Graduation Sentiments

To Family, Friends and Colleagues:

As another chapter in my life comes to a close and another opens, I want to reflect on how this moment of celebration has come to pass.

I count it a blessing and a privilege by God’s grace to graduate from Western Seminary. Since I entered Western nearly four years ago, there have been moments in my life when I was physically and emotionally weak and overwhelmed. Watching on with my family members as my father struggled with cancer, transitioning into a new life without my dad, and supporting my mother through the lonely times have all challenged my faith in God and my endurance.

I want to testify to God’s faithfulness. The times when I was emotionally overwhelmed to the point of despair, the Holy Spirit renewed me. When I needed to speak out my anger and frustration about the hardships of life, God was listening. As I read God’s words in the Bible, I was renewed with an eternal perspective beyond my immediate circumstances. And in the moments when my faith failed, God comforted me with his compassion and forgiveness. What an awesome God we serve!

In addition to God’s intervention, many of you served as intercessors of prayer on my behalf. I remember at times when I could not pray, some of you told me you were praying for me. Some of you took me out for ice cream when I needed to get out of the house. Others of you have tangibly helped our family with projects around the house and with other practical needs. All of you graciously provided a listening ear. Each one of you has had a part in sustaining me through the hard time of life over the past four years all the way to graduation. I want to thank you for your encouragement and support.

I want to let you know that the next season in my life will include going overseas. Tentatively, I am expecting to leave for Rwanda in the fall where I will be working with African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries (http://www.alarm-inc.org/) to complete my internship and my degree. Details of the internship are not available yet at this time, but I will notify you of further developments when they become available. I am excited to see how God will continue to build my faith and character through this experience. I ask for your continued prayer and support as I venture into this next faith journey.

Let us together take this moment to celebrate God’s faithfulness and blessings, which he has bestowed on each one of us. May we continue to abide in Him.

In His grace,

Andrew Bernhard