LaChelle Rosenbaum

My spiritual journey started when I was a young child, but has become more real and meaningful to me as the years have gone by. I have had many God encounters that have affirmed both my faith that God is the Creator of the Universe and that He is a relational being who desires a personal relationship with me. I grew up in a loving and supportive home. My parents encouraged me to seek my dreams, but along the way there were distinct moments where God showed up in a more direct way. Although God doesn’t often speak through a burning bush like in Moses’ time, He has spoken to me very clearly in various moments of my life. One of the many times I experienced God’s presence in a personal and almost auditory way was the summer before my senior year of my bachelor in social work. My boyfriend Ryan (now husband) and I were working in Alaska at a fish camp. I was working at the front desk and Ryan was guiding tourists on fishing trips. After two and a half years of dating and attempting to stay sexually pure before marriage, we made a decision to disregard God’s intended best and found ourselves with child. The moment I realized we were going to have a baby I fell on the bed and wept. What had we done? I felt so ashamed. Then, unimaginable peace came over me and a memory verse from my Sunday School days came back to me in a blanket of love. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). And then shortly after, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Although I hadn’t followed God’s intended design for sexual intimacy to be enjoyed only within marriage, He understood my weaknesses, was not going to abandon me, condemn me, or shame me. Instead He immediately offered grace and forgiveness. Although I now had to walk through this journey of bearing a child, the God of the Universe, did not reject me in my time of weakness and need. Instead, He wrapped His peace and love around me. I got up from the bed, wiped my eyes and knew with full confidence I could walk through that journey because God was with me, for me, and wouldn’t abandon me or let me fall. Ryan and I married later that fall and had our beautiful and bright daughter that next spring. Two years later we had our second daughter who is full of kindness and energy. Being only 22 years old when we had our first child quickly launched us into the adult world. But God has been extremely faithful and has blessed us beyond measure. Being a young parent and wife, while still pursuing my education and career, often left me feeling overwhelmed and unequipped to do either endeavor well. That’s when God gave me my life verse. “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:2-3).

My Life

Favorite Quote

“The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” ― Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (President of Liberia)

Friends describe me

Calm, good listener, and insightful

My hobbies

I enjoy reading, playing the piano, watching movies, going to our small cabin, and hanging out with my family.

Fantasy dinner guests

Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Apostle Peter

Best advice I ever received

Love what you do and you will never work a day in your life!

My undergrad alma mater

Lewis-Clark State College

My worst subject in school

Chemistry

In college I drove

Subaru Legacy

If I weren't a professor, I would

be a Social Worker

Favorite books

Bible, Christian Life/Culture, and Biographies

Favorite movies

Defiance (Love the perseverance, leadership, and care for others seen in this film) and She’s the Man (I watch this when I need a good clean laugh).

Favorite city

I’ve traveled much of the United States as well as parts of Europe, Canada, Central America, and a couple islands in the Pacific and love exploring other people’s home city, but there is something heartwarming about coming home to those I love!

Favorite coffee

Mocha

Nobody knows I

Although I’m typically seen as a reserved person, I love adventure. As an adolescent I read many Oregon and Alaska Trail novels and thought if I had been born in that era that I would have wanted to venture across the land.

My latest accomplishment

Awarded the Lewis-Clark State College Foundation Award for Excellent Teaching for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Current Research

- Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among Social Work Students - Factors Correlated to Leadership Self-Efficacy