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Rosemary Rush

rush_rosemary.jpg“Because of the investment that Karla and Bob made in my life as a student, I was able to grow in my faith in Christ and see the need in the world for others to know Him,” says Rosemary Rush. “The CCO helped me to realize that, through Christ, I am a part of the process of His transformation of my marriage, family, my office, community, and my neighborhood. I am forever thankful to Karla, Bob, and the CCO for their investment in my life and the lives of other students.”

Rosemary first connected to the CCO as an undergraduate at Duquesne University. “I had just become a Christian a few months before the start of my freshman year of college, and I really had no idea what a relationship with Jesus looked liked or how to live out my faith,” she says. “Thankfully, my high school youth leader knew Bob Phelps, who worked at Duquesne, and connected me to him before I left for college. At the time, I had no idea what the CCO was or why I needed to be a part of it. Now, when I think back, I can’t separate the CCO from my college experience. It was my college experience.”

Today, Rosemary works for Gateway Rehabilitation Center as a mental health/drug and alcohol therapist. “I facilitate both individual and group therapy with adolescents and families who are struggling with chemical dependency,” she explains. Rosemary and her husband, Andrew, live in Beaver, Pennsylvania, and they worship at Allegheny Center Alliance Church on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

“Through the CCO, I grew in my faith and knowledge of Christ, I was able to love and be loved by a community of believers, and I was challenged to live out my faith to a campus of students who did not know Christ. I became involved in many aspects of the ministry, leading Bible studies, mentoring students, and going on short-term mission trips.”

Rosemary also attended the CCO-sponsored Jubilee conference every year throughout college, and several times since graduating. “I can see the impact that Jubilee had on my life every day as I live and work in my community,” she says. “The message I heard at Jubilee challenges me to see my everyday life as an opportunity to serve others. My entire life and view of the world would be different if I hadn’t been involved in the CCO’s ministry. The CCO modeled for me a kingdom worldview that was radical, loving, God-honoring, and that required faithfulness and submission to Christ and others. It is a calling to step out of my comfort zone, recognize that this life is not about me, and submit to others out of reverence for Christ.”

Besides her work as a therapist, Rosemary volunteers her time with troubled youth in her community. “These students experience addiction, abuse, neglect, and violence on a daily basis in their families and neighborhoods,” she says. “The Lord has blessed me with a few girls to spend time with regularly, usually sharing a pizza or going out for ice cream. Mostly, I just show up in their lives, listen to their hearts, and let Christ use me to love them. As a therapist, I think God has given me the ability to listen, be empathetic, and to meet people where they are. Every interaction is an opportunity to share Christ with those who know him and those who don’t.

“The CCO has inspired me to live out my Christian faith in my profession. I work in a setting where broken and hurting people come into my office every single day to share their burdens. It’s not a job to me, it’s a ministry. It’s not a place where I go to make money and leave, but a place I go to love and serve others. I don’t think I would have ever viewed my job that way had I not been a part of the CCO.”