If you're reading this...and you'll be interacting in some way with a student in the next month or so...do me a favor? Pray for them and take it easy on them! As much as they look the same (well maybe a little more tan) on the outside, the God-experiences over the last 8 months has made a change on the inside. It is my hope that you will gain a more confident, God-fearing, God-loving, humble, Spanish-speaking friend/son/daughter!
''So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind.''
-1 Thessalonians 5:11 MSG
This has been my prayer since the beginning of the year. It has been an honor and a joy to have these 12 students over the past eight months and I am so proud that EVERYONE finished!! We started with a dozen and we finished with a dozen...I can honestly say that this year no one was left out, no one was left behind. God has been faithful to keep us together in this and carry everyone through until the end. Every student had some specific glue that helped hold the group together, this was not the doing of one specific person but of everyone involved in teamwork through perseverance and love.
And to round out the dozen...here is how God has been using the final four students~
Meghan has kept us laughing from day one...she along with a couple other of the students has kept the morale high simply by providing joy and laughter. There is also a maturity to Meghan that I thank the Lord for. As one of the oldest students she has shown maturity not only in her faith and personal relationship with the Lord, but has shown others (and myself) the balance between vulnerability, leadership, craziness, and solitude. She came into the program after graduated with a teaching degree and it was immediately put to use in her Monday ministry at Emanuel House where she helps tutor students and work with the special needs class.
I think that Maggie has grown the most in the past year. Some say she has one of the best Spanish accents out of the group and she has, perhaps, benefited the most from the weekly bible classes. I pray that this foundation of her faith remains solid. Maggie had grown up in the Jewish faith and over the past several years has put her faith in Jesus Christ and has been growing in her relationship with Him. It's been cool to hear her process what she has learned through Apologetics, Hermeneutics, the book of Matthew and so many other classes. She is learning how to share her faith and her testimony in such a way that there is no doubt that she will have great impact for God's Kingdom. It's been cool to learn from her about different Jewish customs and it's also been awesome to celebrate together her first real Christmas & Easter!
Ciera is a quiet soul with a sweet smile (I'm sure her roommates may have different things to say), and to me she has been one of the most consistent and even-keeled students here. Her quietness brings out a gentle and approachable demeanor which makes everyone love her. She is very relational and as her Spanish improves week after week the relationships with her Dominican friends grows even stronger. She is a leader, whether she sees it or not, and leads mostly by her heart, her joy and her actions. She is willing to do whatever is asked with excellence...which makes my life easier! She has put in the work day after day and I pray that she is blessed beyond measure for her faithfulness!
And lastly (but not least by any means)..Ashley! Oh Ashley! (can you hear it in the Barbara Jean accent??) This girl. This girl takes the PC rule and throws it out the window. And for me, a very non-PCer could not understand how one person could have ZERO personal space whatsoever. And this year, I have learned the most from her. She attracts people with her smile and personality. Her open arms are an invitation into love...pure, unconditional, joyful love. It's still a concept I am very much working on...and to see it put into action day after day after day after day has been one step in my process. I cannot WAIT to see what God is going to do when her unconditional love is used to preach the GOOD NEWS of a love even greater than she can give.
T-minus 10 days and counting until Graduation! God is good!
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