by Kevin Henneberger I found some great guidelines in the Sermon on the Mount
My name is Kevin Henneberger and I’m from Texas (spoken with a twang). I have been attending Texas A&M University for four years, and I am here this summer as a TMC Youth intern. Although Texas is incredible, I couldn’t wait to move to a new city, live in a different environment and culture, and work at the church I love so much. I left behind two sisters (Laura & Holly), my parents (Dwight & Cynthia), and my dog (Buddy).
I really didn’t know what to expect when I arrived. I knew that TMC Youth organizes CSO Summits, but I wondered if I would be spending all of my time brainstorming ideas for next Labor Day weekend? The answer is most certainly no.
The first day of work, after preliminary paper work and a metaphysical meeting, Susie (a coworker who works with Sunday Schools) invited me to lunch. In the time it took to buy a sandwich and walk back to our office, I had taken on the responsibility of “Head Youth Usher” for the Sunday School Workshop which was scheduled for the day before Annual Meeting. I consider myself great at organizing things, so that job’s responsibilities weren’t difficult. But combined with a new work environment, recording podcasts, keeping up with our website, brainstorming Summit ideas, creating PowerPoint presentations, and running the myBibleLesson logistics for Annual Meeting, I had my hands full.
I was on the brink of being overwhelmed. I experienced fatigue, and doubted my own abilities. The great thing about working here is that every one of my tasks already had something to do with prayer. And most of them coincided with Annual Meeting’s focus on the Sermon on the Mount.
Working with the Sermon on the Mount allowed me to work and pray at the same time. It is such an incredible feeling to have a unity of work and personal prayer! My study of the Beatitudes, “the poor in spirit,” and those “which do hunger and thirst after righteousness,” stuck with me when I read them my first day here—right up until I read them on stage at the Sunday School Workshop. I am blown away with the significance of everything Jesus said; he charged all of the people he spoke to—and us—with clear guidelines of the Christ.
My goal for this summer is to be inspired, to find direction. After two weeks in Boston, I‘ve learned the benefits of praying while you work. During my long days and short nights, I can still express glory and productivity, thanks to a constant expression of the Christ. I know that the guidelines in the Sermon on the Mount will lead me towards all the inspiration I need.
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I love the idea of praying as you go. Action and thought really are one thing.
With your increasing responsibilities, I suppose there’s no danger of the Peter Principle [see http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/peter%20principle] when you know that your real work is always to better understand divine Principle.
Kevin
You are a real inspiration. Thanks for your blog.
I really like how you’re putting the Sermon on the Mount into practice. You’re inspiring me to do the same. Thanks for writing about your experience.
You were a great inspiration to me! I agree with Lili, it was awesome how you put the Sermon on the Mount to practice. I am grateful for your blog because I can use it in daily life and learn from it. Thanks again.
-Lucy
woahhhhhh!!!! wot an inspiration!!!!! superhero style!
Hey Kevin,
No wonder the Sunday School workshops were so inspiring and flowed so smoothly — look at all that spiritual prep work you did your first week on the job! Sounds like you’re really livin’ those Be-Attitudes and blessing the whole earth (including your best Buddy) as a result!
PS to readers: If you don’t know who Buddy is, see Kevin’s bio….
Way to go, Kevin!!
You are inspiring… and inspired! Keep up all the good work!
We miss you in Aggieland!
Debbie
kev-
it is one of my favorite blessings to re-discover the most simple & meaningful truths from my own personal experiences. how refreshing that Christ’s word can be such an inspiration time after time, & under all circumstances!
gig ‘em bro!
This is inspiring indeed.Thank you for sharing
kevin, nice blog entry. telling the story of your own experience is especially useful when the experience deepened your own understanding of the Sermon. good going.
Back here in Texas we are riding the crest of the recurring wave of complaints about the rain - from drought to flood. Jesus’ concludes his sermon on the mount with the parable of the wise man that built his house (dwelling, center of affection and thought) on the rock as opposed to the sand. It reminds me that whatever we do in daily life (wherever we park our mobile home), we should make sure that our thought is firmly grounded in Truth, God - the Truth that is Life.