2018: A Year of Learning

2018 was a year of learning new things. I took a step of faith and moved to a tiny Bible college in California that most people have never heard of. And it was so worth it! My worldview and perspectives are changing, and that’s one reason I haven’t written updates as much. I’m still learning how to process and communicate everything I’m learning. Being encouraged to rethink my beliefs and ask a lot of hard questions about my faith, the world, and life is new to me.

That’s one of my favorite things about Eternity Bible College. They don’t teach you what to think or believe about Christianity, the Bible, and the world; they teach you how to think. They teach about worldview and philosophy and history, and how we all have presuppositions that affect our beliefs. There are so many times we’ve studied a hard passage in the Bible, and our professor gives us multiple views from different scholars. The decision is then left up to us to decide what we believe, based on our own study of the Bible. Before attending school here, I was never challenged to think through things like this, and I'm thankful for the chance to become more rooted and grounded in God's word. I’ve found myself countless times this past year thinking about how God led me here and how thankful I am for Eternity Bible College. It's a blessing learn Biblical worldview from such knowledgeable professors, with wonderful classmates, and to do so at a reasonable cost.

I currently live in a house with 3 other girls, a dog, and a kitten. My roommates are amazing and I live close enough to bike to school. I work in the school library as well as babysitting. At Cornerstone Church I’ve gotten connected in children’s ministry, a community group, and a global ministry prayer group. Cornerstone has a huge focus on missions, which is one reason I love attending there!

In November, there were some major fires that swept through right near Simi Valley, destroying thousands of acres and hundreds of homes. We could see the flames and smoke from my house. Around the same time there was also a shooting in a nearby town, and some of my classmates lost friends. Those were a rough couple weeks. Experiencing tragedies like these has strengthened my hope for the Jesus’ return when he will restore the world and there will be no more pain and suffering.

This past semester I took two major classes: Foundations 1 and Old Testament Module. In Foundations, we study world and church history, philosophy, world religions, and culture. The Old Testament class is a 9 credit in-depth study of the Hebrew Bible. Each class is discussion based, which means homework is reading, answering questions, and coming to class ready to discuss what we’ve learned. For an idea of how much reading we do, Foundations required 19 books! I love the small, tight-knit classes (pictured below) and discussion style! Both of these classes continue into next semester, so I’ll have the same workload through the spring.

For those of you who have been supporting and following my journey for a while, my goal is still to move to Japan after school. I’ve been talking with the mission directors at Cornerstone, as well as a missions sending agency called Encompass World Partners. It’s encouraging because Cornerstone currently has 3 missionaries in Osaka, Japan. I’m hoping to connect with them and prayerfully consider joining their team in the future. This would be a few years down the road after I finish school.

Currently I’m deciding if I should complete the 2-year degree at EBC, or continue to get their bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies. I’m leaning toward the 4 years but haven’t made my decision yet. Either way I’ll be in California for a couple more years! I would love support and prayer as I make these decisions and work towards the goal of moving to Japan long-term. You can be praying for wisdom in regards to job searching, buying a car, my living situation, and health and insurance issues.

I will be writing again soon to go into more detail about what I’ve been learning, specifically about 2 topics that are important to me: the gospel and missions. Until then, blessings in Christ,

Allana