In every season

Seasons. They are a part of life. Our family learned to truly appreciate the seasons while living in upstate NY. Here in Germany we have just experienced a beautiful fall season.

 

Life is filled with seasons. Seasons filled with joy, transition and pain. Scripture tells us, " For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) In my own personal life I have felt many of those ups and downs in the last year. BFA has also experienced some ups and downs.

 

Here is a small peek into some of the ups and downs the last few weeks here at BFA:

 

A time to dance/build
On November 2, BFA celebrated its 60th anniversary. Each class dressed up from a difference decade of the school’s existence and together we celebrated what the Lord has done in and through this school for the last 60 years. We ended the week with a concert of prayer during a combined chapel (middle school and high school). What a wonderful way to begin the next season.

A time to mourn
On November 7 we received the devastating news that a precious little girl born with a heart defect 7 weeks early to new staff members (one of whom is a BFA alum) had been taken home to be with Jesus after a hard fight! Please pray for this family as they navigate this season of grief.

 

A time to plant
Due to the loss in our community and a few of our student’s own personal struggles, Jesus has given me and other staff members some wonderful opportunities to help students process, ask some difficult questions and grieve together the loss in our community. We pray that the seeds being planted in their lives and hearts will bear fruit for the Kingdom. 

A time to laugh
The Middle School presented the play, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. They did a wonderful job of presenting this funny yet poignant story.

 

A time to speak
On the Friday after Thanksgiving I co-led our middle school chapel and had the opportunity to present the Gospel and to encourage each student to give themselves fully to Jesus!

 

A time to love/serve
Each year our 8th graders have an opportunity to serve the high school students and staff at BFA's annual Christmas Banquet. For the third year in a row I helped with the 8th graders. Helping fifteen 8th graders serve over 300 people dinner is always an exhausting but fun adventure. Thankful for a wonderful group of students, a great co-leader, and the ability to serve together in this way.
 

A time to embrace
My nephew, Jaden, was able to come visit me for a week and we were able to celebrate his 13th birthday together! What an amazing gift to have him with me and for him to experience part of my world here at BFA.

 

Christmas is a season that is filled with joy and yet this side of heaven it is also a season of pain as we become acutely aware of the things that are not right in this world. The phrase that has been playing over and over in my head this season is a line from a Christmas song written by Chris Tomlin - Into our hopes, into our fears, the Savior of the world appears. The Savior of the world enters into our seasons of hope and into our seasons of fear. He willingly chooses to enter into every season of life, and not only that He chooses to walk with us through each season that life throws at us. I don't know what you or your family may be facing this Christmas. But He does! And right in the middle of it, He appears! I can now say from experience that whether you are celebrating the picture perfect Christmas or whether you are spending Christmas in the Neuro ICU like we did last year, HE IS THERE! And He promises to make everything beautiful in His time! (Ecc. 3:11) May you see the Savior of the world appear in whatever season of life you find yourself in this Christmas.

In every change (or season) He faithful will remain.  (from the hymn "Be still, my soul")

Merry Christmas!