by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
I began to hear the voice of God at a very young age. Well, I didn’t recognize it was the voice of God until about Junior High School. We had just moved to a new town and I was testing some boundaries in my new school, as well as at home. There was one particular week in which I disrespected multiple school officials.My parents certainly took me to task about it. While I respectfully received my punishment from my parents, I continued to defend myself inside my head. “Who were they to tell me what do do?” “What do they know?” Of course, even at that age, I knew I was lying to myself. When I quieted my own desperate cries of rationalization, I started to hear this strong conviction that I was in the wrong. I began to understand that my opinion and the opinions of my friends were meaningless in comparison to the respect of my parents and what I knew to be true. Romans 2:15 describes how God communicates with us through our conscious every day of our lives. As we are made in the image of God, it makes sense He would hardwire us to innately know the truth and to understand it once we chose to listen for it. Many of us desire to hear the audible voice of God, as Samuel did as a youth sleeping in the temple of God (I Samuel 3). Yet we too often fail in simply surrendering to the God-given voice of truth written on our hearts and available to all of us each day. Once we begin to discipline ourselves to be sensitive to surrender to known simple truths, God begins to entrust us with unique words of power, directly designed for our circumstances. As our children attempt to mature into lifelong believers, they must transition into an authentic faith. They must choose to allow this faith to invade and integrate into every area of their lives. The foundation of faith can be laid through the faithful prayers and mentoring of parents and key partners. Still, a faith that lasts and brings God’s Kingdom upon this earth chooses to hear God’s voice at all times. Pray that this generation of youth listens to God through their God-given consciouses, His Word, and Godly parents and mentors. Once that starting line has been established, the real race can begin full of power and promise! – Adam Kronberger / Head of School by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
There I was, standing on the corner of Marion and High Street in downtown Salem with my back pressed against the brick wall, trying not to make eye contact with anyone walking on the street. It was my second time participating in the Gospel Guy ministry and I was doing my best to not get too involved. My job was to look friendly and joyfully approach strangers to strike up a conversation with them that would eventually lead to sharing the gospel. Instead, I think the vibe I was putting off was a loud-and-clear “stay away!” Still, I was doing my best to pray and be obedient. Finally, a little old lady appeared a block away and was heading my way. Here was my chance. An easy target to get my feet wet. As she neared, I began my approach, and then curtly performed a 180 and walked away. I remember very distinctly like it was yesterday. God asked me, “Are you ashamed of me? Are you ashamed of the gospel?” It was easy to immediately provide an answer. “No, I am NOT ashamed of you. I am NOT ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ!” While my flesh was weak, my Spirit was willing and strong. God gently replied, “Then why are you hiding? I have the best gift in the world and I want you to share it with others.” This dialogue continued for a few minutes. I felt like it was halftime of the Superbowl and my coach was giving me a personal pep talk. Soon, my chin began to rise, my chest puffed out, and I chose to discipline my body to walk in tune with the Spirit as I eagerly accepted God’s instructions for me for the rest of the afternoon. While I wish I could report that many souls were saved that day, what I can say is that I was eventually simply obedient and took the plunge to share my faith with strangers. I also wish I could say that it is now easy for me and that I am always simply obedient, but I am still a work in progress. That day was a spiritual marker in my life. When the Israelites exited the land of Egypt and the yoke of slavery, they crossed the Jordan River on dry ground. God had miraculously stopped up the river miles upstream (at a town named Adam). He then instructed them to take 12 stones from the dry river bed to their camp that night as a physical and spiritual marker to always remember the greatness of God. God invites us to experience and remember spiritual markers in our own lives. Sometimes it can be as spontaneous as a witnessed healing right before our eyes. Other times, we might walk out a plan part of the way, and then the Lord shows up to establish our steps, such as a timely baptism, or a holy marriage, or a blessed job. When we choose to step out in faith, just as the nation of Israel did when they dipped their toes in the Jordan River, God does something that strengthens and grows our faith. It is one thing to wear a t-shirt that says “I am not ashamed.” It is altogether (for me at least) another thing to act like it in all circumstances. Each month, Crosshill High School students are put in the same position I was as they share the gospel of Jesus Christ with our larger community through love and friendship. Pray that the “student surpasses the teacher” as these courageous young men and women step out in faith and have an encounter with the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. – Adam Kronberger / Head of School by Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal
The strong community of believers in the book of Acts witnessed signs and miracles, for “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.” Acts 4:32 (NLT). The Bible goes on to further highlight their unique heart for discipleship, fellowship, prayer, and “giving to anyone who had need”. Daily, I thank God for allowing me to be a part of what He is doing in and through Crosshill, for we are also a unique and strong community of believers, blessed and broken, with unity of purpose, and divine connections. If we seek wisdom and ask God to open our hearts and eyes to His “divine connections”, He will reveal the good works he has prepared and equipped us for! I have been prompted to pray about how to respond to a particular connection God has been highlighting in our community. As I began to talk about it with others, I discovered several who have also been praying into what God has been up to in this area (goosebumps!). We are confident that God is calling our community into action in support of the foster care system. You see, we not only have a growing number of foster care families among us, but also case workers, respite care families, and dozens of students and parents connected to Royal Family Kids Camp, a summer camp ministering to foster kids and families. Every day there are over 400,000 children in need of a safe place to live, and not enough foster homes to place them. Nationwide, half of all foster families quit within one year. There aren’t enough resources to support caseworkers who are already stretched thin. But we serve the God of more than enough, and although we may not be called to foster parenthood, we are part of God’s provision for foster families within our community and the children they are pouring into (this is the part where YOU get goosebumps). God blesses and equips us with gifts, talents, and resources to support and serve one another. He expects us to love, to be generous, to encourage, and model these virtues to our children. Through this community He has placed us in, He has spoken over us incredible blessing and opportunity, so that we may step into His redemptive work. It all begins with prayer and action, then, like the church in Acts, we too will witness signs and miracles. As God’s plan continues to unfold, opportunities to partner with foster families and ministries within our community will be shared on Sycamore, school Facebook pages, as well as in future Eagle Eye emails. He is faithful to make what seems impossible, possible! – Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
Due to my math and science background and a personality type that prefers routine, I am fond of algorithms: a set of rules to complete a task. One of the greatest routine commands from God is to “love your enemies.” Now you might think as a school administrator, I am predisposed to a plethora of enemies. Actually, the Crosshill community of parents and students continues to bless and encourage me on a daily basis. Still, I have opportunity as everyone else does to have enemies, either in circumstance or attitude. We are all compelled to love our enemies. Let’s look at a practical way to fulfill this command. The key is to understand how we should love. We should love others as we love ourselves. Well, how exactly do we love ourselves? Let’s be honest here. Do we love ourselves because we are perfectly nice? Perfectly attractive? Perfectly kind? Perfectly pure? Feeling bad yet? The list goes on. We can’t possibly love ourselves because of our deeds or natural inclinations because ultimately we miss the mark. In fact, it may be easier to list the items we hate about ourselves rather than the things we love. So if we hate our individual shortcomings so much, how do we love ourselves? We love ourselves because we are made in the image of God, after His own likeness, and we intrinsically know we have value. In fact, it is easy for us to love ourselves while hating the sin we do. It is this understanding that can allow us to exercise the same love toward others, especially our enemies. If we can successfully love ourselves knowing all the sin we do, how much more can we love others when we only see a glimpse of their fallen nature? Finally, if you struggle to feel loved by God, it is a struggle you will certainly (and gratefully) lose. You are loved. You belong to Him. You were bought at a price. He died just for you and He won’t take it back. God’s love does not exist because we say it does. It exists because it does. You are loved. – Adam Kronberger / Head of School |
Adam Kronberger
|