Statement of Purpose
Danielle K. Tobias
Liberty University
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
There are two different narratives I have allowed myself to believe in my life so
far. One narrative is filled with God’s love, believing in His purpose for my future, and
truly seeking after an intimate personal relationship with Jesus. This narrative is one
that has helped me see what it means to love others deeply, to see myself in God’s
image and to be confident in living my life for God’s kingdom. The other narrative is
filled with depression, not loving myself well, and living a life full of victimhood. Through
this narrative, I did not have a positive outlook on my future. I often believed I would
never find myself getting out of the pit of anxiety, the destruction of self-sabotage, and
the painful parts of my past. I did not start believing in the first narrative until I was in
college, gave my life over to Christ and started going to counseling. I had never been
before. Over time, I have prayed and sought out what God wants to do with the second
narrative and how He wants to use it for good. I desire for others to chase after and
believe in the first narrative I described above. I am passionate about seeing others live
a life that is full of freedom, healing and restoration. I am excited for how God will use
me in becoming a licensed professional counselor.
I have truly been blessed with many experiences to interact with others of
another culture. However, there is one particular experience that has impacted me
greatly. I had the privilege of going on a mission trip to Uganda. On this trip, we spent
time with the teachers and students of FNC (Faithfully Nurturing Children) Academy.
The first cultural difference I noticed right away was their attitude toward time. Our
culture in America seems to be focused on routines and overall just a fast paced
approach to the world. I loved being able to go with the flow of where their day headed
and following their lead. I noticed myself getting uncomfortable in that area and
interacting in a way that was outside of my comfort zone. I am by no means someone
that is super structured and on time but I did notice how this difference helped me
understand how in control of time I want to be. Another cultural difference I noticed
was their excitement and emphasis on singing and worshipping. I am used to worship
in the sense of lifting my hands up to express my worship to God. However, I am not
used to dancing and showing my love in that way. It certainly was fun and it taught me
to not hold back in how I worship God. I also learned that everyone has their own way
of worshipping Christ and that fact has brought on so much joy.
As I continue to gain and create new experiences, some of the most rich and
powerful ones have been through my time in full time ministry. When God led me to
pursue full time ministry, I received a great amount of confirmation from others about
my gift to connect with people and to make others feel comfortable. However, I have
not always believed or saw those gifts within me. I kept denying God and pushing
away the call He was putting on my life. For the past several years, God has been
shaping and molding me to believe in what He has gifted me with. He has also been
weeding out the lies that make me feel like I am not good enough. I believe I have
discovered how God wants to use my story and others have found it encouraging in
relating to me. I am very people oriented and I am passionate about what it looks like
to make connections. I find it to be pretty natural to start conversations with others
individually and in a group setting. It is a part of my personality to start a conversation
and make others feel comfortable in any situation. I believe in making body language
speak to others as well. People are more likely to receive you well when your words
and your actions speak loud. I strive to do so when I interact with others. I enjoy my
relationships and what they express in my life.
