Celebrating Our Gifts

This past week, the 8th graders from Grand Rapids Christian Middle School came to visit for a few hours. We had the chance to pray together, give them a tour of the high school, and share some things in breakout sessions that make our school unique. 

My breakout session was about Winterim. It was great timing as we were just coming off Winterim 2022 and we were able to tell authentic stories of great experiences that our high schoolers recently had. Many had taken a deep dive into subject areas that interested them through on-campus courses. Others interned in the community, learning whether or not a future profession was right for them. Still others traveled, learning about their brothers and sisters in Christ across the globe!

It was fun to tell those stories, celebrate positive experiences, and allow these Eagles to dream about their future experiences, but what encouraged me most was the shared desire those students had about learning. As we discussed various opportunities that Winterim could provide, I saw lifelong explorers right in front of me. I saw a genuine sense of awe and excitement about God’s world. It was refreshing to be around a group of students who were not motivated by points, or by a grade, or by a graduation credit, but rather by an opportunity to discover a passion, gift, or talent that God gave them. To say that it made me excited to welcome them to the high school is an understatement!

Our theme verse for Winterim is found in 1 Peter 4:10: “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” We are so grateful to have Winterim as an additional opportunity for our students to find out more about how God made them and to discover their gifts!

—Brad Mockabee
GRCHS Principal