This semester at PC I have had the privilege of getting to know a group of freshman girls through a Bible study called True Belief that I’ve led with Alyssa and two upperclassmen. This study is intended to help people examine their own lives in light of scripture, investigate what it truly means to be a Christian, and understand the gospel–that we are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and that the response of truly believing this is repentance and trust. I have been so encouraged to be a part of the conversation that we have in this group, to watch the girls grow in faith, joy, and vulnerability, and to see the two student leaders truly desire to invest in younger girls.
This week, we had a Christmas Party to celebrate what God has been doing in these girls’ hearts. While sipping some steamy peppermint hot chocolate in our cozy living room with classic Christmas tunes playing softly in the background, we talked about some of the biggest things God has shown us this semester. It was such a great opportunity for all of us to remember how God has been faithful! Below are some of the things that they shared.
“God has been showing me what it really means that Jesus died for me. I’ve grown up hearing these things my whole life and just going through the motions, but God is hitting me with the weight of it over and over again this semester.”
“I’ve been learning what it means to truly love people. I was never really mean to people, but I definitely judged them and wouldn’t talk to them. I’m seeing that every single person is worth getting to know, and everyone has value.”
“I’ve been seeing how I try to be perfect at everything, but I never actually am. I always fall short, but God is perfect, and he is making me perfect through Jesus; he will cause me to bear good fruit.”
“I’ve learned this semester that being a Christian means giving my whole life to God, every part of it.”
- Rachel Rutan