High school reflections on faith

Currently hanging up outside our high school auditorium is a mural titled “EC Reflections.” The 3X5 cards surrounding it were handed out to high school students during a recent chapel.

In the final minutes of this particular chapel, students were prompted to respond to one of these prompts:

1. What person has discipled you this school year? 
2. Describe an event or situation that has deepened your faith this year?
3. What is a spiritual goal you want to work on or that you have recently implemented?

Here are just a few of the hundreds of reflections:

• “I have gotten into the habit of making sure that I read my Bible and pray every night and I have seen so many improvements in myself, in how I treat others, and in my relationship with God.”
• “The passing of my mother was a really hard time. I didn’t realize any good had come out of it until recently. My new stepmom has been a huge blessing in my life. She has pushed me to get closer to God and really wants me to have a relationship with him.”
• “I want to get baptized.”
• “[My goal is] to be ready for college to really stand strong in my faith and not be swayed by any temptations.”
• “God’s been moving in my life like crazy this year…I was in [another school] and I felt utterly alone. I isolated myself, pushed away everyone I loved in my life. I felt helpless. But God, so rich in mercy and love pulled me out of my self-dug pit. He delivered me from a situation and brought me here to EC. I am forever grateful for how God delivered me.”
• “I think God is speaking to me through the testimonies of teachers. Being able to see and hear the goodness of God flowing from the teachers strengthens my will to believe.”
• “Doing daily devotions and getting God’s word daily has helped me to grow in my faith. I do want to start memorizing verses so that when storms come I can hold onto something.”
• “Being a senior, it was really overwhelming in the beginning of the year…Throughout this year, I have learned to trust God in the unknown. Even when he didn’t answer my prayers right away, he has guided a path to where I should go.”
• “My best friends not only encourage my walk with God but help me grow in God’s word and really help me understand the deeper meanings.”

As this year’s faculty adviser to chapel, I was deeply encouraged by the thoughts and testimonies of our students. The high school dove into this year’s theme, Seek Truth, Speak Truth, by asking chapel speakers to explore a question each week. Our questions ranged significantly, from more apologetics-based questions, such as, “Does the presence of suffering mean the absence of God?” To questions of challenge, such as, “How do I live by faith?” To questions that invited testimony, such as, “Can Jesus transform a life?” To even deeply practical questions, such as “How do I stay Christian in college?”

The result was a wonderfully diverse group of speakers, a lot of great discussion outside of chapel, and hopefully, a sustainable life change where we have given students the tools to know what they believe, to know why they believe it, and to be empowered as Christ’s transforming agents in a global society.  

These reflections are a good reminder that God is very much at work in our school, and as believers, our labor in the Lord is never in vain.