My whole world was put on pause for one minute as I could just hear cheers and excitement coming from the other half of the room. Do you ever like if just this one thing happened, you could make a huge impact in what you've always dreamed of? [MUSIC PLAYING]

Hey, everyone. My name is Hollis Hunt, and I was a candidate for the student body president elections at my college this past year. I was so grateful to attend a college where people cared so much about student life and the decisions regarding it. After months of preparation, voting week had finally come. I was feeling all kinds of emotions. I was happy, sad, scared, excited, all of the above. I had made it to the final round of voting, and it was finally time to find out who won the election. I remember being in the library, just pacing back and forth anticipating the results. I made what seemed like a long walk all the way to the student center from the library and we were being just bombarded by so many people wishing me luck and following me to the student center. I went into the room, sat down, and was just surrounded by so many people that I love, that helped me on this journey, and that helped with the campaign. I could hear the door open up behind me. And the current student body vice president walked into the room with the envelope in their hands with the results inside. He began to say that there was 10,000 votes submitted in this year's student body president and executive vice president election. He said this was the closest election he's ever witnessed or ever heard of. He said the election was decided by three votes. Three votes, three people, that's all I could think about.

He then announced the winner. And it wasn't me. My whole world was put on pause for one minute as I could just hear cheers and excitement coming from the other half of the room. All these thoughts came into my head of You could have just talked to three more people. You could have just texted three more people. You could have just tried a little bit harder. I knew these were unfair thoughts, but that's all I could think about. I was dumbfounded. Do you ever feel like if just this one thing happened, you could make a huge impact in what you've always dreamed of? Well, that was me. I mean, I could have lost by 300, 400, 500 votes, and I wouldn't have been as hurt. I was outside all day. I was campaigning all week, planning for this for so many months, getting sunburnt, talking to so many people. And all I needed to do was reach out to three more. All I needed to do was text, call, just try a little bit harder. And then my thoughts turned toward my mom. I soon came to realize that a huge reason of why I was running was because of her. She has been such a rock in my life and such a foundation in my life that I wanted to tell her that her son could do these big and hard things and come out victorious. My mom and I have been through so much together, have been through so much conflict, and have struggled through so many things. And I just wanted to tell her that I was able to do this for her. And I can remember how many times I've cried in my life, because I don't cry a lot. But when my mom called, reality hit me like a brick. I just felt tears streaming down my face, and I was just sad. The morning after, I woke up to actually my mom holding my hand as I woke up. And I realized that she drove all the way down to where I was living to be there with me. At first, I was sad to hear what she was going to say. But then I realized my definition of failure was a lot different than hers. I began to realize that she was so proud of me. When I saw negative behavior or had negative experiences in my life, sometimes I was too quick to put a label on it or too quick to assume why that thing was happening. It kind of reminded me of my relationship with God. Sometimes when things would happen in my life, I was so quick to question why. Why is this happening? Why does this have to happen to me right now? What I soon learned was when I took time to understand, took time to listen to why certain things were happening, I was able to develop more empathy. I was able to understand the bigger reason. Instead of just putting an automatic label of self-pity, doubt, or discomfort on things, I soon took more time to understand things before jumping to conclusions. But God helped me realize that I wasn't defined by those three votes. I wasn't defined by those three people. I'm not defined by those three. The purpose of failing has changed for me. I realize failure is not in trying. Failure is in not trying at all. I think even my mom would be more disappointed in me if I didn't try at all than if I tried so hard and came three votes short. I kind of planned out what my life would be like if I won the election. And when I didn't win, I soon realized that sometimes I kind of catastrophize failure and what it is. And when I had all these things lined up and planned, I realized that that wasn't the only plan for me and I couldn't just put these expectations out for God all the time. I know that when we fail, we don't stop progressing. When we fail, it doesn't mean we have to go back to square one. We can use those experiences and keep on going forward. And it certainly doesn't mean that we need to stop trying. God is the source of our hope. We can turn to Him when things don't go our way. When I look back on all my successes and failures that I've had in my life, I notice two things. The first thing I noticed was when I turned to God in my failures, things began to make more sense. I also realized that through those failures and when I developed that resiliency, God was able to use me as a tool and an advocate for what he wanted me to do. Yes, those three votes prevented me from what I thought was success. But those three votes could also be leading me to a success that I don't even know about yet. I don't understand all my failures. What I do understand is that I can choose to learn from them. I can choose to reflect on them. And when I turn to God in my failures, I know I can become better. I can keep on going. Now I don't think God planned on me losing by three votes. I don't think He planned on me winning by three votes. But I know He wanted me to experience something. I soon came to realize all these experiences I've had in this life have pointed me toward Him. Whether it be success, failure, or any other experience, I've learned to overcome it. I've developed that resiliency. I've been able to see who I am as a child of God. We all decide how we see our own three votes. Are those three votes going to prevent us from being happy? Or are they going to propel us forward? For all of those who have failed, keep your chin up. I'm a firm believer that the best things are yet to come. And when we turn to God in our failures, He'll get us there I think our failures really remind us of how much we really do need to depend on Him.