I have just finished my last final. The semester is officially over. SALT is done. So many things are going through my mind right now. Sitting here in the Prayer Garden, my thoughts are wandering back to the time I first pulled my car into Southern Adventist University. It seems like ages ago, but in other ways it seems like just yesterday. I knew maybe three or four people at most, and none of them very well. I remember thinking how old everything looked. And how small the campus was. And wondering if I’d ever be able to fit in or make any friends here.
It’s kind of humorous remembering some of that. Now, it’s impossible to walk on the promenade or go to the cafeteria or walk into the lobby of the dorm without seeing someone I know. And when I try to sit on one of the benches or at one of the tables to do homework, it seems like I’m saying hi to someone I know every few minutes. And then, of course, there’s the SALT Team. Or rather, the SALT family. Because that’s really what we’ve become. We do everything together. Even though we don’t always get along, we’re always there for each other. And the disagreements and arguments never last too long. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve prayed, but most importantly, we’ve shared the gift of salvation with dozens of people in the Chattanooga area.
And then there’s the growth and change that I’ve experienced personally. Both from Southern directly and from the outreach and evangelism that I’ve been doing with SALT. A lot has happened in the last 14 weeks. And now as I stand on the other side looking back, I just want to thank God for the amazing experience this has been. I want to thank Him for helping me get through all the tests and exams and frightful moments on outreach. But most of all, I hope and pray that I have been a friend to someone when they needed it. That I have been the helping hand when someone was down. And that somehow, through it all, someone has caught a glimpse of who Jesus is, because really, that’s why I’m here in the first place.
Thanks so much for sharing, Joel! I'm so glad that God used the last several months at SAU to change your life in the way that He knew was best! :) He is so good. It's been fun hearing of all of your adventures with many people that I've known for years. That's the beauty of Adventism- becoming friends with people that others know and just making more connections with people. I'm glad you had a great time. Blessings to you on your vacation time! (:
ReplyDelete