In the past couple of weeks, I've been encouraged by two different occasions that I have had to celebrate our young people who are approaching the milestone of high school graduation and preparing to move on to a new chapter in God's plan for their lives.
Two weeks ago, we gathered with a number of our seniors and their parents for a dinner to mark their upcoming transition out of high school. It was a great evening as we reflected on old stories, listened as parents shared written blessings with their children, and heard wise advice from campus intern Abraham Cremeens who challenged the young people to stay plugged into the local church, no matter where they end up. I left this dinner grateful for the way that God uses parents to influence the lives of young people.
And then this past Sunday during Family Gathering, we had the opportunity to honor these seniors in front of the church and hear about their future plans. As I heard from each of the seven graduating students, what struck me the most was not the collective abundance of their activities and accomplishments (and they are indeed abundant!), but rather the investment that has been made into their lives through the ministry of their parents as well as the local church. We had their parents stand up along with anyone who had ever taught them in Sunday school or watched them in the nursery or ministered to them in other ways in the context of the church. What a remarkable thing to see such a throng of individuals who have partnered together with the goal of teaching the next generation to know and love God!
This year's KSBC seniors are:
- Evan Briggs (Rossville)
- Kristin Haehl (West Lafayette)
- Matthew Collicott (Harrison)
- Nathan Davis (Homeschool)
- Phillip Minich (Faith Christian)
- Tyler Ridge (Lafayette Jeff)
- Zach Musser (Faith Christian)
If you've been a part of the teaching and training process in the lives of these young people, then thank you! And if you want to be a part of their lives in the future, then continue to pray for these students, encourage them whenever you can, and point them continually toward the gospel. May this generation be one that hopes in God (Ps. 78:7)!