For Isabel Gauss ’26, faith is the foundation on which she built her life. “Faith is also the comfort when I need comfort, and the strength when I need strength, and someone to celebrate with me when I need that. When everything is turned back to that and focused on that, then whatever’s going on in the world doesn’t seem as big or scary as it may be without it.” She adds that coming to Valpo has allowed her to grow even more in her faith, serve in the church, and be around other Christians.
Gauss serves in the Chapel as a lead peer minister, facilitating groups serving elsewhere on campus and supporting them through that service. She says, “My role is to just be there for other people on campus and to just be there as a friend, to someone to talk to, just see other people’s needs and help them in any way we can. I am a band leader for our contemporary Wednesday night service, and I’m also a community host for our contemporary Wednesday night service, so I welcome people in, and every couple of weeks, I’ll lead the prayers and such at that service as well. I also welcome people to morning prayer every Tuesday and Thursday morning.”
Gauss says that serving in the Chapel is important to her because it allows her to use the gifts she has received from God. She says, “I love being a part of sharing God’s love with other people who are entering this space. I have so many welcoming committee jobs that I can use the gifts that God’s given me to serve people who are in this place. It is really important.”
While Isabel grew up going to a Lutheran church, she says that Valpo’s Lutheran heritage has helped her learn from other people. “I have grown up in the Lutheran church, so that has been cool, but it’s also been cool for the dual Lutheran heritage of Valpo and to see how that works and to learn from other people the ways that they grew up in the things that they know and believe. I’ve been able to share my story as well and do that in a productive learning environment.”
Isabel says that she knows that her future is in God’s hands, and that gives her comfort and peace. “God’s got a plan for my life, and I pray and discern whatever’s next. He leads me where He needs me to go and serve where I’m called. Eventually, that’ll be clear.” She adds, “I don’t know what kind of individual I would be without faith. It’s been a part of my whole life. My Dad’s a pastor, and I grew up in the church. I saw how both my parents served the church and served other people. Now, I’ve grown up and done some similar things, and will continue to. Without faith, the foundation of my life would not exist. I would be a completely different person.”
