By Alexia Finney | Staff Writer
While many students hit the snooze button on their alarms at 7:30 a.m. every weekday, members of Baylor’s Christian Pre-Health Fellowship meet in Elliston Chapel to pray together.
Every morning, Christian Pre-Health Fellowship hosts a morning prayer, where students gather to guide one another through the challenges of student life. The fellowship encourages all students to stop by, not just the organization’s members.
Surprise, Ariz., sophomore Camrin Conlee is the vice president of discipleship for Christian Pre-Health Fellowship. Conlee said praying with others sets the tone for her day.
“I think it is just the most beautiful way to start off your morning,” Conlee said. “You’re starting off the morning not only in community with a Christ-like family, but in the word of prayer, being intentional about talking to God and talking with others.”
Although morning prayer is an intentional way to start the morning, it can be a sacrifice to get up early and attend, especially for those who live off-campus. Okatie, S.C., sophomore Maya Norcross said her experience is an example of this.
“Last year, I lived in Earle, so it was really convenient and was really easy to come,” Norcross said. “This year, I’m starting to appreciate it more, especially living off-campus, having to get up and get here.”
Conlee said she is intentional about prayer topics, ensuring students have different conversations each day, which are specific to their current struggles.
“Sometimes, it’s really basic, like just praying for Baylor,” Conlee said. “We pray for all our freshmen and pray for exams coming up.”
Tyler junior Caden Hendrix, the president of discipleship for Christian Pre-Health Fellowship, said he thinks the prayer mornings have made him a better and more compassionate Christian.
“When I came my freshman year, it was really cool cause I got to pray for other people and pray for our campus,” Hendrix said. “It really helped me take care of others more.”
Students at morning prayer can relate to each other’s life challenges. Conlee said their shared experiences at Baylor shape the conversation and flow of daily prayers.
“We all have similar experiences, so it allows people to share struggles and share praises,” Conlee said. “We are all walking through undergrad.”
The prayer mornings aren’t just specific to those in Christian Pre-Health Fellowship. Norcross said anyone is welcome to attend to chat and pray.
“I want anyone on campus to feel free to pop in to start their mornings off in prayer,” Norcross said. “I know it’s early, but sacrificing 15 to 30 extra minutes of your day to get in quality, intentional time with the Lord is so important and needed, especially when our schedules get so busy and disappear later in the afternoon.”
Christian Pre-Health Fellowship expanded its morning prayer to all Baylor students. Conlee said the morning service shouldn’t be confined to pre-health students only. She wants to see it ripple throughout Baylor, across all colleges.
“It’s an opportunity for everyone to meet people who know the Lord and love the Lord. There is no shortage of that,” she said.
Students can find more information about Christian Pre-Health Fellowship and its events on its connect page.
