For the Hillcrest Family

On October 17th, I was privileged to speak once again at my Jr. High School.  I was given 5 minutes to speak to the families of students, former and present, as well as current staff.  It was a campaign to present the project that lie ahead.  The moving of the high school students to another location about 2 miles away.  I had told my girlfriends that I would let them know when it was happening to have them attend but thought otherwise due to the brief amount of time given to me.  Honestly I thought they'd get bored and wish to be doing something else on a beautiful warm Saturday morning.  

I was wrong to do that.  I wish that they would've been there to see what the school had become.  The day was opened by the sound of angels.  I believe their choir is called The Harvest Ensemble.  This group of high school students have traveled the world just to sing, and with more than good reason.  It was the sweetest sound to my ears.

That was followed by 3 testimonies; a 10th grader's, mine, and a school grandmother.  Mr. Kendrick talked about Mr. Armstrong which almost brought me to tears.  He spoke not only about the way he got Gary to come to the school and teach, but how they played the worst practical jokes on each other.  One incident that stood out was one where Mr. Kendrick shut the elevator down while Mr. Armstrong was stuck inside resulting with Mr. Armstrong screaming like a girl and confessing in the elevator all of the sins he committed.  Christians have a funny sense of humor, and I totally get it. lol. 

I was seated at the table with Carianne, my mother and the whole Kendrick gang, sans Joshua as he had just had surgery.  I met Joshua's and Michael's wifeS and saw Aaron.  Girls, just to get an idea of how long it's been, Mr. Kendrick's daughter is now 22 and Mr. Haliday's daughter is 13.  Ugh. lol.

I wanted to share, with you (the girls), a portion of my testimony because I know it answers an age-old question that Christians have.  It's a portion of a devotional that just made everything make sense.  "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

"Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant?" 
              -- Numbers 11:11

(An excerpt from Charles Spurgeon's daily devotional)

Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to try our faith. If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire, but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond, but the true jewel fears no test. It is a poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable; but that is true faith which holds by the Lord's faithfulness when friends are gone, when the body is sick, when spirits
are depressed, and the light of our Father's countenance is hidden. A faith which can say, in the direst trouble, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him," is heaven-born faith. The Lord afflicts his servants to glorify himself, for he is greatly glorified in the graces of his people, which are his own handiwork. When "tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope," the Lord is
honoured by these growing virtues.

We should never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched; nor enjoy the juice of the grape if it were not trodden in the winepress; nor discover the sweet
perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten; nor feel the warmth of fire if the coals were not utterly consumed.

The wisdom and power of the great Workman are discovered by the trials through which his vessels of mercy are permitted to pass. Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. There must be shades in the picture to bring out the beauty of the lights. Could we be so supremely blessed in heaven, if we had not known the curse of sin and the sorrow of earth?
 

Will not peace be sweeter after conflict, and rest more welcome after toil?

Will not the recollection of past sufferings enhance the bliss of the glorified?

There are many other comfortable answers to the question with which we opened our brief meditation, let us muse upon it all day long.

My conclusion was this:

I heard somewhere that Jesus talked about and loved the idea of transformation and how it happens.  It doesn't happen when you're loved, but when you love someone else, no matter how hard it is to do so.  And I believe that's what we received at Hillcrest, God only knows we weren't always the easiest kids to love.

Aaron, Rebecca, Michael, Mr. Kendrick, and me.