Will the Old Files Please Stand Up?

I found some treasures today quite by accident. My little brother is applying for college now, and I read over his purpose statement or whatever they're called now, and I just got off the phone with my dad, who brought to my attention that in my computer still lay the documents I sent in to VU that, consequently, got me in.

This is my personal statement essay:

A lot of people go through life trying to understand or figure out, in most cases, the meaning of life. There are books such as “Purpose Driven Life” to help one discover the purpose of one’s life; there are self-help tapes that try to convince the listener that there is a reason for life: humans are not the byproduct of decomposed fish, but rather, a miraculous phenomenon! Well life is a miraculous phenomenon, but not for the reason science would have us believe. However, I have discovered the reason why I exist. I was put on this earth for a purpose—as we all are—and my life will be different from another person’s life.
I have found that, although the destination—death—is always the same, the journey of life will vary from person to person. My ultimate purpose in life is to influence people’s lives by serving and helping them. It is that simple. I am to help people cross the street, put away groceries, fix dinner, set up furniture, and generally, to serve. After all, the most influential people on Earth served others! And that is my reason for living. I am to be Jesus Christ’s vessel and do what He wants me to.
Eventually, I will be a philanthropist. Yes, it will provide me with beautiful tax breaks, but more importantly, it will be the ultimate stage of my existence. I hope to be a world-wide philanthropist. In fact, I plan to go abroad and help people there, where people live off of dirt and dirt-like water and do not know any better. People are not meant to live in dumps and ghettos; they just do not realize that Jesus’ plan for their life is much more than that.
I feel fortunate to have learned what my purpose is early enough so as to not waste my life, pursuing things that would defer from my definitive purpose. However, I wish that I had stumbled upon this revelation before the end of my Junior year of high school. I feel that I have wasted three valuable years of possible influence by not participating in the Interact club earlier. It was fun serving dinner for St. Patrick’s Day to the elderly people of the community. And it was fun to do the Jeopardy game for the other schools in the San Jacinto school district! I am fortunate to have had experiences in my church that have helped to nurture my passion for God and to serve others, such as peer counseling and coffee-making. It is gratifying to watch a person transform after he or she receives Jesus Christ due the presence of God and serving him or her a hot cup of coffee, complete with the savory flavors he or she wished to have, and the right amount of whipped-cream to make the journey down the esophagus a smooth one.
The reality hits me, however, that one has to be very wealthy in order to help others for nothing…which is why I will pursue a career in Business Administration. There will always be a need for business, so it is a sound career. However, college tuition is rapidly increasing. A middle-income family can hardly afford a house, much less a college education. I know that it is possible to become a Chief Executive Officer after many, many years of climbing “up the corporate ladder,” but I am too anxious to fulfill my purpose and influence lives. I know that God only has good things planned for His children and that He will provide for my tuition according to His riches and glory. I give glory to God for all the opportunities I have had; it has become my lifestyle. I will not alter this lifestyle…after all, without giving Him the glory He deserves, He can take it all away.

We also had to write a brief statement of faith, and this is what got me accepted by an AOG school:

I am a bonafide believer in Jesus Christ and have been ever since I was six. Like most kids, I didn’t realize the seriousness of such a commitment and I felt disappointed because the Pastor said I would feel something in my inner being and I didn’t. I attended church regularly and have been involved in puppettering ministries, operating the sound board, active in leadership roles since Junior High, and even dance ministries. God began to feel nonexistent; not because of my involvement in church and lack of dedication to Him, but because I was so used to God and I failed to seek Him more and more.
In eighth grade, my group of friends was not so stupendous and they influenced me. I began to curse and stopped before I would utter the biggest profanity of all. I rededicated my life to Him that night and I cried myself to sleep when, again, I did not feel a stir in my heart.
I understand at least two things now: 1) God works on people differently, and 2) what I have now is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ instead of what protocol called for to become a Christian. For me, I had to train myself to listen to His still, small, quiet voice. I have had to learn to talk to God and let Him know what I need. It is a continual learning experience, and I must say that I am most committed. It is difficult for me to have put so much faith and emotion into something and just leave it. My relationship with God is no passing fade and I will defend it with my life.

Anyone else have theirs handy??