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March 5, 2010

Dear Lakewood Park Family,

An amazing thing happened at Lakewood Park Christian School today, and I, along with Mr. Christner, have asked Mr. Rob Atkins, our high school Bible teacher, to share the story with you. What follows are his thoughts about how God has moved in the lives of our students today:

I have heard someone once say, “Most people are more aware of the absence of God than the presence of God.” This is often due to the fact that we don’t look for and don’t see the evidences of God’s grace all around us. Today our student body witnessed evidences of God’s grace in the life of our school family at Lakewood Park.

Dr. Mitch Kruse recently contacted the school with an opportunity for the student body to be able to hear Christian performing artist and worship pastor, Paul Stephens. The administration made time available, and this morning our middle school and high school students filled the auditorium at 8:00 am. We began with several worship songs led by Paul Stephens. This was followed by an interview style testimony with Makenzie Dick, a Lakewood Park senior, as she talked with Mitch.

Makenzie shared her story of God’s continuing restoration process in her life. She talked about her 4 year battle with an eating disorder that was literally killing her physical life and destroying her spiritual life. By God’s grace, a Lakewood Park graduate encouraged her to talk with Mitch Kruse. Throughout this last year, Mitch has been counseling Makenzie. Through unique experiences in Mitch’s own life that led him to live a continuing surrendered life to Christ, he was able to point her to a life of surrender to Christ.

Makenzie shared with the student body the turmoil this inner struggle caused in her life. She talked about how she thought this was one area that she could control, but instead, it was controlling her, and was resulting in a life that was out of control. Rather than looking to Christ as her Savior, she was treating her ability to control her body through the eating disorder as her functional savior. She was looking to it to provide her with significance, satisfaction, control, and contentment. It never provided what it promised. Through this suffering God led her to surrender. She admitted it was not something that could have been done on her own, but instead, God changed her desires. Now she is on the restoration road.

After her testimony Mitch gave opportunity for the student body to respond in surrender; to do what Makenzie had done and look to Christ for satisfaction, rather than what we try to provide ourselves. John 3:8 says, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” What followed was an outpouring and evidence of God’s grace on Lakewood Park. Students from the middle school to the high school responded. Almost a half hour was spent in prayer with students. Many of the staff and faculty were able to pray about different issues with countless students. There was a brokenness and sensitivity to the restoring power that Christ brings through the power of the Gospel. In small groups around the auditorium, individuals were taking steps to walk a life of restoration through continual life-long surrender to Christ.

We sometimes lose sight of God’s grace in our lives, and when we do we often become self-centered. When we identify God’s grace, we will celebrate the cross and the work of Christ. So let’s do that in response to what God is doing at Lakewood. Please pray for the students that made the beginning steps of surrender.

I am reminded of Acts 11:23 which records the visit of Barnabas to the church in Antioch. It says, “When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.” I think we would do well to follow that example:

- Identify God’s Grace in the life of those around us.
- Be glad
- Encourage our students to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

Mr. Rob Atkins, Lakewood Park Christian School Bible Chair

I know that you are rejoicing with me about how God has used all of His people to make a tremendous difference in the lives of our 6th through 12th grade students this morning. What a blessing to have people like Dr. Mitch Kruse who are willing to not only invest in the lives of our students, but also be spirit-led in their choices for how we worship. Clearly, God ordained Mr. Christner and Mr. Atkins to make this chapel possible, and Mitchell responded with allowing God to work through himself, Makenzie, and Paul Stephens. Almost all the faculty and staff members in that service had the opportunity to encourage and counsel students. We thought you should know that God has done an amazing thing here today and we know that He will continue to use Lakewood to teach students to learn, live, and lead in Christ.

Sincerely,

Mike Christner
Secondary Principal

R. Randall Carman
Superintendent