When you think back on your time as a student, what do you remember? The Pythagoras theorem? The periodic table? Shakespeare’s plays? Sure, these elements of the curriculum can be inspiring. Still, when I think of my time at school, I think about the camping trip when our tent flooded, or the time I overcame my fears and performed a handspring vault in gymnastics, or when I built a giant paper mâché medieval castle during grade 8 history. I undoubtedly learnt a lot of ‘stuff’ at school, but, interestingly, it’s mostly the stories I remember.

This summer, I read a book called Because of a Teacher, which is a collection of reflections of when teachers and administrators inspired others. I was struck in my reading by the underlying theme of relationships that ran through the heart of the book. Our vision statement at Surrey Christian of “Becoming Fully Alive in God’s Story” feels somewhat unattainable at times. However, when you start to break it down into how our choices impact one another’s stories every single day, I feel we begin to capture the heart behind it. So many of the stories in the book I read demonstrated how the smallest or the most inconspicuous of actions could have a significant impact.

One of the things I find most awe-inspiring about Jesus’ ministry on earth is its simplicity. At chapel a few weeks ago, I shared the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. I wanted to highlight the role of the little boy who had chosen to show up with his humble lunch. Would we even have this story if the boy had said no to the initial request to share? My Deep Hope this year is that God’s story inspires our own stories and that we positively impact each other’s stories. Every day we have a choice of how we choose to show up in one another’s lives. Are we willing to put one another first: To share our lunch, so to speak?

At a recent pro-d event at Trinity Western, we were challenged “to believe in the power of the seed.” We may never hear or see the outcome related to our behaviors and choices, but God does. Therefore, we must trust and believe in the process of what God is building, both in our individual lives individually but also collectively with those we interact with. If you’re reading this right now, the chances are Surrey Christian has either been or hopefully will be part of your story. If our posture is one of serving one another, then the possibilities are truly endless. I believe we are then one step closer to knowing what it truly means to be Fully Alive in God’s Story.