“Take heart. The world is full of fears, but Jesus has overcome them all.”
That’s the message shared in chapel at the University of Mobile on Feb. 11 by guest speaker William Smith, senior fellow of the Conservative Partnership Institute.
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Smith oversees CPI’s Magnus Fellowship and engages with CPI’s partners on Capitol Hill and in the executive branch. With more than 20 years of experience on Capitol Hill, Smith has said he seeks to identify and train the next generation of conservative staffers.
While at UM, Smith met with students interested in gaining internships in D.C. His son, Will Smith, is a freshman at UM majoring in computer information systems and cybersecurity and serves as a UM Ambassador.
Calming solution
Jeff Sessions, former U.S. senator from Alabama who later served as U.S. attorney general, and his wife, Mary, joined UM students, faculty staff and board of trustee members for the weekly chapel service in Ram Hall.
In an auditorium filled to capacity, Smith centered his message on Psalm 23 and Christ’s role as the Good Shepherd.
“The Christian life is not all calm streams and green pastures,” Smith said. “For every fear we have, God has a calming solution through His Word. The calming solution is found in Jesus.”
He urged students to find a local church community and build their life around that community.
“You’re not alone in your fears,” he said. “This is what your church family is for, to help bear your fears and struggles. Please do not bear them alone.”
He said life is full of unexpected tragedies and trials.
“The question is how we respond to them. We should respond with recognition of God’s sovereignty,” Smith said.
College internships
Previously, Smith met with students interested in internship opportunities in government. The best way to get started in government service, he noted, is by securing an internship while in college, and CPI can help make that happen.
CPI was created in 2017 by former U.S. Sen. Jim Demint to grow and support the conservative movement. It provides a home base and networking hub for conservative lawmakers and staff in Washington.
“We believe it’s cool to be conservative,” Smith said. For interns, “we can help you build your resume, build your social media profile, and build the right interview skills.”
Smith said his team is “the CPI headhunters. We go around the country looking for the next group of stars — people who want to change the world, people who want to shake it up.
For information about CPI and college internships, visit cpi.org.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Kathy Dean and originally published by the University of Mobile.
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