a conversation with Carli
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| L to R...Anna Lauren, Carli and Olivia (ESBS 2013) |
I thought it would be fun to hear directly from a student for a change. Below is a transcript of a short interview I did with Carli Cannon (current student) today:
Tell me about you in 20 seconds or less: I'm almost 19, from Franklin TN, and yeah, how's that? I did my DTS last year in Charlotte NC. I'd like to pursue missions.
How did you hear about ESBS? I knew about the SBS program from being in YWAM. I googled SBS locations and found that this one was the closest to Nashville (home).
Are you glad you came? yes for sure. I wish everybody could do this.
Was the program what you thought it would be? um, yes. Its more relaxed then I thought it would be. It's the most peaceful place I think I've ever been in. I don't know if thats about the people, or the fact that we're studying truth everyday. There are day to day stressful things, but Im talking about that underlying peace all the time, you know what I mean?
Yes I do. That's cool because so many people say this program so hard huh. sounds like its hard but good too? yeah, its a mental marathon, but its life giving in every aspect, and the staff help us out so much. I've never been given a reason to stress out by any of the staff here. I feel encouraged, never criticized.
What's the biggest thing you've learned about the Bible so far? God's judgment is always "plan b." Before I came here one of the biggest reasons I wanted to come here was because although I had faith and loved God I questioned why he was so angry in the Bible. I didn't understand the Old Testament at all, and now I see that he has always strived for pure relationship and we are the one who have always clouded that. He's had mercy for centuries and has waited for redemption, we are the ones that have rejected him. So God's mercy is the biggest revelation I've had from reading the whole story of the Bible.
That's awesome. Yeah, seriously thats the reason that I came here. thats a huge one. I wanted to understand about that and have a peace about it.
Got a favorite Bible book? if so why? 2 Corinthians. There's a lot of them though, but I really like that one because it just shows that we can all be various forms of crazy messes and it just makes God, and his power, stand out even more. Its actually inspired a ministry I really wanna start. I think the book offers one of the most powerful messages that the Ameican church needs to hear. it seems that there's this mindset today that everything has to go smoothy and look perfect, and 2 Cor. shows us that being week is being real. Thats what its all about. its not supposed to be this big show.
Whats the ministry its inspired? its a big idea, but I really wanna start a non profit that works in 3rd world countries that builds high quality orphanages for kids with disabilities, that provides high quality service with long term volunteers.
That's cool.
What's one way you've grown personally this year? Every character in the Bible had a completely different roll and purpose and God made each one diferenctly, so Im learning not to compare myself to other people, because God has a unique purpose for me.
Amen. Did you expect God to show that to you when you came here? No not at all, and its been a huge process that I didn't even know I had a problem with. In the middle of this semester I realized that I was comparing myself a lot, and then I realized that's not OK, and that's not how Im supposed to treat myself.
Praise God for that growth huh! yeah for real
What's next for you? Im gonna be a nanny over the summer, going to community college in the fall and also planning a trip to India in December for a few weeks. My goal is to get a business degree or something along those lines to learn how to operate a non profit.
thanks for your time today! you're welcome.