Hello viewers! I’m finally going to have a schedule for my blog posts! Now they won’t come out twice a month! For June, July, and August, I will be updating every WEDNESDAY!
Once we’re on the World Race, it’ll go back to a spotty schedule. Wifi will be spotty and all that jazz. Now onto the post itself!
Adversity equals growth. Comfort equals stagnation. I’ve confronted both in my 12 years of school. Adversity is never welcomed and enjoyed but it grows fruit, as long as we embrace God and focus on him. Comfort is easy and comfortable, but we can go to great lengths to embrace it, often shutting Christ and His commands out of our life as we seek it.
Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
I attended tiny Classical Christ schools from kindergarten through 9th grade. My mom told me she and my father had first chosen these schools for the tiny classrooms and the focus on learning about God in everything. I have moderate to severe hearing loss in my right ear and have worn a hearing aid since I was little. A smaller classroom helped with hearing everything.
My first years were good. As I got older, I often felt left out and and didn’t always know why. Every year we gained and lost a few students and it seemed like the ones I drew closest to often left after a year. We lost a wonderful headmaster when I was in middle school and that changed the overall dynamic. My last year there, I felt friendless. That year, I worked on fully relying on God.
As a freshman, my mother told me that being a missionary means administering to people who feel or are left out of society. God gave me the opportunity that first year of high school to be left out. Most people have to be brought to a point of brokenness in their lives to search for and accept the Lord. Now, when I see someone left out, I immediately try to draw them back in. I don’t ever want people who are around me to feel that way.
Transferring to Guerin was a whole new experience. Prior to Guerin, I had only ever gone to non-denominational Protestant schools. I didn’t know what Catholicism was, other than they worshipped God like Protestants, but in a different way than us.
Going to Guerin has been an enlightening experience for the three years I’ve been there. I was able to realize that Catholicism wasn’t my path, and in turn, made me confront and understand my own beliefs in Christ and a biblical interpretation of His plans for my life.
I haven’t always felt comfortable with the different styles of worship and some of the teachings. But I’ve always searched for beauty and truth in I’ve disagreed with. All truth comes from God, after all.
I received an amazing education that helped me grow and mature. Most importantly, I gained a friend group. My group of friends all have faiths in different beliefs, as strongly as I believe in Evangelical Christianity. We have great discussions about many things. I try to share my beliefs as my beliefs and assure people that I’d like to hear more about their opinions and stories.
One of my good friends was telling my parents recently how if you talk to me, we’re going to go deep. That I wasn’t confrontational and that I thought about our topics, without snap judgements. I considered that high praise.
A good friend gave me a rosary a couple of weeks ago. As a Protestant, we don’t use rosaries. I recognized it as a loving gesture nonetheless. She acknowledged how we don’t use rosaries, but it would make her feel safer if I had it on hand while on the World Race.
To embrace comfort, I might have stashed the rosary in a drawer, as a nice gesture from someone bit didn’t fit my life. I didn’t choose that route.
Instead, I used this as an opportunity to grow. I recognized the gesture for what it was- a gift from a worried friend. So I’m keeping it, and using it as a prayer aid.
With each bead, I pray for a different friend or family member. Holding the beads helps me keep track of whom I’m praying for. Having ADHD, it’s been a great focus aid for me and I hope to honor my friend by embracing her gift.
Ultimately, the rosary ends in a cross, the place where my Catholic friends and I can meet as common ground. I look forward to using it on the World Race and perhaps opening up conversations with people because of it, ones that might not have happened otherwise.
If she had given me the rosary at the beginning of my high school career, I would have chosen comfort. I would have thanked her with a fake smile, and stashed the rosary away into a drawer, never to be seen again. I’m glad that didn’t happen; I would have looked back at that time with guilt and disappointment.
But I didn’t. Instead, as a graduate of Guerin Catholic, I’m choosing growth. After all, what else is the Race but change? In that same vein, I can’t wait to meet all the Squads. I look forward to meeting other people with different backgrounds than I, having deep conversations and growing through discomfort.
Until next time,
A dangerous ray of sunshine signing off.
UPDATE: I’m 25% of the way towards my goal! I really appreciate everyone who has donated, and anyone who considers donating! Thank you so much!
…And we boast in the glory of the hope of God.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:2-6)
