Dealing with Struggles

The Class of 2019 did not disappoint the Boston Trinity Academy community when they led the annual Junior Chapel on Wednesday morning.

Guided by Dan Mawhinney and Edneesha Firmin, the "Dealing with Struggles" themed program moved smoothly through scriptures, student perspectives, songs led by an all-junior worship team, and prayers in multiple languages reflecting BTA's diversity.

Megan Malkemes set the tone by performing an original "spoken word" about the feeling of being overwhelmed and realizing that God carries us.

Robert Peguero then read Philippians 4:4-9 and 11-13:

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

...Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Giving the first of three top notch speeches, Evan Weston said the purpose of Wednesday's Chapel was to make students think about troubles, struggles, and anxiety, and how they dealt with them. She asked, "Are your methods working?" She told students of coming to the realization that "I am not in control of my own life." She exhorted them on the importance of making time for God; she reminded them that God does not abandon His people in the midst of their struggling. "God gives us struggle but does not leave us in it," she concluded.

Yasmin Robinson then took the podium to confess, "I am a very stressed-out person." She said the struggle never stops; students get up, come to class, do projects, go to sports, do homework, fall asleep, then get up the next day and do it all over again. Then came an unwelcome assignment: she was required to do a Discipline of Solitude project, where she had to spend two hours just sitting in silence. She began to pray, praying through all kinds of issues and requests, until she found she was just sitting quietly before God. She realized she can't do everything on her own – she needs God's help. "Eventually we all reach a limit," she said. "Rest and recharge is essential, but we have to turn to God for replenishment spiritually." She challenged her fellow students to incorporate the discipline of solitude in their own lives.

Coming forward as the last of the three speakers, Paul Chin began, "When we think of God being greater than the struggle, we think of victory. Does this mean we always come out on top? We use the phrase 'victory in Jesus,' but what is the victory?" He asked the students to consider: if God lets people succumb to the problems they face, hasn't He lost the battle? No, for God overcomes the struggle. We will all go through struggles and trials, but we have the hope of the resurrection. "God is stronger than your struggle," Paul concluded. "There is nothing you cannot overcome through Him."

As a way to reflect the diversity of Boston Trinity Academy, prayers for the school and student body were offered in several languages: Lauren Millien prayed in English, Chris Picard in Spanish, Yasmin Robinson in French, Kyle Smith in Chinese, and Jo Tran in Vietnamese; Maggie McPherson closed the service by leading the student body in the Lord's Prayer in English.