From the desk of Shawn Rhoads, Director of Residential Life

This past week, on the Senior Trip to Catalina Island, we all talked through and thought through the Guard Charge – Live Pure, Speak True, Right Wrong, Serve Others and Follow the King.  Each adult leader spoke on one or two of the topics.  My topic was Follow the King.

We studied Scripture texts from Joshua 24 (“as for me and my house we will serve the Lord”), Hebrews 12 (“let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”), John 10 (“the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”) and Mathew 11 (“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”).

Using illustrations from the amazing week that we had all experienced, we ended the night with a hike to a cross that sits atop a peak overlooking the Pacific.  Before reaching the Cross the seniors found rocks that represented certain struggles or even sins in their lives that they wished to leave on the island so they could more freely Follow the King.  Micah 7:19 states “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”  Based on this verse all of us took our rocks, representing our sins and struggles, and either placed them at the foot of the cross or chunked them as far as we could into the ocean.

It was a monumental moment on that peak, at the cross, last night of an amazing week, leaving behind the “things that encumbers and the sin that so easily entangles.”  And now the excitement and energy among the Seniors, to not only Follow the King themselves, but to also help the other students to do the same is nothing short of amazing.  It’s like they brought back with them a fresh sea breeze of passion and grace from Catalina Island and Campus by the Sea.