Spiritual Fruit--Absolutely Unapologetic Bragging

I going to tell you a little story about Spiritual Fruit and The Wonder Twins. 

Elise:
She received the Presidential Scholarship for academic achievement to University of Mobile, and she successfully completed her freshman year at college. She was on the President's List both semesters (all A's). She worked in the Student Success Center at a part time job. (She got this job while doing a mock interview for a class grade--the mock interviewer hired her for an actual paying job.)

Elise has gotten hard core involved with her home church in Mobile and attends The View, the college worship services, faithfully. She also serves most weekends in the 3-to-5-year-old classes. The rule at her church is you attend a service and then work a service, ensuring you are being spiritually fed while serving.

She was filmed for a video played before service about her grace walk with the Lord. The church thought enough of her spiritual walk that they risked putting her story on the main screen. She was also interviewed for UM's "Why UM" and advertised on Instagram for the school.
Elise can't donate blood anymore (Hodgkin's Lymphoma), so she campaigned for the blood drive at her school and almost doubled the donations for the event she worked. She harassed her friends, stayed in the blood mobile and held hands with people who were afraid, and acted like a cheerleader for the people lined up outside (who mostly showed up because she chased them around campus).

She teaches a girl's Bible study on Tuesday nights with about 10-15 regular attenders. She also attends her roommate's small group class on Monday nights. So, E is in church or Bible study a minimum of four times each week.

Elise applied for a highly coveted job this summer with Winshape camps in the traveling co-ed program. She was hired as an employee and will be teaching 3-5 year olds at a VBS on steroids sort of deal for ten weeks this summer. Her training packet has to be memorized before rolling to the ten day training in Georgia, and then she will be responsible for all the kids in her family for the week. She will visit eight states in ten weeks. It's a prestigious appointment with a missions emphasis all summer.

She applied for and won two Student Life jobs next year--RAM Rush Family (this the the welcoming program for incoming freshman who are new to U of Mobile--they put the freshmen into families with a Ram Mom and a Ram Dad who help them navigate the newness of college life and integrate into campus activities.) She will be the most energetic RAM Mom in the history of that program. I can't imagine a better advocate for the University of Mobile.

She also applied for and was accepted to the CAM staff--this is the Fun Bus arm of Mobile's campus. They set up for all major student life actives like the craw fish boil, concerts, welcome weekends, events, etc.

Elise has developed the kinds of friendships at collage that literally last a lifetime. I thank God daily for her people. She did all of that still in her first year of recovery from cancer.

Elaina: 
She received huge scholarships, academic and merit, to Judson College where she has successfully completed her freshman year. Dean's list both semesters (A's and B's).

Elaina was awarded a basketball scholarship from open tryouts, but once she began that endeavor, she decided that the sport, the events, the workload, and the travel were all too much for her freshman year, so she negotiated leaving the team and transferred to working with the volleyball team as stats keeper via the A-Board--she did all of that by herself without any adult intervention.

She worked a student life job in the English department where she has received nothing but the highest of praise from the deans and professors she works for. In fact, they are all arguing who she is going to work for next year when they transfer into various departments. They all want her. And another department secretly recruited her behind the scenes.
She applied for and was accepted at as LAMP (Leadership And Mentoring Program) leader next year. This is the group that welcomes and does orientation for incoming freshman. She will supervise and guide a group of incoming freshman next year.

She participated in Traditions (it's a Judson thing) and joined the Lion Family. She did sneaky, Fun Bus activities, step sing, president's events, presentations, introduced speakers at chapel, attended several formal events and dinners, and developed relationships with many of her professors. She made the short list for the freshman class J-Day court (but didn't make the court). She worked, took a full load both semesters, maintained her GPA, and participated in everything Judson had to offer.

Elaina donated every time the blood mobile was on her campus and encouraged her friends to get in line with her to great results. She is terrified of needles and shots to the point of panic attacks. She worked the campus serve days in Marion and volunteered at many campus events.

She was invited to participate in short term next spring on a trip to Italy where she is taking a religion class and an art/music appreciation class. She's coming home this summer to work and hang out with me and Lillian. We plan on visiting Elise while she's on the road at camp. Elaina has developed heart friends that she has grown with spiritually, emotionally, and academically.

• So, both of my daughters chose Christian colleges on their own without serious prompting from me.  
• Both girls joined their college versions of the welcome staff. 
• Both girls are serving on the Fun Bus committees for their campuses.
• Both girls have part time work study jobs on campus where they were acclaimed for their work ethic, professionalism, and character. 
• Both girls participated in every single Fun Bus activity that their campuses offered. 
• Both girls have been active in their home churches. 
• Both girls adore and get along with their roommates and friend groups. 

For those who spitefully use me or feel compelled to criticize my spiritual walk and influence on the students around me--whip yours out and I'll compare it with mine. Spiritual fruit, that is. ;-) Because when you begin measuring rights and wrongs against your fellow man sometimes you come up higher on the scale and sometimes you wind up short. This year, we happen to be killing it, so back up a few feet and contemplate before coming for my spiritual walk. I guarantee Johnsonville is winning in our current season.