February 4, 2025 • 37 mins
Cody Johnson's journey from student at NorthStar Academy to aspiring diplomat is a testament of faith, adaptability, and the importance of lifelong learning. Through personal stories of travel and growth, he emphasizes embracing opportunities, learning from diverse cultures, and the necessity of self-awareness in achieving one's calling.
• Embracing faith while navigating uncertainty
• The transformative experience of hitchhiking on a volcano
• NorthStar Academy's influence on cultural understanding
• Leadership lessons learned through student governance
• The significance of adaptability in shaping career goals
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Stephanie (00:01):
Hi, this is Stephanie Shafer and you're listening to
the NorthStar Narrative, apodcast from NorthStar Academy.
I want to thank you for joiningus.
I hope you're encouraged,challenged and motivated by what
you learned today.
Enjoy the story.
Hey everybody, welcome to thisweek's episode.
(00:22):
I have an incredible guest todaythat I super, super love and
have gotten to know him duringhis time at NorthStar.
He is an alumnus here ofNorthStar Academy and I can't
wait for you to get to hear hisstory and all the little nuggets
we're going to get to hear fromhim.
So we have Cody DietrichJohnson of Danville,
Pennsylvania, with us.
He is a first generationAustralian American student and
(00:44):
an alumnus of NorthStar Academy,where he served as our student
body president from 2018 to 2020and discovered God's call to
international relations.
While he was here, he receivedhis bachelor's degree in
political science and leadershipdevelopment and served as the
23-24 student body president atHoughton University.
During his undergraduate career, Cody studied abroad in London,
(01:06):
worked with the ChristianMissions Organization in Central
Europe and interned with the USCongress and Department of
State in Washington DC as aDepartment of State Rangel
Fellow.
Cody has attended John HopkinsUniversity School of Advanced
International Studies on a fulltuition scholarship.
After completing his master'sdegree in international
relations, he will join the USForeign Service as an American
(01:27):
diplomat, accompanied by hiswife, grace Dietrich Johnson.
Cody is a classically trainedpianist, vocalist and actor and
enjoys all forms of outdooradventure, from hiking to scuba
diving.
Wow, that was a lot to say, butsuch a cool, cool, cool bio.
I wanted to just read thatbecause, Cody, I'm so proud of
(01:47):
you for all the incredibleexperiences and accomplishments
and just the drives and passionsGod has put in you and how
you've lived them out.
You live them out here atNorthStar and then, wow, look
what God is doing.
So I just celebrate that today,celebrate your marriage, your
new wife and, yeah, just you andyour family.
So thank you so so much forcoming on and letting me hear a
(02:08):
little bit about your journey,Cody.
Cody (02:11):
Thank you so much.
It's a pleasure to be here andto come here to NSA and share
about what God's been doing inall those years since I
graduated.
Stephanie (02:20):
Yeah, it's been a while, but it seems like
yesterday at the same time, andI know you've been able to
reconnect with some of ouralumni and just reflect on NSA.
So I'd love to hear today howNSA prepared you for all the
things God has before you and,yeah, just some of the fun
adventures you've been on, howyou balance that with all your
(02:40):
studies and love forinternational affairs and, yeah,
just the exciting career you'regoing to get to go into.
And so first you told me alittle bit about a volcano and
hitchhiking on one of youradventures.
I want to hear more about that.
Cody (02:56):
Oh, my goodness, so I love solo travel.
It's something that has broughtme a lot of fulfillment in just
being able to both exploremyself and learn about myself
and explore God's creation.
Um, I've gone on several solotrips to Europe and one spring
break I went on a trip to Hawaii.
Hawaii maybe isn't the placethat you expect someone to
(03:21):
travel solo over spring break,but I found a really good deal
on flights.
It was under $300 fromPhiladelphia to Hawaii, which is
unheard of.
It was right as travel wasgetting kicked right, as it was
kicking back up after COVID.
So I was in Hawaii solotraveling.
Obviously, I'm too young torent a car or anything, so I was
(03:43):
relying on public transit andUber and Lyft.
I ordered a Lyft to take me toa national park.
What I didn't realize aboutgoing to this national park,
hala'akala, is that the entranceis already about six miles up a
long, windy road up to thevolcano, and then the national
(04:05):
park is the top part of thevolcano.
So I ordered this lift to takeme up to the volcano.
Um, to the entrance of thenational park.
I wasn't sure how I was goingto get back down.
I kind of just assumed that Iwould order another lift, not
thinking that lift drivers mightnot want to drive all the way
(04:29):
back up there.
So I spent the day hiking.
It was absolutely incredible,so fun to explore a type of
landscape that I had neverexperienced anywhere in the
continental US.
Absolutely loved it.
It's about 5 pm probably, sothis is March, so it's getting
(04:50):
dark and I'm leaving.
I'm first of all trying to findcell service, because I'm on
the top of a volcano, and once Ihave the service, trying to
order a lift and nobody ispicking up this ride.
So I figure it's getting dark,I need to just start walking.
And I just start walking downthe road all the while trying to
(05:14):
order a lift or something.
It's getting darker and darkerand I'm calling my
then-girlfriend now my wife andsaying this is starting to feel
a little bit sketchy.
There are people driving past,I'm all alone here in the dark
(05:36):
on a volcano.
That's when I decide I need tojust suck it up and hitchhike,
something that my mom has alwaystold me I should never do but
at this point it's about theonly way I'm going to get down.
I either walk six miles downthis volcano in the dark, which
is going to take me no less thantwo hours, or I just pray that
(06:00):
somebody is going to come alongwho can help me get to the
bottom of this volcano so I canget a bus back to my hostel on
the other side of the island.
Um, several people pass by andthen finally this really nice
guy stops.
Um, he had actually gone pastme before and then came back.
Turns out he was a maintenanceworker from the park.
He was a local on the island.
(06:21):
He had lived there his wholelife.
Um, he picked me up and we hada great conversation and I got
to learn a lot more about whatlife is like on maui.
Um, especially from theperspective of a local, someone
who's lived there um his fulllife.
Um, obviously, being withsomeone who works in the park,
that was probably best casescenario as far as safety um and
(06:42):
he was able to take me backdown.
Um, so that was how I hitchhikedon a volcano and got maybe the
most authentic hawaiianexperience I could have asked
for.
Stephanie (06:53):
Um yeah yeah, so glad it turned out good.
Stranger danger don't get inthe car with strangers.
You know all that stuff.
Cody (06:59):
Yeah, I don't condone hitchh, but it worked out great
in that situation, by God'sgrace.
Stephanie (07:07):
Yeah, wow, that's cool, cool experience.
Okay, so you've visited so manyplaces, so many countries.
If you could pick one that youwould want to live in long-term,
where would it be?
Cody (07:20):
Out of the countries that I've been to, I would have to
say Austria.
I lived there for a summerduring the missions internship
and it's just a beautifulcountry, such an interesting
combination of having achristian heritage but also now
existing in a post-christiancontext and having a lot of
immigrants from muslimbackgrounds coming into the
(07:40):
country, and it just objectivelyhas a great standard of living,
um.
But if I'm looking outside, ofall those countries that I
visited right now, I'mespecially interested in latin
america, um.
So I might say probably brazilis highest on my list right now,
(08:03):
just because to me, as beingsomeone who will be working in
international affairs, brazilhas a really interesting role on
the world stage and I think ithas a really unique culture as a
result of its colonial legaciesand stuff, and it would just be
exciting.
So I'm hoping to visit andpossibly live in Brazil one day.
Stephanie (08:23):
Yeah, wow, cool.
Okay, you said culture.
How has NorthStar prepared youfor all the different cultures
you've?
Cody (08:34):
been able to experience.
And then what's?
Stephanie (08:35):
coming.
Cody (08:35):
Yeah, I think, first and foremost, during my time at NSA
I met so many people from allaround the world.
Going into college, I had a waybetter knowledge of geography
than any of my peers, justbecause I knew people from
dozens of countries, ones thatpeople can create from and
(09:08):
especially for third culturekids, who are trying to not only
process these other culturesbut also exist in between them
in a lot of different ways.
So I can see very clearly howNSA gave me an appreciation for
all the different cultures wehave in the world and being able
to recognize the beauty and thediversity in all of them.
Stephanie (09:27):
Yeah, so cool Two of my favorite things and you're
doing them, you're living themout.
Two of my favorite things aboutNorthStar is the lifelong
learning.
Just to be learning, you tookthat moment of fear and
uncertainty with the maintenanceman that picked you up and
turned it into a learningexperience.
You got to have, yeah,authentic, like one-on-one with
the local, and so love that.
And then all the learningyou're continuing to do.
(09:49):
And then the global perspectiveWow, you lived it out here at
NSA.
You got to experience and learnso many different cultures,
especially being on studentcouncil, with talking with other
leaders and students all overthe world.
And then now look where God'staking you.
So, yeah, just so much tocelebrate when I think about
Cody Johnson, and so so glad tohave you as a student at
(10:09):
NorthStar getting to lead outstudents.
And then we had thatopportunity where I was able to
mentor some and help the studentcounselor during that time.
And then, yeah, think aboutyour piano.
You got to play the piano atgraduation and come and so many
cool things no-transcript.
Cody (10:42):
A really interesting series of events right after NSA
, as I was starting college atHoughton and figuring out what I
wanted to major in.
One of the things that I reallyloved at NSA was leadership,
and through our conversationsabout all kinds of leadership
theory and how we could supportleadership on the student
(11:05):
council, we got to dive reallydeep into what christian
leadership means and what itlooks like in this, and that was
something that I knew I wantedto continue studying.
Okay, so that was one of thethings, um, but I also needed a
way to make that into a career,because usually you don't start
(11:29):
a career in any kind ofleadership consulting or
anything until 20 or 25 yearsdown the line.
So I started looking more athuman resources just because
that was something that myparents were pushing me to.
It felt like a very cool way toapply those leadership skills
and the knowledge that I hadgained at NSA and it just wasn't
(11:51):
really scratching the itch forme.
I don't have a better way toexplain that, but human
resources just wasn't my call.
So I took some other classes.
I took an elective in politicalscience and I found that I
really loved it.
It took me back to the AP UShistory class and the AP
(12:12):
government class that I took atNSA and some of those really
hard questions about what doesjustice look like for people in
our world from a Christianperspective, how can we welcome
people from other cultures whileadvancing the vision that
Christ has set out for us in theBible?
And I found that I really lovepolitical science and that
(12:36):
scratched the itch for me.
So through NSA both preparing meto study leadership and to be a
leader, and also thinking aboutother cultures and other
societies around the world Icombined those interests in
majoring in both leadershipdevelopment and political
(12:56):
science.
It was a bit of anunconventional combination, I
think, but it really allowed meto bridge those things that I
had begun learning at NSA bythinking about what it means to
be a leader in political contextand to work with people from
all different backgrounds.
So I can see how NSA reallyprepared me holistically, both
(13:23):
in the classes that I took,things like AP government and AP
US history, even a career classthat I took.
That just made me think alittle bit more flexibly about
my future.
And in addition to that, myextracurricular experience at
NSA on the student council andjust talking to all these other
(13:43):
students made me think morebroadly about the world than
human resources.
So that was what sent me onthis path towards international
relations, really from the timeI started NSA in seventh grade.
Stephanie (13:59):
Oh yeah, so incredible to hear.
I love the holistic reallystuck out to me because that is
one of our goals is to providean environment where students
are going to come and learn allabout themselves, all about the
world, you know, be challengedand to be critical thinkers.
Cody (14:16):
And you definitely I think one of the most important
things that I've noticed as I'mpreparing for this career as a
diplomat is just the importanceof self-awareness.
This career as a diplomat isjust the importance of
self-awareness, and I think thatwas something that nsa really
equipped me for.
Um.
Part of that, I think, is justthe demands of an online school.
You have to be really attunedto what works for you and what
(14:39):
doesn't, so that you don't getbehind on your classes and that
you can still engage with peoplesocially and not just sit
behind your computer for 10hours a day.
But even apart from that, theway that NSA's curriculum and
our culture and theconversations that I had with
mentors like you were soimportant in helping me learn
(15:02):
more about myself and about theperson that I'm supposed to
become in God's image.
Stephanie (15:09):
Yeah, and you were super teachable, no matter what
type of conversation we werehaving.
I just remember, yeah, you werelike wanting to learn and grow,
and so that's so important.
That's why one of the reasonsyou've gone so far, I think,
because, yeah, you're just open.
What's next?
God?
Cody (15:25):
You have to be open for whatever Christ is going to
throw your way.
Stephanie (15:31):
Yeah.
So what would you say to aNorthStar student listening now
that maybe is uncertain, likethey're trying to figure out
what their passions are, whatthe next step is, what the
direction is?
What advice would you give them?
Maybe something you wish youhad known when you were back at
NorthStar?
Give them.
Cody (15:46):
Maybe something you wish you had known when you were back
at NorthStar.
As much as I did value beingteachable and being adaptable, I
don't think I was flexibleenough.
I spent so much time trying toplan out my life and be really
intentional about figuring outwhat my passions were, when I
think, a lot of times it justcame down to what doors God was
(16:08):
opening for me.
So I would say to thosestudents just allow yourself to
sit back, take it all in, beable to process what's happening
and pray about what the nextstep is for you.
I think one of the bestexamples of this in my life was
(16:32):
the summer of 2022.
I was really desperate to getout of the country.
This was partway through COVID,so I was definitely feeling a
little bit constricted in nothaving traveled that much, and I
really wanted to find aninternship for that summer that
would let me go abroad in somecity.
(16:53):
I applied for a lot of thingswith the federal government,
since at that point, I knew Iwas interested in that kind of
path, but none of that reallyseemed to be working out.
To be working out.
And then, at church one Sundayin November, our prayer focus
was a missionary who runs whatis called the Next Internship
Program through Global Partners,the missions organization.
(17:15):
So I just started looking moreinto this internship.
I never had any intention ofgoing into missions.
I knew that that wasn't the kindof ministry that God was
calling me to, but it was a waythat I would be able to go
abroad.
It seemed like a goodapplication of my interests and
(17:37):
my skills and would allow for alot of growth.
So I applied to a missionsinternship.
Of all things Did not clearlyfit into my path as a political
science major, but that summerended up being so transformative
in preparing me for a careerwhere I can both be abroad and
(17:59):
impact this world ofinternational affairs and
politics, but also exist in thatworld as a Christian and be
confident in what I can do as aChristian in these other
cultures, no matter what myactual nine to five job is.
So I've really learned, throughthe course of not being very
(18:21):
adaptable during my time at NSAand then letting myself be more
adaptable in undergrad, howimportant it is to just let God
do his thing and see whathappens, what tickles your fancy
.
Some things won't, and that'sokay.
There's always something newyou can try and truly you aren't
(18:42):
losing the time that you thinkyou are by letting God do it for
you.
Stephanie (18:48):
That's so good.
Such great wisdom.
Yeah, what an incredible lessonto learn.
I just think of being presentin the moment, looking around
where God's working,acknowledging it and jumping in.
That's what you did you jumpedin.
Cody (19:01):
It's all about jumping through whatever open door or
open window God has put in yourpath.
Stephanie (19:08):
Yeah, not being so rigid to have this unflexible
schedule and path for your lifeyeah.
Cody (19:16):
I think in some ways, a five-year plan can be really
good, but especially when you'reyoung and you're in high school
or undergrad and you're stillfiguring out what God has made
for you, I think it's reallyimportant that you hold that
five-year plan really loosely sothat you can become more fully
(19:38):
who you're meant to be.
Stephanie (19:39):
Yeah, many are the plans of a man's heart, but only
God's plans will stand.
That's paraphrasing a verse,but I think that yeah, oh gosh,
yeah, really good, really goodwisdom.
Thanks for sharing that.
All right, you're preparing tojoin the US Foreign Service
after completing your degree.
What's one thing that mostpeople don't know about being a
(20:00):
diplomat that you think iscrucial to understand,
especially for young peoplethinking about entering the
field?
Cody (20:05):
Wow.
I think something that I reallyvalue about it that I wish more
people knew is that it is theideal field for a lifelong
learner, like we've alreadytalked about a little bit, just
because in the course of mycareer, I'm going to be changing
(20:29):
jobs every two to three years.
I'm going to get to experiencepotentially dozens of different
countries, both living andtraveling to them different
countries both living andtraveling to them, and it's
going to give me an opportunityto try so many different things.
I am somebody who valuesachievement, but it makes me
(20:52):
think about achievementdifferently, so I really wish
that more people understood thekind of personal fulfillment
that can come from thatlifestyle and career of being a
lifelong learner and satisfyingyour curiosity through a career
like but I think there's also alot of satisfaction that could
(21:12):
come from kind of lifestyle thatI'm really looking forward to,
and I wish more people knewabout the US Catered Service.
Stephanie (21:31):
Yeah, that's good.
Just thinking about a lifelonglearner for those that maybe
have not developed thatmentality.
What do we miss out on when wedon't have that mindset?
Cody (21:46):
I think we miss out on understanding the complexity of
the world that we live in.
As Christians, we've been put inthis world to be able to impact
it.
We aren't here just so that wecan take all the right steps and
follow some linear path just toget to heaven, but we're here
(22:09):
to make a difference and toenjoy the world that God has
given us now.
And that world is so complexand there are so many different
ways to experience it.
Yeah, and that's why I thinkit's so important to have that
mentality of a lifelong learnerand be somebody who wants to
(22:31):
learn more about it and iscurious about all the different
ways that human society can beorganized, all the different
ecosystems that exist in therainforests of Costa Rica or the
Alps in Europe, to be able toappreciate the cultures that
have developed in every part ofthe world.
The world as God has made itcannot get old for us, and I
(22:57):
think until you have the mindsetof a lifelong learner, you can
sometimes get bored with whereGod has put you, but there is
always more to learn, that's sogood, all right.
Stephanie (23:11):
What advice do you have for me as a leader right
now of NSA?
How can I be inspirational andinspire students to be lifelong
learners?
Not tell them, teach them, grabthem and bring them along, but
how do I inspire them?
Cody (23:26):
Even after my years as student body president, I never
thought I would be asked to giveyou advice.
Why not?
I guess the best thing I couldsay is to demonstrate that
curiosity about the world.
I think, especially in anacademic institution like NSA or
(23:47):
my undergraduate college, thatcan come pretty naturally
through the curriculum andthings.
But you also have to be reallyintentional in the things that
you're sharing and the topicsthat speakers, special speakers
and events are highlighting.
Um, and just the way that thecurriculum is designed, that
(24:09):
it's highlighting everythingthat you can potentially learn
about, and there's a really hardbalance there between depth and
breadth.
But at the same, I think it'sjust important to show that
curiosity, that something thatis foreign to me can be made
(24:32):
familiar just by being curiousabout.
Stephanie (24:35):
Yeah, that's good.
No, of course, I can learn somuch from you and yeah, you're
so super wise and so muchexperience, and yeah, so I think
for me asking questions like wejust continually ask questions.
Cody (24:49):
Yeah.
Stephanie (24:51):
Never be satisfied, but moving on, cause there's so
much.
I've been at North shore for along time but I'm nowhere near
finished learning, like I needto keep learning.
What's it mean to be a goodleader?
How do you inspire, how do youget creative and have things
before the students that they'regoing to jump on and want to
know more?
So yeah, just learning andembracing what you've learned.
Cody (25:13):
I think asking questions is a bit of a lost art, and I've
noticed this especially with mygeneration just because we
spend so much time online and Ican sound like a bit of a broken
record as I say this but Ithink we have lost some of the
art of asking questions.
In my communication classes inundergrad, my professor would
(25:36):
often talk about just the valueof talking to strangers and
asking open-ended questions, andthat's something that I don't
think we do enough and mygeneration needs to learn how to
do that, because it's how welearn from each other and how we
can grow as a community.
Stephanie (25:54):
Yeah, that's good.
We just came up with a way.
We just set the example andkeep asking questions, so good.
Okay, student body presidentyou've been one at both NSA and
Houghton.
What's one leadership lessonthat you've learned in these
roles that you carry with youtoday?
Cody (26:16):
something that I especially learned at Coden and
I think my experience at NSAkind of primed me for is
learning when to challenge thestatus quo.
As a leader, you have a lot ofpower to be able to just upend
(26:37):
things if you want.
We're seeing that right nowwith Trump, for better or for
worse.
But I think part of the art ofleadership is learning when it's
your place to do that and whenyou need to encourage others to
do that, and when you can workthrough change at a more gradual
(26:58):
level and try to enact changeon a cultural level rather than
a big policy level.
In some way.
I have been in severalsituations where I've disagreed
starkly with the people that I'minterfacing with um, even the
university president at hoden,even the university president at
Houghton and I haven't alwaysdone this well, but it's made me
(27:31):
think about when I should andshouldn't be challenging the
people above me or the policiesand taking it all in stride so
that I can be the best exampleas a Christian leader that I can
be.
I'm not sure if that makessense or it's coherent, because
it's kind of integrating some ofthe difficult situations that
(27:52):
I've been in and I think aboutthings from both the perspective
of organizational culture andorganization policy.
So it's about being able tobalance change in those two
areas, I guess.
Stephanie (28:06):
Yeah, no, that's really good.
Tell me more, because I'm sure,as you're talking, maybe some
experiences, past moments, popup in your mind.
What's one that you think maybe, oh, I didn't handle that as
well and you've learned fromwhat's a specific example.
Cody (28:22):
One that was particularly evident at Houghton was an
ongoing debate about the role ofthe LGBTQ plus community at our
school.
Regardless of your theologicalposition, school, regardless of
(28:45):
your theological position, ourschool was non-affirming of the
LGBTQ plus community andlifestyle.
But those people still exist andit is still incumbent on us as
Christians to love them.
So we had extensiveconversations both within the
student council and with theuniversity administration about
what policy should look like,what student organizations
(29:06):
should look like, to allow thesestudents to feel loved and
included but also maintain ourown convictions as Christians.
I think that's a case where Ifeel a little bit more confident
in what I was able to do inturning to more of the
(29:29):
grassroots change at the levelof organizational culture, in
just being a friend to thosestudents and letting them know
that I am not going to be athreat to you, even though I do
uphold the school's policy,whereas other people in the
school's administration, forexample, took a much harder
(29:50):
stance, that some of the LGBTQplus students found repressive
of their identities, like theydidn't have a place to speak and
to have meaningfulconversations about their
identities, whatever that meant.
That was an ongoing saga duringmy time at Houghton, but I feel
(30:11):
confident in what I was able todo as a leader to welcome those
students into our community andhold those, hold our different
beliefs in tension whilecreating a school that was safe
for everybody.
Stephanie (30:26):
Yeah, that's good.
So you were able to makeeverybody feel sane.
Cody (30:32):
I hope so.
It's hard as a leader to knowhow much your own leadership can
impact other people, especiallywhen there are other leaders
who might be antagonistic toyour own goals other leaders who
(30:53):
might be antagonistic to yourown goals and sometimes you
might never know what yourimpact actually is.
But I can have faith that I wasable to make friends and have
good conversations and exemplifywhat Christlike leadership
looked like in that situation,regardless of what else was
happening at our school.
Stephanie (31:13):
I love that.
You're super intentional andwise, sounds like you were slow
in your thinking and, yeah,making the right choices for the
moment.
And that's what.
A lot of times we can only makethe choice with the information
we have at the moment and whatwe've learned with that, and
sometimes we do look back and go, oh, but we can learn from that
and yeah, and we see sometimeswe've made really good choices
(31:36):
and how we continue on in that.
So again, an example of yourjust teachability and awareness
of able to discern situations.
Such a good example.
All right, so as we're wrappingup, we could keep you forever
talking about all kinds of coolthings, but as we're wrapping up
, is there anything that youreally want to share with
(31:59):
everything you've been able toexperience?
It could be something aboutmarriage, just anything in your
travels and all of your schooltime at NSA that you really want
to share, that you've learnedand you want to just instill in
others and encourage others.
Cody (32:18):
I've only been married for five months, so I'm not going
to go anywhere close to marriageadvice yet.
I think something that I wouldwant people to learn from my
life is just the importance ofbeing invested in your faith to
(32:38):
identify your calling that Godhas set upon your life.
I never expected to end up as aDepartment of State Rangel
Fellow.
I did not think that I had theright internships for that.
In undergrad I went to a verysmall Christian school, coming
(33:03):
from a Christian schoolbackground, which is itself kind
of unfamiliar and strange forthe Foreign Service.
But God has blessed me beyondany measure just for being
invested in my relationship withhim and taking those steps of
faith.
(33:23):
I'm so grateful that now I'm onthis path where I can see a
million different ways that Iget to use my strengths and my
gifts and serve God in reallyunique ways and unique places in
the next 20 years of my careerand that is the ultimate kind of
(33:47):
personal fulfillment Just bytaking those steps of faith one
after another, not reallyknowing where that was going to
lead, but submitting theapplication, saying yes to the
(34:08):
internship, being engaged inleadership and being teachable.
All of that just culminates inGod's blessings in your life in
a way that I could have neverexpected, and I think through
that, I have found what God hasmade me for, at least for right
now.
That can always change and Ithink that's the beauty of it,
but I found the person that Godhas made me to be, the career
(34:30):
that he has set out for me, andI'm really excited to see the
ways that I can continue toserve him and grow as a leader
and all these things as a resultof saying yes to almost random
opportunities.
Stephanie (34:46):
Yeah, so glad you did and God's hand is all over, so
evident in your life and justthat heart he's given you to see
people around you, like we justtalked about, and to be known
by God, for you to be known byothers.
And yeah, just yes.
I see you probably heard me saymany times palms open, not
(35:08):
closed.
I don't know if you rememberthat.
But one thing I like to say,because when you tighten your
fists, oh, it's miserable, it'slike I'm hanging on to this,
it's my way.
But when you open your hands andsay, god, here's my life, you
made me, you created me,whatever path Like, it's so fun
when he connects those dots andthe people and the places and
you just see the doors opening.
(35:29):
So you are an inspiration toopen the hands and I pray that
you'll have those opportunitiesto share your story with
everybody around you and, yeah,that you'll continue to inspire
people to just let go, like yousaid, and here I am God,
whatever you have next, so sothankful for you.
And, yeah, just know that God'susing you to inspire me, to
(35:51):
inspire others, everyone thatlistens to this podcast, and
he's going to be with you ineach thing that comes.
Hard stuff, awesome stuff, goodstuff, marriage all the things.
Yeah, it is, it really is, soyeah, I know you're going to do
incredible things.
Cody (36:09):
I also do think that more students from NSA should
consider a career in diplomacyand I'm just going to throw that
out there for any students thatmight be interested in this
life of foreign service, which Ithink is ideally suited to the
Christian lifelong learnersamong us.
Stephanie (36:27):
Yes, definitely so we got to get you for some NSA
Connects that you can talk aboutit.
They can ask you questions.
Yeah, who knows, you mightwrite a course for NorthStar
Share.
Just dream anything that youcan do to get that out there for
students to give them.
Yeah, just hope they can do itand here's how it can happen.
(36:50):
So yeah, super, super proud ofyou.
Cody, couldn't say it enough.
I'm so thankful that you wouldjoin us for a few minutes now.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for listeningtoday.
If you have any questions forour guests or would like
information about NorthStar,please email us.
At podcast at NSA dotschool, welove having guests on our show
(37:12):
and getting to hear theirstories.
If you have anyone in mind thatyou think would be a great
guest to feature, please emailus and let us know.
And don't forget to subscribeso you don't miss out on
upcoming stories.
Hi, this is Stephanie Shafer and you're listening to
the NorthStar Narrative, apodcast from NorthStar Academy.
I want to thank you for joiningus.
I hope you're encouraged,challenged and motivated by what
you learned today.
Enjoy the story.
Hey everybody, welcome to thisweek's episode.
(00:22):
I have an incredible guest todaythat I super, super love and
have gotten to know him duringhis time at NorthStar.
He is an alumnus here ofNorthStar Academy and I can't
wait for you to get to hear hisstory and all the little nuggets
we're going to get to hear fromhim.
So we have Cody DietrichJohnson of Danville,
Pennsylvania, with us.
He is a first generationAustralian American student and
(00:44):
an alumnus of NorthStar Academy,where he served as our student
body president from 2018 to 2020and discovered God's call to
international relations.
While he was here, he receivedhis bachelor's degree in
political science and leadershipdevelopment and served as the
23-24 student body president atHoughton University.
During his undergraduate career, Cody studied abroad in London,
(01:06):
worked with the ChristianMissions Organization in Central
Europe and interned with the USCongress and Department of
State in Washington DC as aDepartment of State Rangel
Fellow.
Cody has attended John HopkinsUniversity School of Advanced
International Studies on a fulltuition scholarship.
After completing his master'sdegree in international
relations, he will join the USForeign Service as an American
(01:27):
diplomat, accompanied by hiswife, grace Dietrich Johnson.
Cody is a classically trainedpianist, vocalist and actor and
enjoys all forms of outdooradventure, from hiking to scuba
diving.
Wow, that was a lot to say, butsuch a cool, cool, cool bio.
I wanted to just read thatbecause, Cody, I'm so proud of
(01:47):
you for all the incredibleexperiences and accomplishments
and just the drives and passionsGod has put in you and how
you've lived them out.
You live them out here atNorthStar and then, wow, look
what God is doing.
So I just celebrate that today,celebrate your marriage, your
new wife and, yeah, just you andyour family.
So thank you so so much forcoming on and letting me hear a
(02:08):
little bit about your journey,Cody.
Cody (02:11):
Thank you so much.
It's a pleasure to be here andto come here to NSA and share
about what God's been doing inall those years since I
graduated.
Stephanie (02:20):
Yeah, it's been a while, but it seems like
yesterday at the same time, andI know you've been able to
reconnect with some of ouralumni and just reflect on NSA.
So I'd love to hear today howNSA prepared you for all the
things God has before you and,yeah, just some of the fun
adventures you've been on, howyou balance that with all your
(02:40):
studies and love forinternational affairs and, yeah,
just the exciting career you'regoing to get to go into.
And so first you told me alittle bit about a volcano and
hitchhiking on one of youradventures.
I want to hear more about that.
Cody (02:56):
Oh, my goodness, so I love solo travel.
It's something that has broughtme a lot of fulfillment in just
being able to both exploremyself and learn about myself
and explore God's creation.
Um, I've gone on several solotrips to Europe and one spring
break I went on a trip to Hawaii.
Hawaii maybe isn't the placethat you expect someone to
(03:21):
travel solo over spring break,but I found a really good deal
on flights.
It was under $300 fromPhiladelphia to Hawaii, which is
unheard of.
It was right as travel wasgetting kicked right, as it was
kicking back up after COVID.
So I was in Hawaii solotraveling.
Obviously, I'm too young torent a car or anything, so I was
(03:43):
relying on public transit andUber and Lyft.
I ordered a Lyft to take me toa national park.
What I didn't realize aboutgoing to this national park,
hala'akala, is that the entranceis already about six miles up a
long, windy road up to thevolcano, and then the national
(04:05):
park is the top part of thevolcano.
So I ordered this lift to takeme up to the volcano.
Um, to the entrance of thenational park.
I wasn't sure how I was goingto get back down.
I kind of just assumed that Iwould order another lift, not
thinking that lift drivers mightnot want to drive all the way
(04:29):
back up there.
So I spent the day hiking.
It was absolutely incredible,so fun to explore a type of
landscape that I had neverexperienced anywhere in the
continental US.
Absolutely loved it.
It's about 5 pm probably, sothis is March, so it's getting
(04:50):
dark and I'm leaving.
I'm first of all trying to findcell service, because I'm on
the top of a volcano, and once Ihave the service, trying to
order a lift and nobody ispicking up this ride.
So I figure it's getting dark,I need to just start walking.
And I just start walking downthe road all the while trying to
(05:14):
order a lift or something.
It's getting darker and darkerand I'm calling my
then-girlfriend now my wife andsaying this is starting to feel
a little bit sketchy.
There are people driving past,I'm all alone here in the dark
(05:36):
on a volcano.
That's when I decide I need tojust suck it up and hitchhike,
something that my mom has alwaystold me I should never do but
at this point it's about theonly way I'm going to get down.
I either walk six miles downthis volcano in the dark, which
is going to take me no less thantwo hours, or I just pray that
(06:00):
somebody is going to come alongwho can help me get to the
bottom of this volcano so I canget a bus back to my hostel on
the other side of the island.
Um, several people pass by andthen finally this really nice
guy stops.
Um, he had actually gone pastme before and then came back.
Turns out he was a maintenanceworker from the park.
He was a local on the island.
(06:21):
He had lived there his wholelife.
Um, he picked me up and we hada great conversation and I got
to learn a lot more about whatlife is like on maui.
Um, especially from theperspective of a local, someone
who's lived there um his fulllife.
Um, obviously, being withsomeone who works in the park,
that was probably best casescenario as far as safety um and
(06:42):
he was able to take me backdown.
Um, so that was how I hitchhikedon a volcano and got maybe the
most authentic hawaiianexperience I could have asked
for.
Stephanie (06:53):
Um yeah yeah, so glad it turned out good.
Stranger danger don't get inthe car with strangers.
You know all that stuff.
Cody (06:59):
Yeah, I don't condone hitchh, but it worked out great
in that situation, by God'sgrace.
Stephanie (07:07):
Yeah, wow, that's cool, cool experience.
Okay, so you've visited so manyplaces, so many countries.
If you could pick one that youwould want to live in long-term,
where would it be?
Cody (07:20):
Out of the countries that I've been to, I would have to
say Austria.
I lived there for a summerduring the missions internship
and it's just a beautifulcountry, such an interesting
combination of having achristian heritage but also now
existing in a post-christiancontext and having a lot of
immigrants from muslimbackgrounds coming into the
(07:40):
country, and it just objectivelyhas a great standard of living,
um.
But if I'm looking outside, ofall those countries that I
visited right now, I'mespecially interested in latin
america, um.
So I might say probably brazilis highest on my list right now,
(08:03):
just because to me, as beingsomeone who will be working in
international affairs, brazilhas a really interesting role on
the world stage and I think ithas a really unique culture as a
result of its colonial legaciesand stuff, and it would just be
exciting.
So I'm hoping to visit andpossibly live in Brazil one day.
Stephanie (08:23):
Yeah, wow, cool.
Okay, you said culture.
How has NorthStar prepared youfor all the different cultures
you've?
Cody (08:34):
been able to experience.
And then what's?
Stephanie (08:35):
coming.
Cody (08:35):
Yeah, I think, first and foremost, during my time at NSA
I met so many people from allaround the world.
Going into college, I had a waybetter knowledge of geography
than any of my peers, justbecause I knew people from
dozens of countries, ones thatpeople can create from and
(09:08):
especially for third culturekids, who are trying to not only
process these other culturesbut also exist in between them
in a lot of different ways.
So I can see very clearly howNSA gave me an appreciation for
all the different cultures wehave in the world and being able
to recognize the beauty and thediversity in all of them.
Stephanie (09:27):
Yeah, so cool Two of my favorite things and you're
doing them, you're living themout.
Two of my favorite things aboutNorthStar is the lifelong
learning.
Just to be learning, you tookthat moment of fear and
uncertainty with the maintenanceman that picked you up and
turned it into a learningexperience.
You got to have, yeah,authentic, like one-on-one with
the local, and so love that.
And then all the learningyou're continuing to do.
(09:49):
And then the global perspectiveWow, you lived it out here at
NSA.
You got to experience and learnso many different cultures,
especially being on studentcouncil, with talking with other
leaders and students all overthe world.
And then now look where God'staking you.
So, yeah, just so much tocelebrate when I think about
Cody Johnson, and so so glad tohave you as a student at
(10:09):
NorthStar getting to lead outstudents.
And then we had thatopportunity where I was able to
mentor some and help the studentcounselor during that time.
And then, yeah, think aboutyour piano.
You got to play the piano atgraduation and come and so many
cool things no-transcript.
Cody (10:42):
A really interesting series of events right after NSA
, as I was starting college atHoughton and figuring out what I
wanted to major in.
One of the things that I reallyloved at NSA was leadership,
and through our conversationsabout all kinds of leadership
theory and how we could supportleadership on the student
(11:05):
council, we got to dive reallydeep into what christian
leadership means and what itlooks like in this, and that was
something that I knew I wantedto continue studying.
Okay, so that was one of thethings, um, but I also needed a
way to make that into a career,because usually you don't start
(11:29):
a career in any kind ofleadership consulting or
anything until 20 or 25 yearsdown the line.
So I started looking more athuman resources just because
that was something that myparents were pushing me to.
It felt like a very cool way toapply those leadership skills
and the knowledge that I hadgained at NSA and it just wasn't
(11:51):
really scratching the itch forme.
I don't have a better way toexplain that, but human
resources just wasn't my call.
So I took some other classes.
I took an elective in politicalscience and I found that I
really loved it.
It took me back to the AP UShistory class and the AP
(12:12):
government class that I took atNSA and some of those really
hard questions about what doesjustice look like for people in
our world from a Christianperspective, how can we welcome
people from other cultures whileadvancing the vision that
Christ has set out for us in theBible?
And I found that I really lovepolitical science and that
(12:36):
scratched the itch for me.
So through NSA both preparing meto study leadership and to be a
leader, and also thinking aboutother cultures and other
societies around the world Icombined those interests in
majoring in both leadershipdevelopment and political
(12:56):
science.
It was a bit of anunconventional combination, I
think, but it really allowed meto bridge those things that I
had begun learning at NSA bythinking about what it means to
be a leader in political contextand to work with people from
all different backgrounds.
So I can see how NSA reallyprepared me holistically, both
(13:23):
in the classes that I took,things like AP government and AP
US history, even a career classthat I took.
That just made me think alittle bit more flexibly about
my future.
And in addition to that, myextracurricular experience at
NSA on the student council andjust talking to all these other
(13:43):
students made me think morebroadly about the world than
human resources.
So that was what sent me onthis path towards international
relations, really from the timeI started NSA in seventh grade.
Stephanie (13:59):
Oh yeah, so incredible to hear.
I love the holistic reallystuck out to me because that is
one of our goals is to providean environment where students
are going to come and learn allabout themselves, all about the
world, you know, be challengedand to be critical thinkers.
Cody (14:16):
And you definitely I think one of the most important
things that I've noticed as I'mpreparing for this career as a
diplomat is just the importanceof self-awareness.
This career as a diplomat isjust the importance of
self-awareness, and I think thatwas something that nsa really
equipped me for.
Um.
Part of that, I think, is justthe demands of an online school.
You have to be really attunedto what works for you and what
(14:39):
doesn't, so that you don't getbehind on your classes and that
you can still engage with peoplesocially and not just sit
behind your computer for 10hours a day.
But even apart from that, theway that NSA's curriculum and
our culture and theconversations that I had with
mentors like you were soimportant in helping me learn
(15:02):
more about myself and about theperson that I'm supposed to
become in God's image.
Stephanie (15:09):
Yeah, and you were super teachable, no matter what
type of conversation we werehaving.
I just remember, yeah, you werelike wanting to learn and grow,
and so that's so important.
That's why one of the reasonsyou've gone so far, I think,
because, yeah, you're just open.
What's next?
God?
Cody (15:25):
You have to be open for whatever Christ is going to
throw your way.
Stephanie (15:31):
Yeah.
So what would you say to aNorthStar student listening now
that maybe is uncertain, likethey're trying to figure out
what their passions are, whatthe next step is, what the
direction is?
What advice would you give them?
Maybe something you wish youhad known when you were back at
NorthStar?
Give them.
Cody (15:46):
Maybe something you wish you had known when you were back
at NorthStar.
As much as I did value beingteachable and being adaptable, I
don't think I was flexibleenough.
I spent so much time trying toplan out my life and be really
intentional about figuring outwhat my passions were, when I
think, a lot of times it justcame down to what doors God was
(16:08):
opening for me.
So I would say to thosestudents just allow yourself to
sit back, take it all in, beable to process what's happening
and pray about what the nextstep is for you.
I think one of the bestexamples of this in my life was
(16:32):
the summer of 2022.
I was really desperate to getout of the country.
This was partway through COVID,so I was definitely feeling a
little bit constricted in nothaving traveled that much, and I
really wanted to find aninternship for that summer that
would let me go abroad in somecity.
(16:53):
I applied for a lot of thingswith the federal government,
since at that point, I knew Iwas interested in that kind of
path, but none of that reallyseemed to be working out.
To be working out.
And then, at church one Sundayin November, our prayer focus
was a missionary who runs whatis called the Next Internship
Program through Global Partners,the missions organization.
(17:15):
So I just started looking moreinto this internship.
I never had any intention ofgoing into missions.
I knew that that wasn't the kindof ministry that God was
calling me to, but it was a waythat I would be able to go
abroad.
It seemed like a goodapplication of my interests and
(17:37):
my skills and would allow for alot of growth.
So I applied to a missionsinternship.
Of all things Did not clearlyfit into my path as a political
science major, but that summerended up being so transformative
in preparing me for a careerwhere I can both be abroad and
(17:59):
impact this world ofinternational affairs and
politics, but also exist in thatworld as a Christian and be
confident in what I can do as aChristian in these other
cultures, no matter what myactual nine to five job is.
So I've really learned, throughthe course of not being very
(18:21):
adaptable during my time at NSAand then letting myself be more
adaptable in undergrad, howimportant it is to just let God
do his thing and see whathappens, what tickles your fancy
.
Some things won't, and that'sokay.
There's always something newyou can try and truly you aren't
(18:42):
losing the time that you thinkyou are by letting God do it for
you.
Stephanie (18:48):
That's so good.
Such great wisdom.
Yeah, what an incredible lessonto learn.
I just think of being presentin the moment, looking around
where God's working,acknowledging it and jumping in.
That's what you did you jumpedin.
Cody (19:01):
It's all about jumping through whatever open door or
open window God has put in yourpath.
Stephanie (19:08):
Yeah, not being so rigid to have this unflexible
schedule and path for your lifeyeah.
Cody (19:16):
I think in some ways, a five-year plan can be really
good, but especially when you'reyoung and you're in high school
or undergrad and you're stillfiguring out what God has made
for you, I think it's reallyimportant that you hold that
five-year plan really loosely sothat you can become more fully
(19:38):
who you're meant to be.
Stephanie (19:39):
Yeah, many are the plans of a man's heart, but only
God's plans will stand.
That's paraphrasing a verse,but I think that yeah, oh gosh,
yeah, really good, really goodwisdom.
Thanks for sharing that.
All right, you're preparing tojoin the US Foreign Service
after completing your degree.
What's one thing that mostpeople don't know about being a
(20:00):
diplomat that you think iscrucial to understand,
especially for young peoplethinking about entering the
field?
Cody (20:05):
Wow.
I think something that I reallyvalue about it that I wish more
people knew is that it is theideal field for a lifelong
learner, like we've alreadytalked about a little bit, just
because in the course of mycareer, I'm going to be changing
(20:29):
jobs every two to three years.
I'm going to get to experiencepotentially dozens of different
countries, both living andtraveling to them different
countries both living andtraveling to them, and it's
going to give me an opportunityto try so many different things.
I am somebody who valuesachievement, but it makes me
(20:52):
think about achievementdifferently, so I really wish
that more people understood thekind of personal fulfillment
that can come from thatlifestyle and career of being a
lifelong learner and satisfyingyour curiosity through a career
like but I think there's also alot of satisfaction that could
(21:12):
come from kind of lifestyle thatI'm really looking forward to,
and I wish more people knewabout the US Catered Service.
Stephanie (21:31):
Yeah, that's good.
Just thinking about a lifelonglearner for those that maybe
have not developed thatmentality.
What do we miss out on when wedon't have that mindset?
Cody (21:46):
I think we miss out on understanding the complexity of
the world that we live in.
As Christians, we've been put inthis world to be able to impact
it.
We aren't here just so that wecan take all the right steps and
follow some linear path just toget to heaven, but we're here
(22:09):
to make a difference and toenjoy the world that God has
given us now.
And that world is so complexand there are so many different
ways to experience it.
Yeah, and that's why I thinkit's so important to have that
mentality of a lifelong learnerand be somebody who wants to
(22:31):
learn more about it and iscurious about all the different
ways that human society can beorganized, all the different
ecosystems that exist in therainforests of Costa Rica or the
Alps in Europe, to be able toappreciate the cultures that
have developed in every part ofthe world.
The world as God has made itcannot get old for us, and I
(22:57):
think until you have the mindsetof a lifelong learner, you can
sometimes get bored with whereGod has put you, but there is
always more to learn, that's sogood, all right.
Stephanie (23:11):
What advice do you have for me as a leader right
now of NSA?
How can I be inspirational andinspire students to be lifelong
learners?
Not tell them, teach them, grabthem and bring them along, but
how do I inspire them?
Cody (23:26):
Even after my years as student body president, I never
thought I would be asked to giveyou advice.
Why not?
I guess the best thing I couldsay is to demonstrate that
curiosity about the world.
I think, especially in anacademic institution like NSA or
(23:47):
my undergraduate college, thatcan come pretty naturally
through the curriculum andthings.
But you also have to be reallyintentional in the things that
you're sharing and the topicsthat speakers, special speakers
and events are highlighting.
Um, and just the way that thecurriculum is designed, that
(24:09):
it's highlighting everythingthat you can potentially learn
about, and there's a really hardbalance there between depth and
breadth.
But at the same, I think it'sjust important to show that
curiosity, that something thatis foreign to me can be made
(24:32):
familiar just by being curiousabout.
Stephanie (24:35):
Yeah, that's good.
No, of course, I can learn somuch from you and yeah, you're
so super wise and so muchexperience, and yeah, so I think
for me asking questions like wejust continually ask questions.
Cody (24:49):
Yeah.
Stephanie (24:51):
Never be satisfied, but moving on, cause there's so
much.
I've been at North shore for along time but I'm nowhere near
finished learning, like I needto keep learning.
What's it mean to be a goodleader?
How do you inspire, how do youget creative and have things
before the students that they'regoing to jump on and want to
know more?
So yeah, just learning andembracing what you've learned.
Cody (25:13):
I think asking questions is a bit of a lost art, and I've
noticed this especially with mygeneration just because we
spend so much time online and Ican sound like a bit of a broken
record as I say this but Ithink we have lost some of the
art of asking questions.
In my communication classes inundergrad, my professor would
(25:36):
often talk about just the valueof talking to strangers and
asking open-ended questions, andthat's something that I don't
think we do enough and mygeneration needs to learn how to
do that, because it's how welearn from each other and how we
can grow as a community.
Stephanie (25:54):
Yeah, that's good.
We just came up with a way.
We just set the example andkeep asking questions, so good.
Okay, student body presidentyou've been one at both NSA and
Houghton.
What's one leadership lessonthat you've learned in these
roles that you carry with youtoday?
Cody (26:16):
something that I especially learned at Coden and
I think my experience at NSAkind of primed me for is
learning when to challenge thestatus quo.
As a leader, you have a lot ofpower to be able to just upend
(26:37):
things if you want.
We're seeing that right nowwith Trump, for better or for
worse.
But I think part of the art ofleadership is learning when it's
your place to do that and whenyou need to encourage others to
do that, and when you can workthrough change at a more gradual
(26:58):
level and try to enact changeon a cultural level rather than
a big policy level.
In some way.
I have been in severalsituations where I've disagreed
starkly with the people that I'minterfacing with um, even the
university president at hoden,even the university president at
Houghton and I haven't alwaysdone this well, but it's made me
(27:31):
think about when I should andshouldn't be challenging the
people above me or the policiesand taking it all in stride so
that I can be the best exampleas a Christian leader that I can
be.
I'm not sure if that makessense or it's coherent, because
it's kind of integrating some ofthe difficult situations that
(27:52):
I've been in and I think aboutthings from both the perspective
of organizational culture andorganization policy.
So it's about being able tobalance change in those two
areas, I guess.
Stephanie (28:06):
Yeah, no, that's really good.
Tell me more, because I'm sure,as you're talking, maybe some
experiences, past moments, popup in your mind.
What's one that you think maybe, oh, I didn't handle that as
well and you've learned fromwhat's a specific example.
Cody (28:22):
One that was particularly evident at Houghton was an
ongoing debate about the role ofthe LGBTQ plus community at our
school.
Regardless of your theologicalposition, school, regardless of
(28:45):
your theological position, ourschool was non-affirming of the
LGBTQ plus community andlifestyle.
But those people still exist andit is still incumbent on us as
Christians to love them.
So we had extensiveconversations both within the
student council and with theuniversity administration about
what policy should look like,what student organizations
(29:06):
should look like, to allow thesestudents to feel loved and
included but also maintain ourown convictions as Christians.
I think that's a case where Ifeel a little bit more confident
in what I was able to do inturning to more of the
(29:29):
grassroots change at the levelof organizational culture, in
just being a friend to thosestudents and letting them know
that I am not going to be athreat to you, even though I do
uphold the school's policy,whereas other people in the
school's administration, forexample, took a much harder
(29:50):
stance, that some of the LGBTQplus students found repressive
of their identities, like theydidn't have a place to speak and
to have meaningfulconversations about their
identities, whatever that meant.
That was an ongoing saga duringmy time at Houghton, but I feel
(30:11):
confident in what I was able todo as a leader to welcome those
students into our community andhold those, hold our different
beliefs in tension whilecreating a school that was safe
for everybody.
Stephanie (30:26):
Yeah, that's good.
So you were able to makeeverybody feel sane.
Cody (30:32):
I hope so.
It's hard as a leader to knowhow much your own leadership can
impact other people, especiallywhen there are other leaders
who might be antagonistic toyour own goals other leaders who
(30:53):
might be antagonistic to yourown goals and sometimes you
might never know what yourimpact actually is.
But I can have faith that I wasable to make friends and have
good conversations and exemplifywhat Christlike leadership
looked like in that situation,regardless of what else was
happening at our school.
Stephanie (31:13):
I love that.
You're super intentional andwise, sounds like you were slow
in your thinking and, yeah,making the right choices for the
moment.
And that's what.
A lot of times we can only makethe choice with the information
we have at the moment and whatwe've learned with that, and
sometimes we do look back and go, oh, but we can learn from that
and yeah, and we see sometimeswe've made really good choices
(31:36):
and how we continue on in that.
So again, an example of yourjust teachability and awareness
of able to discern situations.
Such a good example.
All right, so as we're wrappingup, we could keep you forever
talking about all kinds of coolthings, but as we're wrapping up
, is there anything that youreally want to share with
(31:59):
everything you've been able toexperience?
It could be something aboutmarriage, just anything in your
travels and all of your schooltime at NSA that you really want
to share, that you've learnedand you want to just instill in
others and encourage others.
Cody (32:18):
I've only been married for five months, so I'm not going
to go anywhere close to marriageadvice yet.
I think something that I wouldwant people to learn from my
life is just the importance ofbeing invested in your faith to
(32:38):
identify your calling that Godhas set upon your life.
I never expected to end up as aDepartment of State Rangel
Fellow.
I did not think that I had theright internships for that.
In undergrad I went to a verysmall Christian school, coming
(33:03):
from a Christian schoolbackground, which is itself kind
of unfamiliar and strange forthe Foreign Service.
But God has blessed me beyondany measure just for being
invested in my relationship withhim and taking those steps of
faith.
(33:23):
I'm so grateful that now I'm onthis path where I can see a
million different ways that Iget to use my strengths and my
gifts and serve God in reallyunique ways and unique places in
the next 20 years of my careerand that is the ultimate kind of
(33:47):
personal fulfillment Just bytaking those steps of faith one
after another, not reallyknowing where that was going to
lead, but submitting theapplication, saying yes to the
(34:08):
internship, being engaged inleadership and being teachable.
All of that just culminates inGod's blessings in your life in
a way that I could have neverexpected, and I think through
that, I have found what God hasmade me for, at least for right
now.
That can always change and Ithink that's the beauty of it,
but I found the person that Godhas made me to be, the career
(34:30):
that he has set out for me, andI'm really excited to see the
ways that I can continue toserve him and grow as a leader
and all these things as a resultof saying yes to almost random
opportunities.
Stephanie (34:46):
Yeah, so glad you did and God's hand is all over, so
evident in your life and justthat heart he's given you to see
people around you, like we justtalked about, and to be known
by God, for you to be known byothers.
And yeah, just yes.
I see you probably heard me saymany times palms open, not
(35:08):
closed.
I don't know if you rememberthat.
But one thing I like to say,because when you tighten your
fists, oh, it's miserable, it'slike I'm hanging on to this,
it's my way.
But when you open your hands andsay, god, here's my life, you
made me, you created me,whatever path Like, it's so fun
when he connects those dots andthe people and the places and
you just see the doors opening.
(35:29):
So you are an inspiration toopen the hands and I pray that
you'll have those opportunitiesto share your story with
everybody around you and, yeah,that you'll continue to inspire
people to just let go, like yousaid, and here I am God,
whatever you have next, so sothankful for you.
And, yeah, just know that God'susing you to inspire me, to
(35:51):
inspire others, everyone thatlistens to this podcast, and
he's going to be with you ineach thing that comes.
Hard stuff, awesome stuff, goodstuff, marriage all the things.
Yeah, it is, it really is, soyeah, I know you're going to do
incredible things.
Cody (36:09):
I also do think that more students from NSA should
consider a career in diplomacyand I'm just going to throw that
out there for any students thatmight be interested in this
life of foreign service, which Ithink is ideally suited to the
Christian lifelong learnersamong us.
Stephanie (36:27):
Yes, definitely so we got to get you for some NSA
Connects that you can talk aboutit.
They can ask you questions.
Yeah, who knows, you mightwrite a course for NorthStar
Share.
Just dream anything that youcan do to get that out there for
students to give them.
Yeah, just hope they can do itand here's how it can happen.
(36:50):
So yeah, super, super proud ofyou.
Cody, couldn't say it enough.
I'm so thankful that you wouldjoin us for a few minutes now.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for listeningtoday.
If you have any questions forour guests or would like
information about NorthStar,please email us.
At podcast at NSA dotschool, welove having guests on our show
(37:12):
and getting to hear theirstories.
If you have anyone in mind thatyou think would be a great
guest to feature, please emailus and let us know.
And don't forget to subscribeso you don't miss out on
upcoming stories.
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