Over the past few weeks, we have gone through a series called REFLECTION. Last night @ the MIX, we asked the students to “reflect,” on this past school year. Nick started us off by looking at 1 Samuel 7:12-13,
The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the LORD helped us.” So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again.
We asked what their “Ebenezer” was over the past year. Whether it be a good experience, trial, relationship, lesson, particular series, how the Lord has been “your help?” After we shared as a group, we asked them to write them out for our community blog. Here are some of the responses…
The WE LOVE INDY has really come real for me in the last 9 months. I have had a lot of chances to share my life and serve to many families at Chapel Rock. It has all come in many way from babysitting for small groups, to the spring break trip, or Haiti mission days. -Kennedy
Seeing the movie To Save A Life really changed my life. It opened my eyes and my heart to the people at my school that are “outcasts” and has given me the strength to stick up for the ones getting picked on and just trying to love on them. Also, my dad has gotten a new job, which entails a lot of travel. I am definitely a daddy’s girl and his traveling has been very hard on me. Through this, God has been there for me. My relationship with my mom is a lot better than it used to be. I tell her almost everything that happens, and I know she is there for me. It has also helped me to depend on God more and put all my faith in him. He has given me a peace I have never known before. Yes, I’m still struggling with it, but God is helping me through it and has put amazing people in my life. I can’t thank Him enough!! -Christina
Throughout my freshman year me and my best friend have gone through a very tough time in our relationship. As starting high school we all have changed so much and that’s not necessarily a bad thing but its put a damper in our relationship. Nevertheless praise the Lord that he has given me two very close girl friends with just a school year of time. I feel that God put them in my life so that I’ll have someone else to go to when I need help with my walk with him. I know I shouldn’t give up my relationship with my previous friend and I know she needs guidance more than any of us, and pray for me that’ll ill be there for her. But also praise the Lord for close friends! –McCaela
My dad has traveled a lot more for work, and this puts more pressure on me to help my mom with the little kids. I have found peace when I start and end my days with the Lord. Every morning before I get my day going, I read a devotion and some scripture which helps me feel more relieved and at peace with myself. I also fall asleep right after I pray for a long time. Just knowing that the Lord is there with my when I sleep is unbelievable. I highly encourage anyone who is struggling with anything to go to God and pray, read the bible, do a devotion, etc. Without the Lord’s presence we would be lost without any direction. –Cody
God has placed me closer to him through a movie. “To Save A Life” helped open my eyes and start taking everything more serious. I used to kind of just go through the motion but now I try to think before I act and act more God-like. “To Save A Life” has actually saved my life. –Sean
I’ve recently learned to share from my blessings without considering how it may help me. Before I would always think how I might gain just a little by sharing from my bounty. Now I’m able to say “Sure you can have the benefit of using my stuff” without thinking how I might be compensated a little too. No strings attached generosity. It’s a sweet thing. –Rob
Well, for the last 22 years of my life I think it’s pretty safe to say I have had literally no direction with my life. It has always been me doing whatever whenever just because it seemed like a good idea. Usually with no regard for the consequence. Good or bad I was going for life full speed. That has been turned upside down lately. In the past couple years that I’ve been in Indiana it has been amplified by the sheer fact of how I ended up at Chapel Rock and what role I have fallen into in this community. It has been completely unpredictable and scary at times. The lesson that I guess I can convey from all of this is that when things seem like they are hectic, crazy, or absolutely insane. That is when it is the perfect time to let go and let God take over. Doing that and trusting that he will guide my life how he knows is best for me, I have direction for my life for the first time. Not just in the sense with my spiritual walk but in my worldly life as well. It’s all refreshing and scary at the same time if that makes sense at all. Kyle
If i didn’t have the friends that I have now, I wouldn’t be where I am. I am definitely closer to God. They have helped me through really tough times. They always know what to say and know how to put a smile on my face. I would be the way i am because of what they have done for me. I am so blessed that God has put them in my life. -Taryn
He has always been there for me… Always. Through the year, there has been many tough times in my life. Every time I was struggling and I came to God, he gave me an answer. I would come to him and pray that he would help me. He would tell me if I needed to work harder in my faith, reach out to someone, or simply Be Still! He has always given me an answer to every problem that I have had this year. Praise be to Him! –Taylor
Well, during my freshman and sophomore year, I hardly cared about school and I was all about fun and myself. i put off my academics for the most part during the first couple years and i recently just had a great awakening that i think God was telling me to apply myself to my school work so that i can go to college and live a life according to the will of God. –Clint
Throughout this year, my two really close friends got into a fight and now don’t want to talk to each other. I have prayed and tried to get them to be friends. No matter how hard I try and how much I tell them both they have equal love between them, they seem to get into fights. My friends are still fighting and I am stuck right now. I want them both to realize that no matter how much they fight, they will always be equal in my mind. I have prayed for them both to become friends again. This year I have grown close to God because I want to show love to my friends. Kailey
When I think about the ways God has influenced me in these past few months one thought practically fries my brain I think of it so fast. Sometimes, my mind will wander and doubts seep through my thoughts, infecting me with something I can’t completely handle. Even now, I’m not sure of a few things, doubts are still there, present and snickering in the background- but I’ve prayed for knowledge. Knowledge that I’ll understand as much as I can and that those doubts that God has helped me with won’t return and slap me in the face. All in all, many doubts have been erased but a few we need to discuss together, hand in hand, as I share with Him why I feel so infected. Don’t get me wrong, He’s coaxed me a lot, and I appreciate everything He’s helped me through. I know this knowledge I pray for will come and that He’ll hand it to me when I’m truly ready. I’ve grown closer to God as I’ve sought out wisdom this year. –Carley
I think God has really been working (and still is working) on teaching me to rest in Him. And by that, I mean teaching me to trust in his promises and to find my identity and my confidence and my joy in him. It’s so interesting to me how he uses all these different ways to make the point–bible studies I’m a part of, conversations with friends, situations I’m in. And sometimes it’s through the pain that I experience when I don’t rest in him and I try to do things on my own. Sometimes I have to get metaphorically punched in the face to learn a lesson. But in all that I am learning how in submitting day by day and leaning on him, I get to experience this great peace in him. And it’s not just that, but when I am rooted in him I can be more confident, trust people more deeply, love more freely. And that… is really cool. Andrea
So… what about you? How had God been your help this year?
BRING. CHANGE. SHARE. 