Alum - Valerie Payne

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 16:9: “In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

How true that’s been for me. Looking back, I never could have predicted the windy path that led me here. Nor could I have guessed how I much I would love every crazy step. Hindsight trumps foresight in this case.

Let me start back in 2002. Newly 18, I entered adulthood as I entered the freshman class at the University of Florida. Attending one of the top-ranked party schools in America, I could have been influenced in many different directions. Fortunately, fun students and leaders in the ministry of Campus Crusade (“Cru” at UF) reached out right away. Thank God for that early intervention! My involvement with Cru set me down a path of tremendous spiritual growth and development, as I participated for the first time in a Bible study, learned how to pray out loud, and was mentored by older leaders. Between the barn dances, retreats, and conferences, serving on the leadership team, and attending a summer missions program, I can look back and see how Cru helped pour cement into the foundation of my faith.

After college, God led me to attend a school I had never heard of to study a subject I never planned to pursue: law. At Regent University School of Law, the motto is “Law is more than a profession. It’s a calling.” During those years, I consistently sought God’s will for me in the legal profession. I suspected there was something specific -- and significant -- He wanted me to do. At Regent, I was surrounded by a wonderful network of like-minded professors and colleagues who remain my greatest friends. The training I received prepared me to seek a higher purpose in the law and practice my profession with excellence.

 Following law school, I was fortunate to work in private practice alongside a revered Regent alumna who specializes in immigration law. At Just Law International, PC based in the Washington, D.C., area, I learned to process all manner of visas -- employment-based, family-based, religious worker visas, and more. I also had the opportunity to participate in human rights initiatives and lobbying on issues such as human trafficking through Jubilee Campaign.

 From D.C., I packed my bags for Sweet Home Alabama, where I had the extraordinary privilege of clerking for two different federal judges on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama in Birmingham. The two years I lived in Birmingham were rich with rapid growth in my legal skills and special new friendships.

 Following the clerkships, I fought the fork in the road and spent probably too much time wondering “What next?” Realizing my own attempts to answer that question were as futile as fitting a square peg into a round hole, I stopped and asked God what He had next on the agenda. The reply? Loud and clear: Cru. With the benefit of hindsight, I see that this position with the General Counsel’s Office was in the cards for me long ago. It truly is my dream job come true. It is an honor to serve an organization that has served me -- and my family -- so well. I trust its leadership and vision, and I am excited about the great things happening all over the world because of Cru ministries that touch every sector of society. Every day at work, I will be able to use the gifts and skills I’ve been given to help our 30,000+ staff members fulfill their individual callings. The law degree and experience I can offer will serve both an immediate and eternal purpose.

 A journalist at heart, I love a good story. I am delighted that this is the one God has uniquely scripted for me. The best part is: I cannot do it alone. To my valuable team of ministry partners, your role in this story is essential. I am thrilled to travel this journey with you!

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