Interview with Brett Hartsell

Q. What year will you be this fall at Grace and what is your major?
I will be a Senior this fall and I am Business Administration/Accounting

Q. What are you spending your time doing this summer?
I am working, working, sleeping and working. I did go on a missions trip to Tijuana, Mexico though. That was SWEET!

Q. What do you do for leisure?
I text...sometimes. I hang out at friends' houses when I am able, but mainly just work. It's kind of like being an ambassador :)

Q. Are you currently reading any books? If so, what?
One Minute Manager, The Art of Closing the Deal, and Eclipse (No judging)

Q. What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your life?
Put the seat down after you're done

Interview with Kim Kim

Q. What year will you be this fall at Grace and what is your major? I will be a Senior graduating in December. My majors are International Business, Marketing, and Business Admin.

Q. What are you spending your time doing this summer?
The most exciting thing will be going to a Congress meeting in August to raise awareness for human trafficking for the International Justice Missions! PLease pray that I and the few others attending will speak powerfully and move the people in authority to act on bringing justice. Other than that, I'm mostly spending summer how it should be spent: lazily enjoying the sunshine. Then, occasionally, I'll pick up the GRE study book, browse future career options, volunteer at various non-profits because I cant seem to find a job here in over-populated Los Angeles... I've been bonding with my little brother a lot, taking some summer classes, and getting back into dancing! I mean, interpretive movement. ;)

Q. What do you do for leisure?
I hike a lot, and love the thrill of exploring new trails. I love going to the beach and body surfing, aka wiping out. I've also been writing songs and poems and pretending I can play the guitar.

Q. Are you currently reading any books? If so, what?
Yes! I'm down to number 5 on my list! Woohoo! I'm reading Banker to the Poor by Mohammed Yunus, which is his first book, and I'll move onto his second one, Creating a World WIthout Poverty, hopefully, today. He is the Nobel Prize WInner who started micro-crediting, which is lending money to the poor so that they can oversee all aspects of their own business that they start without having to deal with corrupted money-lenders who hoard the profit. He invented it by going directly to the very poor, talking with them, studying how they lived, and what caused them to stay poor. I highly recommend reading it!

Q. What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your life?
I was talking to the Professor of the C.S. Lewis class, and I said something like, "I'm a business major. I don't know why I'm taking this class. I guess I like C.S. Lewis" He replied with something along the lines of, "I know why you're here. You're an explorer, and a pretty passionate one too." Later, a pastor talked about the difference between a traveller and an explorer. A traveller sees all the main attractions and gets on with the next big thing, but an explorer looks for the hidden treasures and wonders at the nooks and crannies that most people just pass by. I always thought I just lacked direction and focus, but God, through some great people, has taught me that there's treasure everywhere in life and in people, and it's really ok to take the time to explore, take risks, and experience everything fully.

Interview with Clint Johnson

Clint is one of the most well recognized people on campus and there is no one who knows more people than he does. Whenever you run into Clint, you get a cheery hello. Oh, and in case you didn't notice...he's a huge basketball fan!

Q. What year did you graduate from Grace and what was your major?
A. I graduated from Grace in 2005, and I majored in Criminal Justice

Q. What are you spending your time doing this summer?
A. I am working on a website for Grace's men's basketball team, which y'all can go surf at http://gracehoops.sports.officelive.com/. I also like to surf the Internet a ton! Being a big Duke fan, I love the relaunched http://www.goduke.com/, and also http://www.dukeblueplanet.com/, http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/, and http://www.blueplanetshots.com/. I also love Social Networking, and you can contact me at http://facebook.com/clinttjohnson, http://myspace.com/clinttjohnson, and I have joined the Tweeting revolution at Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/clinttjohnson and http://www.twitter.com/GraceBasketball. I have lost around 19 pounds by being a coffee fiend and walking miles and miles around Winona Lake. Besides that, I enjoyed getting to hang out with the Lancer Basketball Camp staff and bond with everyone that came to camp! Grace is going to be so blessed with all of the signings Coach Kessler has made... I'm super stoked for this coming season!

Q. What do you do for leisure or on campus here at Grace?
A. Like I said above, I surf the Internet a ton. I like hanging out in the various computer labs, and just meeting everyone that I can. I like to make random Wal-Mart runs with people, and it's always fun to go on Applebee's 50% off appetizer excursions after 9 on weeknights.

Q. Are you currently reading any books? If so, what?
A. Besides currently reading through the book of Judges, and seeing what an awesome dude Gideon was, I'm reading "The Gold Standard" by Coach Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski of Duke and his daughter Jamie Spatola. The picture on this blog post shows me sitting in Coach K's chair following a Duke game last New Year's Eve. My buddies Mason Plumlee, Miles Plumlee, and Ryan Kelly (who by the way, is the cousin of Vic Casey, who plays women's soccer here at Grace) all play for Duke, and it has been great to read about Coach K [who I met last year on my visit] and how he got the National Team to play as one heartbeat, with one focus!

Q. What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your life?

I would say that it's always think before you speak, from my parents. I haven't always thought before I've spoken, but it's something everyone needs to do. It's so easy to just blurt things out, however we need to process things so we can speak them eloquently, passionately, courteously, and encouragingly!

Interview with Brice Williams

One quick note about Brice: He is often coming into our office to visit us and we LOVE to have him come by (usually with his friend David who we love too!). They are always so chipper and are a breath of fresh air. We enjoy the life and color they bring to Grace college!!

Q. What year will you be this fall at Grace and what is your major? I will be a fifth year senior this year at Grace.
Q. What are you spending your time doing this summer? I am working some at Kohl's, (not as much as i need to be), but mostly I just hang out with my friends and go boating on Winona Lake and enjoy everything that I can for as long as I can as often as I can.
Q. What do you do for leisure? Um...I don't know? Haha! I don't really do "leisure" in the traditional sense, i.e.-just laying around and not doing anything. So I guess my "leisure" time would be whenever I am having an adventure or doing random crazy things or biking or hanging out i guess? Mostly, I always like to be doing SOMETHING!
Q. Are you currently reading any books? If so, what? I am kind of in between books right now, recently, (last two weeks), i have read The DaVinci Code, Speak, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, A Calvin & Hobbes comic collection, Feed, Fight Club, Smack, and A Million Little Pieces. I am an English major, so reading is kind of like second nature to me, hence the long list i guess? Today in the bank, i read all of the children's books while i waited for the next available teller....i think that makes me a freak? haha!
Q. What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your life? I don't know that i can really narrow down the vast sea of counsel that i have sought and received into a nice, fortune cookie phrase. I can't even say for sure if there has been a singular specific conversation that has been the most meaningful to me. What i can say is that over the course of my time here at Grace, and particularly this last year and these last few weeks even, i have received the kind of counsel that i can look at as a marking place for change in my life. At almost every major junction of growth that i can think of over the past few months, there have been incredibly influential people who have offered me the best advice and the freshest perspectives i could possibly hope for. I guess, all that to say, the best counsel i receive on a consistent basis definitely comes from my roommate, Matt-he is the kind of person who constantly and un-apologetically challenges my point of view and this definitely makes me a better person than i could ever hope to be on my own.

Interview with Alisha Miller

Q. What year will you be this fall at Grace and what is your major? a SENIOR! I am an English Ed. major.
Q. What are you spending your time doing this summer? I am working at Grace College as a secretary as well as vacationing some and hanging out with my family.
Q. What do you do for leisure? I like to read, go on walks with my puppy, talk with my friends on the Internet, and hang out with family.
Q. Are you currently reading any books? If so, what? I am reading "End of the Spear" by Steve Saint which is the freshman summer reading. I also just finished "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. Both books have been incredibly challenging to my Christian walk.
Q. What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your life? I think the best counsel has been to "Not worry about and plan out tomorrow." (James 13) While I'm not always sure what is next in life for me, I know that God will reveal it to me in his perfect timing.

Momentum Day 3 and 4

Yesterday passed in such a rush I didn't have time to blog. Yikes! It was wonderful to have "back up" support come in on Wednesday evening in the form of faculty and staff from the school. They did a great job during the youth leader and alumni event and worked hard for the day and a half they were here.

Yesterday was Grace day at momentum and we were able to host a Wii tournament. Everyone enjoyed watching the kids battle it out in a large room. With 4 Wii's set up and the games being projected onto giant screens, you felt as though you were at a crazy video game convention. The Grace people did a superb job keeping everyone on track and making sure the kids were having a great time. In all the busyness yesterday I didn't get any pictures from the tournament...but here are a few from the youth leader/alumni event. A very special THANK YOU to all those from Grace who came to help out - you were great!! :)

Momentum Day 2

I really don't know how these kids have all this crazy energy. You can hear them walk by, talking about how late they stayed up and how little sleep they need. I know they'll crash when they get home later this week!

We've had fun watching the kids stop by our table playing Wii, generally beating us when we take them on. My video game skills are greatly lacking. We have also met up with some Grace Alumni - pictured above with Matt and John is Brandy Mayes. She has been busy taking care of her little baby and helping her husband with their youth group from Ohio.

We are looking forward to some faculty and staff arriving this afternoon to assist with some Grace sponsored events. Tonight it's a smoothie bar for all youth workers and alumni! Should be fun and we are looking forward to a large crowd.

This mornings session speaker was Gabe Lyons and our very own Dr. DeYoung was able to present a spotlight on God's Word on Creation. Another great time learning from God's Word.

Momentum Day 1

Momentum in Pittsburgh, PA!! Several Grace people have made the trek to Robert Morris University. Today is the first full day of the conference and the kids are wide awake and full of energy (ok so they were a little blurry eyed at 8:00 am this morning but they are in full force now!). It has been great seeing some "old" faces, incoming students for this fall (Jake, Alex, Stephanie, Bethany, Trenton, and many more), and a lot of new students. As admission counselors we are excited to be spending time with all these kids.
We had a wonderful time of worship with the Steve Fee band. It was a great reminder that we were there to worship God - to sing HIS praises and not just there to hang out. Shawn McBride opened God's Word and shared from Hebrews 12. We are to lay aside every weight and hindrance that is keeping us from full pursuit of God. Very, very challenging and encouraging.
So right now the kids are all off to Power Tracks - mini-sessions where they can pick a topic...I'll post more later - off to chat with some other people!

Interview with Matt Little

Another one of my great friends and co-workers! I so enjoy working with Matt and he brings great life and laughter to the office.

Q. How long have you been working in admissions here at Grace?

About one year. However, I also worked as a Student Ambassador for three.

Q. What is your favorite part about the job?

2 come to mind first: 1) The people! The students we’re welcoming to Grace, the students already at Grace, my fellow Admissions workers- all of them are incredible. I look forward to coming to campus just so I can interact with them day after day. 2) The opportunity I have to make the college search process easier on families. I remember the stress and anxieties that I felt when I was looking. Serving a family in order to lessen these challenges is incredibly rewarding.

Q. What do you do for leisure?

I love nature, I love the arts, and I love (most) people, so anything involving one of these three is leisure for me: a walk through the woods, watching an old film, going to a coffee shop with friends, etc.

Q. Are you currently reading any books? If so, what?

2 actually: Desiring God by John Piper and Leading with a Limp by Dan Allender.

Q. What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your life?

So many memories of shared wisdom come to mind. It’s almost impossible to choose. However, one morsel of truth that made a huge impression on me in college, and still impacts me today, is the following statement by Alan Redpath:

“"There is nothing- no circumstance, no trouble, no testing- that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has come past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing for my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will ever cause me to fret, for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is."

Interview with Cassie Patterson

Q. What year will you be this fall at Grace and what is your major? SENIOR...woo hoo! I have mixed emotions about graduating though. Can't wait to see where God leads me for the next part of my life, yet will miss Grace and the wonderful people there! Counseling and Criminal Justice are my majors

Q. What are you spending your time doing this summer? Doing four online courses, babysitting, and rollerblading 20 miles a day with my mom (I hope I'm like her when I'm over 50!)

Q. What do you do for leisure? Hike, Kayak, Sail, Eat tons of food, Catch up on movies that I don't have time to watch at college

Q. Are you currently reading any books? If so, what? Child Development, Social Psychology, Social Problems, Life Span Development.....notice they are all textbooks. NOT cool.

Q. What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your life? Enjoy the little things in life!

Interview with Jaimie Ove

Q. What year will you be this fall at Grace and what is your major?
Junior. Major: Counseling. Double Minor: International Business and Intercultural Studies
Q. What are you spending your time doing this summer?
Working in Chicago for the Trolley and Double Decker Company. Hanging out with friends, going camping and exploring state parks!
Q. What do you do for leisure?
Hiking and camping, going to tropical sno, a local shaved ice shack, and hanging out in Chicago.
Q. Are you currently reading any books? If so, what?
The Four Season of Marriage by Gary Chapman. Love and Respect by Eggriches. (I want to be a marriage and family counselor :) not getting married any time soon)
Q. What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your life?
"If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away." - Henry David Thoreau