Hello everyone at Calvary Chapel University!
It’s hard to believe that about two years have passed since I completed my master’s at CCU. I was currently a PE teacher working at Calvary Christian Academy in Philadelphia PA. I was hired there, with a BA in Psychology. During my years of teaching, I longed to fine tune my teaching skills, but never dreamed that I would ever be able to afford it , let alone have time to do it pursue my Masters in education. Let me add, that I was also a wife, the mother of three (not including in-laws) and a cheer-leading coach at the time. Each year prior, CCU would come to our conferences, and I would talk the representative’s ears off, telling them how much I would love to continue my education with them, only to have my dream deflated with the reality that time and the money were scarce. There was also a bit of doubt that I had the intellect to actually pull it off. However, God had a different plan. God planted that desire deep within, and then granted me the privilege of becoming at student at CCU, with the assistance of my husband and my school administration! Praise the Lord! I was excited and scared at the same time! How in the WORLD was I going to be able to pull this off, with the little spare time that I had in between my other responsibilities? By God’s grace I did it!
Since completing my master’s at CCU, I continue to work as a PE teacher and cheer coach at Calvary Christian Academy. There is a big difference, however. Through the Biblical teachings at CCU, I am instructing with a deeper knowledge of God’s perspective and goals for me as the teacher, and for my students and athletes as His flock. My goal is for each of my students and athletes to know the Lord for themselves, and for them to pull out all of what God has placed within them.
CCU lit a fire within me that catapulted me to a higher paradigm. Each professor inspired me by their knowledge of God’s Word and through their careful guidance of making sure I was equipped to not only teach, but to lead. I never felt as if I was taking “fluff “courses. Each course gave me the desire to dig deeper into God’s Word as well as my desire to model Christ’s example of the Master Teacher and Leader. I was thrilled to do homework! I felt like I was in a continual Bible study with each lesson and through each course!
I must admit that I have the desire to pursue more with CCU. I never thought that I would love learning this much, but CCU has unveiled what my mother longed for me many years ago. Through the encouragement from my professors, I have become even more emboldened to embrace what God lays on my heart. One milestone that we were able to accomplish in my school was the purchasing of four water stations in the building. Now that might not seem like a big deal, but it was a huge deal that started as just an idea. I literally felt the Lord in an unthinkable way, helping a small school like us raise over $4.000… in two months! The details are many, but God is the star of the show! I am thankful that He used me to spearhead this project and boy did God provide me with a winning supporting cast!
I don’t know all that the Lord has for me. All I know is that CCU has taught me that there are no limits when trusting our God. I’m content just being a more Christ centered, Spirit filled servant of my Master. Thank you CCU! I pray that God does exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you can ask or think. You’ve been a blessing in my life. I pray to give back to you in whatever way the Lord moves.
With much love and gratitude,
Sherry Richardson