God has shown me a lot in the past four months.  The most valuable thing to me that I have learned through this time would be the reminder that He is faithful, He is trustworthy, and He has no exceptions—that nothing can separate me from His love and He is willing to forgive me every time I screw up.  He won’t smite me when I don’t look at Him the way I ought to, etc.  I’d say, if I could leave anyone with anything, remember how He ahs blessed and delivered you in the past, look for the blessings and ways He is delivering you currently, and don’t forget He will continue to do so in the future.  Whatever you’re going through, whether you are on the mountain top or walking through hell on earth—God is always there, always watching and He will get you through.  He will never leave you hanging or alone even if it feels like it.  “For I the Lord your God, hold your right hand, it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you’” (Isaiah 41:13).

My name is Barbara Gonzales and God has taken me to new depths in my faith. I came here to San Diego and the Horizon School of Evangelism on what felt like a whim. I had prayed for months about coming and when God finally answered He said “Why not.” It wasn’t the commanding statement I was looking for but it sparked the heart for adventure that has been lying in my chest for years. So I came and over time the “I think this is where God wants me to be” turned into “I know my God has called me here.”

In the break between HSE 1 and HSE 2 I had to make a decision. Should I finish what I believe God has started in me or do I go back home. Going back home seemed like the overwhelmingly logical thing to do. I had no permanent place to stay, so I was technically homeless, though I never went without a roof over my head. I had no source of income. My vehicle broke down and there was no hope of fixing it. Everyone and everything I knew was back in Colorado. Going home seemed like a big DUH, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t go back because I knew God was doing something here and to go home would be to walk away from the work God was doing in my life. I needed to stay and finish what God had called me to do.

I thought I was insane. I had no good reason for staying, so I prayed. “Lord why am I staying? How can I justify staying here?” God in his astoundingly gentle way said “I’m teaching you faithfulness.” That has been a theme throughout this semester. God has called me to just keep walking in what I know. I know God has called me to this place at this time, so I’ll keep showing up. I know God has called me so I know he will provide. I know God has called me here so I will keep serving whether I fail or prosper. In other words I learned to walk on what I know.

I laugh because a year ago, where God had me I was always saying “I don’t know.” “What happens next?” “I don’t know.” “What are you going to do for work?” “I don’t know?” “What is God doing in your life now?” “I don’t know.”God stripped away all that I thought I knew, but He didn’t leave me like that. He replaced them with things I can say I know. I no longer have to be unsure in my statements. I know what I know and I am confident in that, because God is faithful.

HSE 2 has been one crazy adventure. I almost didn’t go but I am sure glad I stuck it to the end. God has some crazy ways to teach and guide us. My experience through HSE 2 was most taxing on my emotions and faith. I went into HSE 2 with no money and fear, but time and time again my tuition was paid for. It was nuts to see God provide every time. I had never been in this situation of in need and it was really hard for me to truly trust the LORD with this problem. I didn’t have faith that God would pull through, at least for me anyway, but my faith was being strengthened each time my tuition rolled around. And now how silly am I for thinking God wouldn’t or couldn’t provide for me, one of His adopted sons. I have been so blessed by this time in HSE. On the Nehemiah trip God put a calling in my life, to minister to Christians and encourage them in their walk and faith. It is so peaceful now that I know what my calling is, no more stress of what to do with my life. I can confidently walk in faith knowing that if I do the calling on my life that everything will be okay. Then on practicum, to have God tell me the focus of my calling, to minister to the people of Scotland; I couldn’t believe at first what I was hearing.  Me as a missionary was the last thing on my mind. My feelings and convictions were too strong for me to ignore the people of Scotland. The LORD had already given me a new heart for the Scottish people. Also to see Him open doors for me to return was just confirming all the more for me to return to Scotland. I may need to raise $800 a month but after what God did for my semester at HSE, why can’t He provide for my missions trip.

I am thankful for the wonderful staff at school. They are always there to support and encourage. I could not ask for better people to serve under and along with. They are true servant leaders and have set a great example. The teachers are great, sacrificing their time to come and teach a bunch of rag tag Christians who love Jesus. I was blessed to study under the teachers chosen this semester and be encouraged by their words.

God has wrestled me into HSE even before it started and all the way to the end, but I’m glad He is much stronger than me. One last thing I have to say is that: God is so good and I would not trade this time I had at HSE for anything, it was priceless. The friendships, knowledge and wisdom are incomparable to any worth on this earth.

My name is Andrew Tye and God has blessed me immensely during this past 10 months. They have not turned out to be like I expected to be, but instead the Lord has orchestrated them for my sanctification and His glory. There were many areas in my character that needed to change and I didn’t even realize, resulting in brokenness. There is arrogance, and pride resulting in a hard heartedness that the Pharisees had, that Saul had, before the road to Damascus, and that unfortunately people such as myself that grow up in church can develop. Any of that is loss for the sake of Christ and is only rubbish. I have no righteousness of my own; it is only by His grace that I am at peace with God. The Lord has shown me how much I desperately need His help, and how I should be absolutely yielded to Him, and in light of that it says in Romans 8:32 “ He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” If He did not spare His own Son for me then surely He will help me in my weakness to my sin! He has shown me that I should have a desire to love and edify every member of the body, without partiality, and along with that I should earnestly desire spiritual gifts for this purpose. On that note, I have not yet found what the Lord has called me to do, but He has shown me that I should be seeking and desiring to find that out. With all of this being said 1 John 3:18 says “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” So my prayer is that I would not just talk about this, but that my actions will be actually edifying to you my beloved brothers and sisters.

The later is better than the first.

Hse2 has been a real challenge to grow in leadership and to get out of the confort zone. The same opportunity that jesus gave his disciples to go out and adventure in faith as he sent them out to go into the villages to preach the kingdom of heaven.
As this season finishes a new one continues, but not the opportunities to grow in him,. Just as the books of acts continues throughtout the centuries, hse will continue for me having the basis of service and leadership.

To all my beloved hse classmates:

Love for jesus our god and our savior

Preach of his marvelous love and salvation

Serve all without distinction

Be an example in word and in coduct in the church and in the world