Out of Winter and into Spring

By Jack Taylor

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” - John 6:28-29

Hey folks! We’ve made it out of winter and into spring! Winter is longer here than it is in my home state of North Carolina. Scraping ice off my car in the morning is getting old, but I hear that DC's famous cherry blossom season is almost here! Although the flowers have yet to bloom in full, it’s great to have the worst weather behind us as we continue to lean into the Lord and what he has for the final stretch of the Capital Fellows program.

John Kyle, the director of the Capital Fellows program, says we are all called to be leaders. My ears perked up when I first heard him say that that in September. “That’s awesome,” I thought. Indeed, it is incredible, but it doesn't mean it’s easy. A life of leadership, to which we are all called, requires that we pick up our cross, wash each other’s feet, and spur on one another in faith. It's easier said than done.

The Capital Fellows program has been an exercise for us to focus on leading each other, children and teenagers at church, colleagues at work, and others in our community. For instance, Sean Bland gave an impressive Sunday School message on Gideon to the children’s ministry, exhibiting his ability to be an excellent minister. As another example, Christina Lewis organized, coordinated, and led the preparation of a spectacular breakfast-for-dinner (brinner!) meal for our weekly Roundtable dinner. And as yet another example, those of us serving in youth ministry had the fun opportunity to lead groups of teenagers on a scavenger hunt around a local shopping area. The list goes on!

In addition to opportunities for leadership, we continue to dig into Scripture in Bill Fullilove's class and wrestle with our relationships and identities in Bill Clark’s class. These seminary classes are great opportunities to learn more about God and ourselves, but they are dense with emotion and meaning. If one desires to gain anything from these courses, one must engage with these tough subjects. It is rewarding to take the time to sit and listen for God's soft yet powerful voice as we dig into papers, readings, and Scripture.

Sometimes we put aside writing , reading , attending class, and working to enjoy each other, even when free time is limited. For example, we enjoyed knife juggling and some great food the other night to celebrate Joe Palekas‘ birthday, which was a hilarious experience. It is so much fun to be with these awesome brothers and sisters in Christ!

I am reminded that living intentionally day in and day out for months on end can be tiring. The effort required to balance class, work, serving, and friendship is challenging, especially when we forget to rest in the Lord. Like our friend Jay Mitchum said once, "If it weren't hard, it wouldn't be worth it." Most of all, it is the work of believing in Christ, not meeting deadlines and expectations, that bears the most fruit. I have been learning to trust in God as my main task each day, which has reaped great rewards . Alongside my fellow Capital Fellows, I hope to continue growing my faith in the Lord as spring comes into fruition.

Pictures from the Week