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My Encouragement To You Today

2/15/24 | The Weekly | by Eric Wakeling

    Dear Calvary Family,

    I was recently at an event at Biola University where I ran into two of my old professors from my own time studying at Biola and Talbot School of Theology. I was instantly taken back to 1994 with an image of Dr. Judy TenElshof teaching Lifespan Human Development my sophomore year at Biola where I learned how to consider the stages of human development alongside the stages of spiritual development. Then I saw Dr. John Coe, which took my mind’s journey to a theology class at Talbot in 1998 where I was assigned three one-hour sessions of asking God a question and then sitting and listening for how God would answer. These memories were from almost 30 years ago!

    I walked up to these two professors and expressed my gratitude to them for the way they poured into me and challenged me to not only a knowledge of God and doctrine, but also for how they helped me experience God for myself. I told Dr. Coe that he was the first person that ever encouraged me to listen to God during prayer. I began to get choked up with emotion as I expressed this to him because his teaching and leadership back in 1998 has deeply impacted my life today and Calvary Church as well.

    It’s incredible the impact that we can have as we disciple others by giving away what we’ve received.

    It’s also incredible the impact that we can have as we share how thankful we are for the people that have impacted our lives.

    I saw that even Dr. John Coe was moved and fulfilled to hear that his teaching has impacted my life and the practices of our church. Gratitude is meaningful to people when we are willing to share it with them.

    So here’s my encouragement to you today:

    1. Share gratitude with someone in your life that has either discipled you, ministered to you, taught you, encouraged you, or been there for you at some point in your life.
    2. Give away what you have received from them with someone else. That’s called discipleship.
    3. Oh, and go listen to God when you pray.

    May the Lord bless you and keep you,
    Eric Wakeling