10 years ago this month
September of 1997 was a pretty significant month. Princess Diana died right before the new month began, and Mother Teresa and Rich Mullins also passed away during September ten years ago.
For me, however, September of 1997 was significant in a different way. It was ten years ago that I went to my first Bible Quizzing event--a kickoff retreat held at Good News Fellowship. For reasons only God knows, I went to this retreat without knowing a single person--something I would never have done as a shy 12-year-old. I have certain memories from that retreat--brushing teeth by the drinking fountain with Sarah, seeing a quiz demo done by Derek and thinking I could never do this because it looked so incredibly hard and hanging out with Crystal, because she was the only person I remotely knew.
In His grace, though, God allowed me to have enough fun in a new situation that I wanted to go back. So I did. And I went back year after year after year. For six years, I Bible quizzed. Looking back on it, I cannot measure the impact it has had on my life. Although I was raised in Awana, quizzing ignited even more of a passion for God's Word in my life. On a secondary level, I learned to become more of a detail person, as a result of the word-perfect rule, I learned discipline in memorizing and many other lessons I'm sure I haven't yet realized, but what keeps coming back to my mind is the love for God's Word instilled in me by quizzing.
Now I'm 22 and helping others get that same love in their hearts. It's weird--familiar faces from my years in quizzing have been replaced by many unknown ones (and some that look just like their siblings with whom I quizzed). I am so incredibly excited, though, because not only do I get to spend time hearing verses I learned years ago come back to mind, but now it's my turn to give back and invest in lives as a return for those who invested in my life all those years. I'm excited because I see these quizzers as being leaders with a solid biblical foundation thanks to quizzing.
For me, however, September of 1997 was significant in a different way. It was ten years ago that I went to my first Bible Quizzing event--a kickoff retreat held at Good News Fellowship. For reasons only God knows, I went to this retreat without knowing a single person--something I would never have done as a shy 12-year-old. I have certain memories from that retreat--brushing teeth by the drinking fountain with Sarah, seeing a quiz demo done by Derek and thinking I could never do this because it looked so incredibly hard and hanging out with Crystal, because she was the only person I remotely knew.
In His grace, though, God allowed me to have enough fun in a new situation that I wanted to go back. So I did. And I went back year after year after year. For six years, I Bible quizzed. Looking back on it, I cannot measure the impact it has had on my life. Although I was raised in Awana, quizzing ignited even more of a passion for God's Word in my life. On a secondary level, I learned to become more of a detail person, as a result of the word-perfect rule, I learned discipline in memorizing and many other lessons I'm sure I haven't yet realized, but what keeps coming back to my mind is the love for God's Word instilled in me by quizzing.
Now I'm 22 and helping others get that same love in their hearts. It's weird--familiar faces from my years in quizzing have been replaced by many unknown ones (and some that look just like their siblings with whom I quizzed). I am so incredibly excited, though, because not only do I get to spend time hearing verses I learned years ago come back to mind, but now it's my turn to give back and invest in lives as a return for those who invested in my life all those years. I'm excited because I see these quizzers as being leaders with a solid biblical foundation thanks to quizzing.
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