I want to fill you in on my life the last few months and try to really express in words/pictures to you what the Honor Academy is and what my usual day looks like. Let me help you see into this journey that I began August 19, 2011 with around 275 first year interns.
First off…
The entire student body is separated into FAMILY CORES. I have 9 sisters (4 which are my roommates and 5 that live next door) in my core. My Core Advisor, Courtney Broyles, is a second year graduate intern that is there 24/7 as a mentor, leader, and friend. She has a specific vision for us this year and wants to help push us to growth and maturity. I have 9 brothers and a brother Core Advisor as well. Together our family is over 20 people! I love them all. It really is awesome the healthy friendships and trust that is formed through this. We do a lot together from playing volleyball, getting in the Word, studying for tests, or hanging out on the weekend.
On Monday mornings, the entire student body has Corporate EXERCISE at 5:30am. We are also required to work out for 20 minutes 4 times a week. It helps us to remember to have discipline in our everyday lives.
We have CLASSES everyday to develop us as leaders and to keep our minds engaged to learn. The classes I had this semester were Portfolio Papers, Character Development, Foundations (of Christianity), Ethics and Leadership, Habitudes (Attitudes of a healthy leader), Growth Groups (Woman’s Small group), Risen (Women’s program), Old Testament Biblical Survey, and Enrichment (National and campus news). I am earning college credit hours for a few of the classes through ORU. Classes that I’m excited about this coming 2nd semester are World View and Apologetics. I’ve also been reading books along with the classes and others on my own.
We also have CHAPELS once a week with guest speakers. They have invited my dad to come as a speaker in May!!! YAY!!! Everyone who did The P.E.A.R.L. with him is looking forward to it. We also have Encounter services every Wednesday night… which is more relaxed like a youth group service.
Then each intern has MINISTRY PLACEMENT… our daily jobs. We WORK 6-7HOURS a day for the different branches of Teen Mania Ministries (Global Expeditions, Aquire the Fire, Center for Creative Media, K-Crew, and Honor Academy). One of the goals of the Honor Academy is to instill good work ethic and skills that will prepare and benifit interns and alumni for years to come as they move on in life.
I’ve been serving in the Global Expeditions call center. My job is to follow up on teenagers who have requested more information about mission trips while they were at an Aquire the Fire youth event. This has been a cool opportunity for me since I was blessed to go on 2 life-changing missions trips with Global Expeditions when I was still in highschool. Everyone who works in the call center has become a great team focused on the same mission…. The Great Commission! From getting their trip applications, answering questions, praying with them, helping them with fundraising ideas, talking to their parents… that’s what we do several hours every day.J It will be so rewarding come summer to see all the teenagers we helped get on summer missions trips to be sent to share the love of Jesus all over the globe in 2012!
There is a PRAYER ROOM that is open 24-7. There are INTRAMURAL SPORTS… football, basketball, volleyball… that we compete in with our family cores. We are also required to get plugged in to a LOCAL CHURCH in the area on Sundays. I’m so thankful I found a great local church to be a part of while here.
So as you can see… our schedules are PACKED!! We live in dorms, eat in the cafeteria, and walk everywhere. The campus is spread out so I feel like I’m always on the go to make it to my next destination on time. Now that you know a basic overview, I’m going to post a video to share with you about what God has been doing in my life.
It has been one of the most challenging seasons I’ve ever walked through, but growth doesn’t occur when things are easy… so I am thankful for this time in my life to grow. THANK YOU for supporting me in PRAYERS and FINANCES. You are a part of everything I do, and I wouldn’t be who I am without you. It's also been wonderful to be home for Christmas and spend time with my family!
Second semester begins early on January 2nd to prepare for the incoming January Interns and a new season of life at the Honor Academy. I think the best part of my experience has been being surrounded by people passionately pursing Jesus and equipping me to do the same with excellence.
My FLESH and my heart may FAIL, but God is the STRENGTH of my heart and my PORTION forever. psalm 73:26
