By: Dorie Summers | Campus Life Site Director
When I first started, I met with many community members and churches wanting to partner and welcome me into the community. I am still honored and blessed to have spent that time getting to know each one of them and hear how God is moving within Brighton. I can’t help but feel an army fighting alongside me and God’s loving arms wrapped around the Brighton schools. To these members, I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for me and for what you are still doing for the schools. You know who you are!
As I stepped out of my comfort zone of teaching and into this new position, God has continuously held me up. It has not been easy going from being a teacher to a missionary. Within teaching, there is a lot of structure along with high-pressure expectations to meet to achieve personal and student growth. As a teacher, it is common to look to what other professionals have done to be successful and adapt their methods in hopes of being successful, too.
When I became a Campus Life leader with God as my ultimate boss, it changed my way of thinking and my method of approach. God summed it up by saying, “Talk to me and follow My lead. What others are doing is not what I want you to do. Follow Me on My path. Even if it looks like an open door, it might not be meant for you.” And the hardest reality yet… “It’s not about YOU and your accomplishments.”
I have seen the school that I have called my home for the last three years in a new way — with my eyes open to the blessings and the many hurting people. I grieve not seeing the kids every day to teach, share music, laugh with them, and see their daily growth. However, I go into the school once a week during lunches and attend some school events to catch up with former and get to know new kids. I will see them more often as the program builds but it’s been a transition.
At times, I am surprised at how I have been written off by some people that I didn’t expect. We are in a spiritual war and my eyes are open to it now more than ever. It has been beautiful to let God work through me and be a part of life-change; and to see hurting kids and be a light for them in this dark world; and to notice and allow them to feel heard and loved.
One of my biggest challenges right now is knowing how best to spend my time at school. I am being intentional that I might not be pulled in so many different directions. This is just the beginning of what God is going to do and that is exciting. When I follow God and ask, He provides more than I could have ever asked for. For the first time in my life, I understand the full meaning of these verses:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!” Ephesians 3:20
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8.
The greatest lesson that I have learned so far is that I can do nothing outside of God. And I am more than okay with that because He has provided so much and He isn’t even close to finishing. My biggest hurdle has been myself. It’s amazing how we want to hold ourselves back, listen to lies, or put limits on God.