Celebrating Another Great Year!

We recently celebrated the end of our 3rd year of ESL classes in Sun Prairie! Our theme for the night was JOY! and truly, we had a great time that night!

But I have to admit that for the first half-hour or so, I was discouraged. The party started at 7pm. By 7:15, none of our students had arrived. Over the next 30 minutes, students straggled in, but attendance that night was less than half what it normally is on any given Thursday evening. Normally, this wouldn’t really bother me. I learned a couple winters ago that an English as a Second Language ministry isn’t all about the numbers. It’s about the relationships that are formed and the doors God opens through them. But tonight was different. For one thing, we had invited members of the church to come out and help. We wanted those members to see this is a thriving ministry, not out of pride, but because we want others to share the passion we have for reaching internationals and get involved!! Secondly, I wanted the opportunity to personally thank each one of my students for giving me the privilege of teaching them and becoming their friend. Words cannot express the joy that they have brought me!

But by 7:30, only a handful of students had arrived and I decided to just let it go. We’d done all we could do to invite our students out for this event. We’d prayed and asked that God’s hand would be in it. There comes a time when you have to let go and trust that He will bring who He brings. My place is to enjoy and minister to those He blesses us with!

And so we did! And the result? We had a fabulous evening! I think all who came out, students and church-members alike, had a great time! I had the privilege of sharing with our students what true joy is, and thanks to tools like biblegateway.com and unboundbible.org, I was able to share a LOT of scripture with our students in both English and their heart languages.

Please pray that the Word of God would not return void! Pray that even now, His Spirit would be moving them to understand who He is and how to have a relationship with Him! Please pray for the ministry in Sun Prairie at Prairie Springs Church. Pray that God would raise up workers for the harvest, for His honor and glory!