A few days after Thanksgiving last year, Lauren Honigford, a freshman at Cornerstone University, received a phone call from a high school friend about a rumor being spread: One of her good friends had died in a car accident.

Honigford prayed that the rumor was not true, but she also prayed for Lash’s family just in case.

Honigford later got a phone call from her principal, who lived next door. He confirmed the validity of the rumor. Danny Lash had died due to a rare virus in his heart.

 Honigford was crushed, but she was not the only one.

“What does my life mean, if God can snuff out someone’s life just like that…is my life really worth anything?” Honigford said.

Lash’s death was hard for the entire school. The students went through counseling, but the pain was seen and felt through the halls of the school.

Honigford attended Lash’s viewings and funeral. She started questioning the reason for her life. As she looked around the funeral home at all the people whose lives Lash touched a realization dawned on her.

 “Danny did so much in the time he had on earth, he made an impact on so many lives. I knew that I should follow his example,” Honigford said.

God had taken something bad and turned it into something great, and Honigford knew it.

This experience helped Honigford realize her potential to impact the lives of others. It set her heart on fire for others.

Honigford is now attending CU, which challenges her and helps her learn what she needs to start making an impact.

 “Cornerstone completely helps. It challenges me to deepen my walk on daily basis. I mean, with chapel, Evensong, LJ, Bible studies and even prayer before classes, I feel I am getting closer to God and to achieving my goal of making an impact,” Honigford said.

Honigford is majoring in journalism with an emphasis on public relations. She believes that her writing can make an impact on other’s lives. She feels that is what God sent her to do.

Honigford believes she can communicate different thoughts, feelings and ideas to others clearly through her writing. Classes she is taking her first semester at CU are really helping her to develop her writing voice and perfect her writing skills.

Hannah Strauel, Honigford’s Sherpa, thinks that Leadership Journey could have been her starting point to learning what she should do to make a difference.

“Leadership Journey shows you how to be a better leader. If you are not a natural born leader, you can be a situational leader. It helps you see who you are as a person, and gives you an idea of how you relate to others. LJ teaches communication so you can better relate to others, and understand people’s differences. You don’t have to be a leader to make a difference, you just have to be dedicated and try,” Strauel said.

Strauel is very excited about Honiford’s aspirations.

“Lauren seems to be very stable in her faith. She has shown a lot of wisdom in everything she says. I am very impressed. She tried to learn everything she could from Leadership Journey. It will be great to get to know her and learn more exciting things about her throughout the year,” Strauel said.

With Honigford’s service project starting soon, she will have more chances than ever to make an impact.