A personal account by HCU student-veteran Ryanne Martz

I grew up in a family of ten children—two of them adopted from Haiti—where life looked picture-perfect on the outside. We attended church, smiled for photos and tried our best to hold things together. But beneath the surface, our home was full of complexities that shaped me far more deeply than I understood at the time. Still, my parents gave me one gift that would carry me through every season to come: they introduced me to Jesus. Though my relationship with Him would be tested over the years, that early foundation never left me. 

When I was 15, everything changed. After reconstructive knee surgery, I developed a severe staph infection that left me hospitalized and alone for several days. It was in that lonely room that something unexpected happened—I became aware of the power of compassion. Some nurses showed extraordinary care; others left me feeling invisible. And in that contrast, a seed was planted: Someday, I want to be the kind of nurse who makes people feel seen, safe and valued. 

At 17, I joined the Army National Guard. Several siblings were already serving, and I was craving structure, identity and purpose. I poured myself into the discipline of military life, graduating second in my Basic Training class, then finishing second again in Advanced Individual Training as an AH-64D Attack Helicopter Avionics, Electronics and Armament Repairer. I didn’t realize it then, but the perseverance that carried me through those moments came from years of surviving hardship—and a God who had His hand on my life even when I didn’t see it. 

My discharge years later listed a physical reason, but the truth was deeper. I carried emotional and spiritual wounds I didn’t know how to name. The military culture was heavy, and losing soldiers I had trained with left deep marks on my heart. Years later, when I was finally diagnosed with service-related PTSD, everything made sense. God had been redirecting me through pain I didn’t yet understand—away from survival, and toward healing. 

After leaving the military, I worked for major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. On paper, it was success. In reality, I felt disconnected. I struggled with contributing to systems that created weapons instead of healing people. Personal challenges compounded that tension—financial strain, trauma resurfacing and a painful divorce pulled me into one of the darkest seasons of my life. 

And that’s where God met me. 

Through the support of mental health professionals, the VA and especially my oldest brother and sister-in-law—who welcomed me into their home in Arizona—I finally found space to breathe. In the quiet of the mountains, I slowed down for the first time in years. I rediscovered stillness. I learned to let God speak again. And slowly, the pieces of my life began to take shape in a new way. 

It was there God made my calling unmistakably clear: Nursing. 

I wanted to be a source of comfort for the hurting, a calm presence for the anxious and a reminder of human dignity for those who felt forgotten. Because I had been that person too—and God had carried me through it. 

With my brother’s help, I navigated my VA benefits and applied to Houston Christian University. I didn’t choose HCU simply for a degree. I needed a Christ-centered environment to rebuild my life—spiritually, emotionally and academically. When I was accepted and started in Fall 2023, it felt like stepping into a new chapter God had been preparing for years. 

Since coming to HCU, my faith has been transformed. I walk differently now—confident in who God is and who He has called me to be. In clinical rotations, I feel His presence with me as I care for patients. Every shift confirms that I am finally walking in the purpose He created me for. The peace I feel in those moments is something I chased for years but only found when I surrendered my story back to God. 

I graduate next spring. And when I reflect on everything I’ve endured—the trauma, loss, uncertainty and moments I thought I would never rise from—I see God’s faithfulness woven through every chapter. 

My story is proof of this: Even when life feels dark, God is working behind the scenes. He may seem to linger long—but He never comes late. 

For every veteran reading this, wondering if your best days are behind you, or if your story is too broken, too heavy or too complicated to rebuild—know this: Your past does not disqualify your purpose. God can redeem every chapter. I’m living proof of that.