M’Lynn has touched the hearts of most everyone that she meets. Her charismatic personality is one that many look for in a friend. Her enthusiasm for her Christian faith, has lead her to her future in being a youth pastor, and is attending Point Loma Nazarene University to help her pursue this career. She has found her passion and is running towards it with open arms; she is a true role model.
A typical teenager will wake up in the morning and complain about how much they don’t want to go to school. However, senior M’Lynn Martin wakes up in the morning ready to take on whatever the world throws at her with a level-head and a huge heart. Though she runs through a routine that consist of studying all night long, staying after school for softball practice and finding time to maintain her GPA of 3.92. Martin also has found her passion in spreading the word of God wherever she goes and inspiring others to follow their dreams.
Like most, Martin had a hard time transitioning into the high school scene, but she took the tribulations with a grain of salt.
“My high school experience was a crazy uphill battle, with lots of fun mixed in! I gained some friends and I lost some friends. [It] is super confusing, and I lost myself freshmen and sophomore year. But luckily the summer between sophomore and junior year, I found myself in Jesus Christ, and I’ve been living a super rad life ever since,” Martin said.
Because of her own difficult life experiences, Martin has turned to her Christian faith to help get through the rough times in her life.
“I began to feel super unimportant, and like I didn’t matter. I felt like I hadn’t made a significant impact in anyones life, I would beat myself up and felt like if I was gone, the world would just go on,” Martin said.
Martin had to climb a few mountains in her life to be the person that she is today. In her troubling times, her youth pastor, Jesse Loftin, however, was the inspiration that Martin needed to bring her back up on her feet.
“My youth pastor, Jesse Loftin, has had such a huge impact on my life. He has taught me how to live my life according to the word of God and not according to the word of society. He is always filled with the Holy Spirit, and it has been such a blessing to be discipled by him,” Martin said.
Most students know that finding friends can often be difficult in high school. However, Martin flocks to anyone who needs a helping hand. Senior, Omar Guillen, has seen this firsthand.
“There are no words to describe M’Lynn. She is like no one I have ever met before. She’s reliable, wise, genuine, loving, caring, inspiring, determined, diligent, and joyful,” said Omar Guillen, who has been best friends with M’Lynn since seventh grade.
M’Lynn has made such an impact on most everyone that she meets and her friends find her to be a true inspiration.
“She is the most genuine person I have ever met. She is kind and passionate and truly cares about everyone who crosses her path. She has inspired me to be an overall better person, and to care for every person through every situation. Most importantly she has inspired me to be a better friend because she’s the best friend I could have ever asked for,” said senior Delaney Cline.
Even on the softball field, Martin continues to spread joy and love to her team.
“She is so hardworking, especially under pressure. When we need her on the field she will come through and is the base of our team. Under pressure, she didn’t stress out and knows that whatever happens is meant to be. So pretty much, she is the best person ever!” Cline said.
Martin tries to encourage her team to always stay positive and puts a spin on her outlook on the game.
“Softball has been a part of my life since I was four years old. It’s a team sport that teaches you how to trust yourself, how to trust others, and how to be disciplined under pressure. Softball is basically a mini game of life,” Martin said.
Martin speaks enthusiastically about how you should be yourself whenever possible. She also believes that individuality is what makes a person admirable, and now is the time to do so.
“High school is a time to recreate yourself. It’s a time to be who you want to be, not who others think you should be. I went through some difficult times in high school, but I know that those difficult times made me who I am today. I’m proud of the person I have become because I fought to become her. I’ve realized that if you choose to surround yourself with positive people your life will be full of joy, peace, and love,” Martin said.
The passion is in Martin’s eyes as she preaches and spreads the Lord’s word. Even with everyone’s eyes shut, you can hear the love in her voice. The way she expresses her life through her prayers proves that God has most indeed changed her life.
“M’Lynn would not be the same person today without her passion to serve God with her gifts. She was called to be a youth leader and she plans to pursue exactly that. Her future revolves around speaking and motivating. Spreading the word of God has changed her life and the lives of those around her forever,” Guillen said.
The past four years, M’Lynn Martin has made her mark on the school. Her inspiring spirit and passion has lead her to her major in Christian Ministry at Point Loma Nazarene University, where her dreams are inches away.
