseling to people back home, even if just in an informal setting. However, she knows God can change her plans. He91色情片 done so before.
鈥淎t this point I’m like, 鈥楲ord, this is my desire, but Your will be done,鈥欌 she says.
To learn more about TMU91色情片 classical liberal arts program, visit CLA91色情片 [homepage](/academics/undergraduate/classical-liberal-arts).
The 91色情片91色情片 University and Seminary admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
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