1) We're coming off one of the most incredible weeks we've seen during our time here in Vienna. It was the annual "Spiritual Emphasis Week" for the Middle and High School kids. The week kind of snuck up on me a bit this year, in part because of how crazy it's been around here (up until this weekend there has been some required school activity/function happening every single day since September 19th!). Anyway, all that to say that I wasn't really ready for how mightily the Holy Spirit was going to work this week, but that just goes to show that this is HIS school and HIS ministry!
In years past we've brought in an outside speaker (like Tim Milburn!) to help add some muscle to this week, but this time around we decided to do it in-house. The theme of the week was "By His Design," and each day during the chapel service one or two teachers went forward and gave their testimonies about how God had worked in their lives, ultimately leading to their decision to trust in Jesus and follow Him here to Vienna. It was an amazing series of stories, filled with accounts of the Lord's goodness through times of trouble and difficulty. I know the reason for the week was to introduce Jesus to the students, but I think everyone was equally touched and blessed by what was shared--staff and students alike!
As the week progressed there was a real sense of the Lord's presence during the chapel times, and after the chapel services there was great opportunity to minister to students through times of prayer. There were several students who felt the Lord calling them to faith for the very first time, and staff members were able to talk with them about this in detail, ultimately leading multiple kids to faith in Jesus! In addition, there were a number of staff members who had the chance to talk/pray through some really difficult stuff with other students as well, which was a real blessing. All in all, it was unbelievably humbling to see the Holy Spirit work in the lives of our staff and students like this, and we're rejoicing that the Lord continues to use the ministry of the school to draw people to Himself. What a blessing to be a part of this place!
We would really appreciate your prayers in the days/weeks to come, as an important and impactful week like this brings with it new challenges and obstacles. In a literal sense the Spiritual Emphasis Week is over, but we know that the real work of following up and discipling kids is just beginning. Please pray that the kids who made a decision for Christ would be strenghtened and protected in the days ahead, and that we would find the best way to follow up with each student. Please also pray for continued opportunities to share the Gospel with the Middle and High School students, as I know there are many more wrestling with the ideas that were presented this past week.
Okay, switching gears to some new topics...
2) I assumed command of the 7th Grade Bible class a few weeks ago. Most of the students I connect with are High Schoolers, so it's been a bit of a learning experience trying to figure out how best to relate to younger kids. They're really a great group, and I've enjoyed it so far. The class is "Introduction to the New Testament," so during the first semester we're hitting the life of Jesus (primarily as documented in the 4 gospel accounts), and in the second semester we'll try to get through as much of the rest of the New Testament as we can. I'd appreciate your prayers as I walk through this with the students!
3) This summer I applied to and was accepted by Luther Rice Seminary and University, a theologically conservative school based out of Atlanta. There are a couple folks on staff at ICSV who recommended the school and its distance education programs, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Beth and I had been praying about the idea of my enrolling in a seminary program for a couple of years, and of all the options we considered this one seemed like the best fit based on cost, timing, etc. So, in September I started my first class, "Introduction to the Old Testament." It's been really enjoyable thus far, although I'm a little vexed by the grading scale (need to hit 95% for an "A"). At this point the plan is to just take one class at a time, which puts me on pace to graduate in about 10 years. :)
I've had a few people ask me what my goal is in attending seminary. I don't really have one, except to learn more about Jesus. I'm not sure how the Lord will use this down the road, but I'm confident He will.
4) Sophie is both adorable and hilarious. She took her first steps a few days ago (and then promptly wiped out), and she's getting more and more talkative every day. Her verbal repertoire at the moment consists of: cat, dadda, cacko (which, of course, means 'cracker'), nanna (which means 'mamma'), and various other gurgles, screeches, shrieks, shrills, and screams. She'll be one year old on the 20th of this month--hard to believe how fast time has flown!
Just for kicks, I'll close out this blog post with some recent pics of her (and us), along with a video of the Sophster:
Grace and peace to you all!
Jeff and Bethany
