To the Wesleyan community,
The end of the fall semester comes with exams, holidays, advent, quickness, and expectation. Middle and high school students were expected to perform well on their final exams before fully enjoying the holiday break. Teachers and faculty wrapped up their semester with final assessments and instruction before getting to rest and reset. Families gathered together to celebrate the holiday with various winter activities. It is easy in this season to focus on the next thing and get caught up in the to-do list before the big day: Christmas. This season increases the struggle of staying present with those we love in times of community.
The holidays bring an endless amount of, “I need this,” or “how can I get that?” Through no fault of our own, the world encourages us to consume as much as we can. This consumption leads us to not truly appreciate what we already have around us. More importantly, consumption is the thief of gratitude and appreciation for the blessings in our life. I see myself and my peers fall into this trap over and over again.
I want to encourage the Wesleyan community, and most of all the student body, to choose to see the provisions from God in your life instead of turning to what you want next. Find time to see your friends over the break and tell them you appreciate them. Spend time with your siblings and ask them about their lives at school, what class they like the best, and what class is the most fun. Do something with your parents; even a meal just you and them can make a big difference in this season.
You can never spend too much time with someone you love or care about. Take this break from school as an opportunity to lean into your relationships. When was the last time you told someone that you appreciate them? I want to encourage everyone to care for their people in this season. Luke 6:31 says, “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” This verse is important to remember all of the time but can be especially impactful during busy seasons. The new year brings challenges, stress, and often times discouragement for various reasons.
I would like to extend this encouragement further, even in your normal routine. Take this to heart and implement this every day you can. The Christian Life theme for January is “Love/Beloved.” This theme tells us that through God’s love, we are beloved. I would like to encourage you to show God’s love in your actions, words, and conversations. 1 John 4:7-8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” This verse is telling those who are beloved – the believers and followers of Christ – to love one another because it is a gift from God. When we love others well, we are directly following this command from God and spreading His influence throughout our communities.
There are so many ways to love our peers, and God truly makes it easy to care for each other. To love your peers, you can go see a school production or sporting event, check in on them and see how they are really doing, send an encouraging note or a text telling them how much you appreciate them, or pray over them so that they may have peace and blessings in their life. To show love for your family, you can spend an afternoon playing games and talking with them, you can make a meal and eat together, or you can plan a fun outing over the weekend. To show love to your teachers, you can show them respect when they talk, engage in personal conversations, send an email or tell them you are thankful for them, or pause and ask them how they are doing in the halls.
These are only small, general examples of how you can show God’s love every day. Loving others well and daily turns a group of people into tight-knit community. Turn away from your phone and things that don’t foster gratitude. Instead, spend time with people you care about and give your best effort at showing God’s love in all you do.
Mady Terry
Co- Editor-in-Chief
