I knew of Corinne Olund before I actually knew her. I had followed her on Instagram, judging her purely by the highlight reel of social media. A few things I knew: she’s beautiful, she’s a sorority girl and she loves Jesus. This was all I needed to know about her, or so it seemed.
It wasn’t until I was placed at the same table as her in Principles of Public Relations in the fall of 2017 to work with her and two other girls on a semester long assignment that I realized what a truly remarkable human she really is. When she shared ideas with the group or critiqued our execution plan for the assignment, it was always with grace and weight. Grace that made me want to listen and weight that made me want to rethink my perspective, in a good way.
I loved when she spoke. Passion coated any word she would add to the conversation. It’s like she considers each word before she says it so when they do become audible for those around her, they are powerful. They carry across the room unapologetically, creating a space for raw confession to intertwine with great redemption. Powerful. Unapologetic. Passionate. Those are words that come to mind when I think of Corinne.
I sat down with Corinne with the intention of talking with her about her role as worship leader for Englewood Baptist Church’s college ministry and sometimes for Union’s chapel services. Shortly into the interview, I asked her about any challenges she had faced as a female leader in the church. As she answered, her God-given passion bubbled up inside her as the vigor in her words became more apparent.
“I’m really passionate about equipping women. I want to be a refreshing empowerment to women.”
She wants to tell them that they can do what no man can do. That they do not have to fight for significance because they are already significant. She said, “The fight is for Him to be famous and to know that we all have a place.”
She described how she used to battle the knowing of her gifts with what she had been told about her place within the church. But, she said that if she truly believes the Lord is as big as He says He is, she has to believe He will do the fighting for her.
“The biggest challenge is to remember all that He has already done.”
Corinne began her journey here at Union thinking that she would study business and lead worship on the side. “That would be how I did ministry.”
However, while she has battled insecurities with what people think is the right path, working a 9-5 job and leading a small group, she said she knows in her heart that she must press on even when it makes little sense to most.
“I want to defy expectation,” she said.
And to defy expectation I have no doubt she will do, purposefully and beautifully.
As Corinne’s time here at Union nears an end, she wants to leave behind a silent legacy.
“I don’t have to be remembered at all. I want to be replaceable in a way in which the Lord’s work will continue with or without me. There’s a lot of power in not saying anything. The Lord’s message can be carried with or without my mouth.”
The Lord’s message, one of powerful and unexplainable love, while yes, it can and will be carried without Corinne, is proclaimed so fully by her life, in her silence or in her words, whether sung or simply spoken. She is an empowerment not only to women, but to men alike, as she allows the love of Jesus Christ to radiate in unconventional, unapologetic and beautiful ways.
I asked Corinne what she wanted to do after she graduated. I asked her what her dream was.
“My dream would be to be best friends with everyone in the whole world.”
As she spoke those words, her face took on the biggest grin, eyes gleaming. It’s impossible to be best friends with everyone in the whole world, but a faith like Corinne’s, the power that Corinne embodies from God above, makes the impossible possible.
However, whether she’s best friends with everyone in the whole world, through the online community she hopes to cultivate or simply with the people she’s met here at Union and will meet once she has left, she will make a difference.
She will defy expectation.
Photo by Tamara Friesen
