Leaning into Leeriness: Karina's Story
Karina grew up in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and is a lifelong member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. When she returned to La Crosse two years ago, however, it wasn't under the circumstances she had imagined.
Like many young people after graduating from high school, Karina headed off to college. She enrolled at Winona State University but, after two years, decided that college wasn't the right fit for her at that time and returned home. Coming back to La Crosse was more challenging than she expected. Many of her friends had moved away, and she wasn't sure what to do next or where she belonged.
Another challenge was her limited driving experience. Although she had a driver's license, she hadn't spent much time behind the wheel and wasn't comfortable driving. Looking back on that season of life, Karina recalls asking herself, "Why sit around and wait for the old life to come back when you're missing out on new opportunities?" Even though she knew she needed to move forward, she felt stuck.
Then, one of LuMin's board members, who also attended her church, asked if she could help with Cookie at the Clocktower on the UW–La Crosse campus. They needed someone to deliver cookies. Karina said yes without thinking too much about what she had just agreed to do.
Karina credits that simple invitation as a God moment. Serving with LuMin helped her get unstuck in a way she never anticipated. Despite her hesitation about driving, she did it, and those first steps into LuMin became an important turning point in her life.
Now, after nearly two years of involvement in LuMin's ministry, Karina has found a welcoming and encouraging community. "I love LuMin. I love meeting so many great people—it feels like home," she says. Today, she is in a very different place, surrounded by people she enjoys spending time with and who encourage one another in faith.
Pastor Kathryn has also played an important role in Karina's journey. "She told me there is no such thing as falling behind in life. God has a different path for you." Those words were especially meaningful as Karina watched friends graduate and begin careers while she was still discerning her own direction.
As Karina looks toward the future, she continues to see God leading her into new opportunities and trusts that guidance, even when it feels challenging. A year ago, through her connections with Sugar Creek Bible Camp, she volunteered at a camp in North Dakota that serves people with disabilities. She was nervous about the opportunity but decided to step out in faith and go.
That experience opened a new door. Today, Karina works at Aptiv, supporting adults with disabilities in La Crosse—a position she likely would not have discovered without the experience she gained at camp the previous summer.
Your generosity to LuMin makes stories like Karina's possible. Through your support, LuMin creates spaces where students and young adults can connect, build community, and discover new possibilities for how God is at work in their lives. Thank you for the many ways your partnership helps prepare students to make a difference in the world and live out the promises of God's Kingdom.
