By Kacey Riel, Class of 2025
On Thursday nights, as part of our weekly schedule, we have roundtable. Roundtable is where we get to sit with different people and hear their stories; how God is working in, around, and through them. These individuals and couples often take us back to their childhood up to the present day and share highlights, struggles, themes, and lessons learned. These have truly been some of my favorite nights of the year. I am learning a lot about how we don’t know people until we have heard their stories and I am learning to never make assumptions of what someone's story is.
I’ve gleaned so much wisdom from each story and thought it was worth sharing with others. Here are some of the themes/lessons I’ve held onto:
Reconciliation is the real game changer when it comes to how we witness to other people.
Life is full of transitions and change. We are never going to have it fully figured out.
Family dynamics can be hard and boundaries are important.
It is incredible to learn how to be friends with people you may have never chosen for yourself, knowing God brings people to us for a specific reason.
Use this next decade of your life to dip your toe in and try new things. Put yourself out there and do something you may never get to do again.
Remember in the dark what God has taught you in the light.
Mature christians are not easily offended or easily resentful. (I put a big ole star next to this one in my notes! Super challenging and hard to do.)
When you marry someone, you also marry their family and all that comes with it!
What God made you to do is bigger than your career. (Your purpose→Keep putting one foot in front of the other.)
Sometimes your capacity looks different depending on your stage of life. It’s okay to be completely worn out and have a limited capacity. Honor where you are.
Handling relational conflict (specifically in friendships) can look like learning how the other friend communicates when they are hurt.
Rest and comfort aren’t always the same thing.
Again, these are just glimpses into their stories, and just a few lessons I took away.
I am so thankful for our roundtable speakers’ vulnerability and authenticity in sharing with a group of people my age. It is an incredible gift to us, especially because they have chosen to be vulnerable after just meeting us! I have been comforted in hearing women way wiser than me speak into the same insecurities I am currently facing. I have heard men speak to the ways they fall short, and I have heard incredible stories of redemption from different couples at different places in their marriage. I have also been challenged in remembering that everyone has a unique story and first impressions are usually wrong. I want to be curious about the stories that have shaped the people God puts in front of me. It has been a gift to be trusted in this way. I know I will remember and refer to these nuggets of wisdom throughout my life.