Posted August 5, 2015 by
Tags: My Wheaton Global and Experiential Learning
My Summer Internship at Harvest Bible Chapel
Q: How did Wheaton equip you for this internship?
A: The Wheaton community is full of people who will push you to become the best version of who the Lord has made you to be. Professors, Center for Vocation and Career advisers, and various directors have all done this for me in some capacity. They support your God-given passions and desires and point you to avenues that help develop them. Classes and involvement in student groups have engendered in me a work ethic that is nothing but beneficial outside of the Wheaton campus. Hard work, though it may not have become any easier, has become much more expected and manageable. Also, the spiritual growth that happens beyond the classroom at Wheaton has deepened a love for and trust in God and his calling for my life.
Q: What have been some of your "favorite moments" during your internship?
A: My most favorite moment from my internship took place one night when my supervisor invited our staff team to his family’s home for dinner. We spent the evening sharing good food, telling stories, worshiping through song and relaxing together. It was a beautiful community moment filled with genuine care for each other. It was a moment that made me confident that there was a great purpose for this summer. My second favorite moment happened at the first of our Young Adult ministry gatherings. Being able to come together with people in a similar place in life and worship together is exciting. It was an evening that was the beginning of something beautiful. My last favorite memory entails all of small the conversations that I’ve had with people in my department. These men and women have spoken some profound truths into my life and taken the time to tackle the difficult things with me. The Lord has blessed them with unmatched drive and passion and I am so grateful to glean from it.
Q: What are three things that you’ve learned during your internship this summer?
- Even the best jobs are filled with “grunt work.” Sometimes it can be burdensome and a bit frustrating, but doing it and doing it well is all the more worth it. It’s from these small tasks that you can build diligence and endurance, while ultimately preparing you for the greater, bigger things to come. Plus, you are usually doing them for good reason: to make someone else’s day a lot easier.
- Trust is a necessity in surprising ways. It is also slow to grow in many cases. I have learned that in leadership, if you don’t have peoples’ trust, even if you have a title, then your ministry or mission is void. It sounds like common sense, but it permeates every relationship, near or far.
- Pay attention to the tension. I’m in a phase of life where I’m trying to decipher what it would look like to meld my calling, passions, and vocation together. It is a lot harder than I thought, and I feel caught in a place without a lot of clarity. I’ve learned that it does no good to rush through these seasons, so I’ve learned to sit back, lean into the Lord, and trust that he will bring sweet clarity in his time.
Photo captions (from top): (Stage): This is what a typical rehearsal looks like. Leading worship is not only something that I truly believe is a calling on my life, but it is an avenue in which the Lord gives me the most joy. (Behind camera) This summer I have been learning so much about the production side of creative ministry. What you may see on any given Sunday morning has hours and hours of prep behind it. (Group selfie) This is my team! I have had the privilege of working with some of the most innovative, God-fearing people I know. What I have learned from them are things that I will take with me as I go further into this ministry and beyond.
Charlotte Hallstrom '16 is a senior Communication and Biblical and Theological Studies major who interned at Harvest Bible Chapel this summer. Share your summer internship experiences using the hashtag #MyWheaton.