God makes it grow

One of the hardest lessons I had to learn as a serving Christian is that results will usually not come immediately. In WKTRM1/2A, a group of us, having benefited greatly from the fellowship, decided to take on Frosh Cell. Not really knowing what to do, 4 of us 2A'ers (Josh, Vanessa, Kevin, myself), as well as one upperyear (Betty), signed up to lead Frosh Cell and related events.

New Student Reception
I remember talking to my upperyear corespondent (Connie) for NSR, and she asked me what my overall vision for NSR was. I replied that, if even one person who didn't know about fellowship, walked by and stuck around for NSR, and came to fellowship because of that, it would've been worth the effort. I'll never know if anyone came to CCF because of NSR.

Frosh Cell
I think this is the question that all of us were asking ourselves at the end of the term. Did we make an impact? Were we helpful in making the fellowship more welcoming? How much of them learned and grow and had fun under our planning and programs?

I remember, when hearing that people of that year stopped attending fellowship (2nd year retainment ratio: 30%), or got into situations, we'd be asking ourselves if there was more we could've done. If we could've talked to them more. If there was some hint we overlooked. If we could've tried harder.

I remember seeing one of them later on and asking him why he doesn't attend fellowship anymore, and got a nasty respond. I remember telling myself that we can't be everything to everyone. I remember being shocked when I saw him again in fellowship, a few years later. God is working.

Graduation Dinner
Yet despite all the drama and situation. All the uncertainty and struggles. I realized that grad dinner was an encouragement to us alums as well. Knowing that the time we've poured into the "kids" has been used by God to grow them. One of the few times that God is gracious to show the fruits of our labour. I wonder if this is how my own upperyears felt when we made it too.

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

- 1 Corinthians 3.5-7

Congrats, 2011 grads.

Survival

Throughout undergrad, I found myself wondering if I'll survive. Make it through the tough hours and confusing math. Pass through school without getting getting owned. Not aiming for stellar marks, or anything. Get by, so I can do the stuff that comes a bit easier. Survival and desperation was always in the air. Engineering was hard.

We celebrated when we survived PHYS115. MATH212. ECE433. ECE370. ECE471. When we passed PDEng. When we got our Iron Ring.

Over the grad dinner weekend, I talked a bit with my peers. People who has been working for a year now. Shared stories of what we've learned. The difference between work and school. Long work hours. Difficult assignments. Tough deadlines. Reading through Proverbs, it's filled with verses like Prov 6.10. And we often forget that we were pulled through before.

I remember getting annoyed before. When we were in first year, they told us first year is the hardest. When we were in 3rd year, they said 3rd year is the hardest. When we were in fourth year, they said FYDP is the hardest. It never gets easier. It wasn't suppose to get easier.

But I think grad school (and FT work) is hard because you chose it. We chose to do grad school. We chose to work at Sandvine, or Deliotte, or Petro Canada. We chose Bell or Hydro One or Microsoft. Of course it's hard. We've never seen this stuff before. We've never applied these concepts in these ways before. But I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given... (Luke 19 - Parable of the Talent). We've received much. And more to come.

We're given much because He believes we can handle much. For those of you discouraged, press on.