Philip Reasor
I’ve now been a Louisville Fellow for just over a month, and I’ve been thinking of the journey that led me here. I found the Louisville Bridge Fellows program through a couple offamily friends who recommended the program to my mom as the next step after college. At first I did not know what to think about the program, but that changed when I had my first interview with Theresa and asked more about the program. I was really curious about what Louisville would be like as a city, as I had only been to the city once before. After reading more about the program, I was deeply impressed with the program because of its integration of Christian theology and development in leadership and professionalism. The message and goal of the program is exactly what I needed for the next steps in my professional career.
What has impacted me the most about the program so far is the integration of faith through community. I have been encouraged by reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together and especially appreciate the emphasis that he has placed on Christian communities uplifting one another in communal prayer and worship. I have also been impacted by James K.A. Smith’s book You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit. In his work, Smith discusses how our desires and habits can shape our spiritual identity and lives through what we orient our loves or hearts towards. Reading this book and having a discussion as a class caused me to think more intentionally about what my desires and passions are for in life, so that I can orient those loves and passions towards the worship of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As I continue my spiritual journey, I desire to come together through morning prayer and church services on Sundays, praying communally with other Christians in order to honor and glorify the Lord.
There is so much about Louisville, Kentucky, that I have really begun to enjoy. To start, my host family has been phenomenal. My host dad and I enjoy watching professional NFL football and talking about sports in general. We each have something to share about our level of knowledge in sports. My host family also has two sweet cats that love cuddles and attention, and they have been a point of frequent discussion amongst my peers.
As for the city of Louisville itself, I have really enjoyed the phenomenal restaurants. I have been to a Cuban restaurant, a couple of Mexican restaurants, great cafés, and some other venues that had amazing food. This is an aspect of Louisville I was not expecting, and I am deeply appreciative of the level of cuisine offered here.
I also consider myself a huge classical music enthusiast, and I have really enjoyed the music at St. Francis in the Fields. Many of the songs and hymns we sing on Sundays are sung beautifully, and I really enjoyed listening to Mozart’s “Sparrow Mass” in C major, K. 220 for the service on the Feast of St. Francis. I have had the pleasure of finding like-minded individuals who appreciate classical music as well, so I am building connections with people through similar hobbies.
I have so much to be grateful for already on this journey, and I look forward to what God has in store for me!