Anna Lauren shares about her year
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| Anna Lauren and her younger sister |
I asked one of our current students to share a few thoughts about her year. Anna Lauren came to ESBS after her freshman year at Auburn University and she's headed back there this fall. Here are her thoughts:
"A
few weeks ago I was asked what was the biggest lesson that I had learned over
the past year. My answer shocked
me in a way because it was not what I would have expected at the beginning of
the year, “I
am a crazy, screwed up, mess, and that is okay. Faith is being obedient not
perfect.” I was humbled and
grateful by this answer.
Coming
in to ESBS there were two things that were going through my head: A. I had NO
idea what I was getting myself into, and B. Whatever I was getting myself into
I figured I would come out a Bible scholar. That seemed cool, so I was up for it. But the Lord. He had different plans, and He had a different purpose for
me. And sure enough, His ways
would always prevail over my small, finite perceptions and ideas.
While
over the past year I have learned more than I could ever imagine about the
Bible, I have also learned that it is not all about knowing the Bible but
applying it as well. As I look
back over the past year I have struggled in ways and dealt with issues that I never
thought would ever be faced with, but I can see that God was using ever single
day and circumstance for His good and glory. Through studying the Bible I have realized that the more and
more I understand the character of God the less and less I have to understand
my own struggles. Why? Because He is in total control, and He
is sovereign over all. Paul speaks
on this is 2 Corinthians 12:7 when he refers to the persecution he is facing as
being a “thorn in his flesh.” But he goes on to say that that the Lord showed
him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness,” (12:9). Paul is wanting
the church in Corinth today to realize that they are free to struggle in their
day to day lives, but at the same time they can rest in the fact that His grace
is more than enough.
This
past year has showed me that I am free and okay to struggle in life, and I am
not called to be perfect. I am called to be obedient, and sometimes that looks
like giving up and declaring that He is in control. This truth alone has changed my entire world, and it has
rocked it for the better. As I
continue to reflect and remember the past year I will be eternally grateful for
this past year!"
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.
Good Friday and Forgiveness
Subscribe in a readerI woke up this morning thinking about forgiveness, and the meaning of good friday. What an incredible thing we are remembering today. The ultimate example of forgiveness. God, who was FULLY RIGHT, forgave the other side (us), when we were FULLY WRONG, and BEFORE we ever even saw it, owned it, admitted it or apologized for it. Wow.
Often, i will forgive only when the other side admits guilt fully and apologizes to a level I'm satisfied with.
God's forgiveness had no conditions, and came before the wrong was even seen. That's serious forgiveness. That's "holy"...totally other, completely unlike us in every way!
Today, God calls us to rejoice in that kind of forgiveness, and having received it fully from him today, go and extend it to others.
"As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with one another, and if anyone has a complaint against one another, forgive each other. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive one another." (Colossians 3:12-13)
Ives Estrogen Extravagaza
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| The girls at the Phillips' for Latoya's shower |
...and what I mean by that is we are INCREDIBLY excited to be welcoming Caleb and Latoya's 4th beautiful Ives girl into the world in 6 short weeks.
Caleb Ives is one of our newest ESBS staff members, who is currently working part time with us as he finishes up his MDiv. at Regent Seminary in Virginia Beech.
Last week the girls celebrated with a surprise baby shower for Latoya.
Praying for Abigail Buckman
Subscribe in a readerToday one of this year's ESBS students (Abigail Buckman) is undergoing brain surgery to correct a smaller than normal brain stem that has been putting pressure on the lower part of her brain. The goal of the surgery is to open up the brain stem area enough to allow the brain to properly fit within that space without pinching.
Currently, the pinching on Abigail's brain has been causing all sorts of unusual and worsening symptoms. Surgery, although invasive, promises immediate relief and the outlook for permanent improvement is strong.
Please pray with us today. Pray that Abigail's body recovers quickly. Pray that the brain is protected in the surgery. Pray that the relief of symptoms is immediate and permanent.
As she begins the recovery process today we are hopeful that one day she will again join us at the ESBS as a student.