Posted October 26, 2017 by Wheaton College
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Camisha Kibble, Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology ‘21, is part of the Diversity & Justice Initiative and sits on the Wheaton Graduate Student Council. Her favorite class was with Dr. Ozella Barnes because she challenged a depth of reflections and emotional processing in areas of diversity unlike any other professor she experienced at Wheaton. She came to Wheaton for the integrative education and to serve the underserved; she hopes to continue to pursue this mission after completing her degrees.
“Sometimes God shows you an area of brokenness, because you are the one He wants to use to heal it.”
That is why I came to Wheaton.
A trusted friend’s mom said those words to me after I expressed lament and confusion about the lack of initiatives for racial and ethnic diversity and mental health occurring in the church community I belonged to. Through my roles in student ministry, I walked with faithful Christians who struggled with the lie that their struggles with mental illness disqualified them from their rightful inheritance as children of God. I walked with students of color battling the lie that their culture wasn’t welcome in God’s presence.
By my senior year of college, I was actively seeking out a place of education where I could gain skills to add to the gaps that I saw in the church. Seminary was my initial route. I’d planned to attend an affordable seminary close to home with a great reputation and join their Urban Ministries and Biblical Counseling programs. On a whim one day (the Holy Spirit tugging), I googled seminaries offering psychology degrees and found Wheaton.
With the integrative education, statements on biblical justice, and administrative vision for racial and ethnic diversity, I decided to take a shot and apply.
When I arrived, I saw similar areas of brokenness. I joined Graduate Student Council to advocate for graduate students and to stand in the gaps of the brokenness I saw. The Council is still young and it adds to my already heavy workload. Yet, this season has granted me the opportunity to step into my call, and grow in gifts that will help me do similar work in the future. I am ever grateful that the Lord continues to stretch me and use me to be a minister of reconciliation between those who are different, and to give a voice to those who are unable or too tired to speak themselves.
I’m grateful also that the Lord surrounds me with individuals like Dr. Ward Davis and Dr. John McConnell to remind me of the words I heard years ago. The call of the Christian is to stand in the gaps of brokenness and bring the God of healing and comfort there.