Fulfilling Our Purpose

by Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal

For quite a while God has been whispering to me “rest” and “listen”. I tend to fill up my days and weekends with lengthy to do lists, leaving precious little time to focus on a refreshing quiet time in God’s presence. God didn’t have binge watching my favorite shows in mind, or leisurely scrolling through Pinterest for fashion advice or ideas for my next home improvement project. For me, kayaking slows me down enough to rest and listen. When I’m out on the water I’m far removed from my daily routine and all environments that keep me busy or distracted. Rivers are my favorite place to kayak. They provide rich variation in scenery and abundant opportunities for leisurely exploration as I soak in God’s masterful creation.
 
Amidst my summer of kayaking and slowing down to focus on listening to God I spent time praying about how to fully comprehend and operate according to God’s vision for CCS. The vision of Crosshill is “A world of graduates eager and passionate to fulfill both the First Commission (Genesis 1:26-28) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). A world of graduates engaging in cultures for the redemption of souls and the redemption of entire societies to the glory of God.” Keeping such a profound vision at the forefront can be a challenge, to which God provided a most fitting analogy. In an article I read recently, the author conveyed that a person or organization’s vision serves as a riverbank, where “every decision that needs to be made is made with the intention of flowing in the same direction and staying within the bounds of the vision.”   

God's vision for Crosshill extends beyond the school grounds and into the homes of each family. It's a shared riverbank, and we’re all navigating the river of life together, traversing the rapids, floating in the peace and love of a godly community, and sometimes just keeping our heads above water. As we strive to move in the same direction we must be mindful that each decision made by a student, parent, teacher, pastor or administrator, no matter how large or small, impacts that vision. Our decisions either stay within the bounds of fulfilling the First and Great Commission or jumps the riverbank. 

I have been inspired by families of both campuses who have made vision-impacting decisions this past summer. Many have wisely invested their vacation time and resources on mission trips, sharing the gospel in other countries. Others have made financial decisions to provide opportunities for new families to be brought into the vision of CCS. Even more have been involved in activities that have taken their discipleship to a new level.

I want to encourage and challenge us all to spend time meditating and praying into the verses that are the foundation of our vision: the First Commission in Genesis 1:26-28, and the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. It is through the practice of immersing ourselves in the Word and listening to God that we will receive the wisdom and understanding to grab hold of our purpose, use our gifts to their full potential, and realize the vision. And when we find ourselves “up a creek without a paddle”, we’ll be able to trust that He who is faithful with lead us in the right direction.​
 
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– Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal