As I mentioned in the "What If?" post Friday, I sent out a message through Facebook to many former NMC Students. The responses to the three Questions I asked were so fantastic and encouraging, I thought I'd post several of them on the blog. Hence a new blog series you'll see over the next couple of months called NMC Students Past.
First up...
Lizzie (Burns) Ross
Class of 2005
Senior at Armstrong Atlantic State University studying psychology.
Playing leadership roles in two ministries that helps rescue women and children caught in Human Trafficking.
Derry's Thoughts: It was exciting to watch the spiritual light bulbs go on in Lizzie's life throughout high school. In her Junior and Senior year, Janelle played an especially significant role in Lizzie's life as a mentor. I watched a ridiculously determined teenager begin to let her abilities, passions, and focus collide with God's will for her life. As I look at how she is making a difference in the life of the oppressed in Savannah Georgia and around the world, I am very proud to say she was a part of our ministry.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS YOU SAW GOD'S MIGHTY MOVE WHILE YOU WERE A PART OF NMC STUDENT MINISTRIES?
WHAT ASPECTS/ PROGRAMS WERE SIGNIFICANT IN YOUR SPIRITUAL FORMATION AT NMC?
IN WHAT WAY WOULD YOU CHALLENGE CURRENT NMC STUDENTS TO SEE "A YOUTH GROUP THAT SAW GOD MOVING IN MIGHTY WAYS"?
First up...
Lizzie (Burns) RossClass of 2005
Senior at Armstrong Atlantic State University studying psychology.
Playing leadership roles in two ministries that helps rescue women and children caught in Human Trafficking.
Derry's Thoughts: It was exciting to watch the spiritual light bulbs go on in Lizzie's life throughout high school. In her Junior and Senior year, Janelle played an especially significant role in Lizzie's life as a mentor. I watched a ridiculously determined teenager begin to let her abilities, passions, and focus collide with God's will for her life. As I look at how she is making a difference in the life of the oppressed in Savannah Georgia and around the world, I am very proud to say she was a part of our ministry.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS YOU SAW GOD'S MIGHTY MOVE WHILE YOU WERE A PART OF NMC STUDENT MINISTRIES?
- I had a friend who was one of the last people I’d ever expect to became a Christian accept Christ. That was awesome!
- I got to talk to people in my family (immediate and extended) who either aren't Christians or have fallen away about their "spiritual lives." Because of those initial conversations, 3 of them still talk to me and ask me questions about God, even though I haven't seen any of them decide to follow Jesus yet.
WHAT ASPECTS/ PROGRAMS WERE SIGNIFICANT IN YOUR SPIRITUAL FORMATION AT NMC?
- Janelle Prenkert (My Small Group Leader)
- Out of the Box worship night (a night were we were given opportunities to worship in multiple ways other than just singing).
- I developed or strengthened close friendships with other Christians (people like Danae Schaffer and Ben Yoder), and that made a huge difference in my spiritual formation.
- Personal challenges from leaders.
IN WHAT WAY WOULD YOU CHALLENGE CURRENT NMC STUDENTS TO SEE "A YOUTH GROUP THAT SAW GOD MOVING IN MIGHTY WAYS"?
If you want to see God move in mighty ways, you have to allow him to move in very small ways first. You can't just skip to the big stuff. He has to deal with our character - things like procrastination, gossip, pride, greed, humility, etc. - before he will move through us in mighty ways. Focus less "spiritual energy" on big, dramatic aspirations, and concentrate instead on things like following through with commitments, doing small things with excellence, being financially responsible, acting with integrity towards those who offend/hurt you, etc. There are always intense trials in a person's life before God does big things through him/her.
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