Andrea Saccoccio

Ah… summer. It's Henri Nouwen time – meaning that this is the season in which I have time to read, think, and read some more. I love summer!

In his book Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life, Nouwen reminds us that "Gratitude… is a response to grace. The compassionate life is a grateful life, and actions born out of gratefulness are not compulsive but free, not somber but joyful, not fanatical but liberating. When gratitude is the source of our actions, our giving becomes receiving and those to whom we minister become our ministers." I cannot help but look back on this year and see how true this has been in campus ministry. We have had many opportunities to receive and practice grace with one another, and we have all walked away grateful; grateful for the chance to slug through hard things together, to be a part of the healing of others and to see God meet us in the midst of it, and to find ourselves drawn more deeply in for the attempt. I am honored that I have the privilege to walk with students on their journey of faith and that they challenge me to live more authentically as well. It just doesn't get much better than that!

I am also honored that Whitworth grants me space to grow. By the end of this summer I hope to be halfway through coursework for a D.Min. at Fuller Seminary. I am also gearing up for another Jan Term in South Africa, and I continue to look for ways that my church can be connected there. Summer is a recharging time of sorts, so I am eager to read, explore the Northwest on my trusty bicycle, and catch up with friends. Thank you for your continued encouragement and prayers, and stop in if you're in town! Blessings.