Everyone has a story. And this group of students is full of it—I mean, full of interesting stories, some of which brought them to this place, and some that are still being written. I’m speaking of the BTSR students I had the privilege of spending the last four days with at the Wilderness Retreat.Take Robin. Someone, please take Robin. Wow, what a wonderful person she is! And what a dream this woman has! She senses God calling her to establish a place of retreat and refuge, where anyone can go to find rest and spiritual healing from whatever ails them. And it’s a big dream. A corporate exec for years, Robin came to BTSR to pursue what she believes is a real God-given vision for a place of spiritual wellness. And her love for animals and God’s natural creation is a big part of that dream.
And then there’s Lindsey. She was part of CBF Global Service Corps in Germany for two years, where she met her soon-to-be husband. She developed a real heart for ministry to dancers and strippers, and is part of a team that visits a local club regularly, reaching out to the women who work there. And though her desire to serve in ministry isn’t exactly what her family believes, as a woman, she should do, she’s following God’s call and seeking to understand what it all means in terms of her vocation.
And I was really glad to meet someone who’s not too far behind me in the age thing. Ralph Stocks and his family are CBF missionaries in Hungary, reaching out to Gypsies who live in and around Budapest. He’s been working on his degree at BTSR for a while now, and came to Richmond primarily to be part of the Wilderness Retreat. He invited me to the gym yesterday to shoot some hoops, but he didn’t tell me until we were there that he’s a high school basketball coach, too. Okay, so he beat up on me, but I am 8 or 9 years older than he is.
I had a couple of nice visits with Jerusha, a young Indian woman who’s expecting her and her husband’s first child in late summer. She shared a little of her family, and her love for her dad, who passed away 3 years ago. And she spoke of how her dad will now live on in her child. And, can you believe it, she’s counting on her husband to pick out a name for the baby. Now that’s trust.
Danielle will graduate in a couple of weeks, and is beginning a new job in ministry at a church in Franklin, Virginia. She’s getting ready to move, and she spoke of the difficulty of leaving behind—not a great church group, but a wonderful set of friends whom she works with, and to whom she also ministers. As she named her friends, who all have their struggles, and who haven’t really found faith to stand on yet, she said, “I hate to leave the best job I’ve ever had.” Wow! This job she refers to is in a restaurant, and as a server, I think. But the relationships have been what it’s all about for her.
And there was Tom, who turned “50” while we were there, and the twenty-and-thirty-somethings gave him a really hard time. But what a great spirit he had, a compassionate soul, who shared his bottled water frequently with those of us who didn’t think about bringing cases of water for ourselves, much less for others. And as Tom knows, climbing mountains makes you thirsty, especially after 50—ugh!
I loved visiting with Emmanuel from Ghana. We talked mostly while walking up the “55o” incline from the dining hall to the lodge where we stayed. I think he was listed as Ema, and most of the students referred to him as Emi, or something like that. I could only call him Emmanuel. As we climbed that “70o” incline to Ukrops, he shared stories of difficulty with family in Ghana, of losing unborn babies, and eventually one just a few days after birth. And then his family came apart. He shared the grief of not being able to give his mother a grandchild—Emi’s an only, and the difficulty of being so far from family. But he’s committed to ministry and to what God has for him here in the states. And he’s the only person I know who can ride a bike up that “85o incline of a road.
I had a chance to visit with Lynn, who battles with great courage some pretty serious health issues. We talked of the difficulty that it is to find the right fit with a job after seminary—she’s also graduating in a few days. And I shared with her that it was 3 months after graduation from seminary that I got my first job. With such determination to serve, her strong desire, and her faith that God is calling her, I know she’ll find a place to serve.
There were others—Christine and Elizabeth, both very fine speakers who preach with boldness and courage; Donna, who has a gentle spirit, who couldn’t wait to get home to her family, who loves God and serves with humility and grace; Barbara, on crutches and with foot-in-a-boot the first few days because someone at church dropped a computer on her foot the Sunday before we arrived at Crossroads. And I must mention Jimmy and Frank, who may actually be older than me--Jimmy, who asked me if I thought there was a church out there who would hire him without pay, and Frank, the ex-Chicago cop, who's seeking new ways to serve the God that he loves.
I didn’t get to hear everyone’s story—just bits and pieces of others. But I left Wilderness Retreat with a new hope for the future, so impressed with these men and women who are preparing to serve in and through the church in ministry, many of whom are leaving now to walk the path of vocational ministry. I thank God for the opportunity to share those four days with such outstanding, dedicated ministers of the gospel.
Care-full-y,
rick
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