By Joyce Benajmin
As our year as Capital Fellows wraps up, we will be challenged to fully apply the lessons and teachings we have learned over the last nine months. My biggest takeaway, as I am sure many fellows would agree, is how God is in every aspect of our lives. (I even wrote my blog last semester on how He is walking with us through the good and bad parts of life.) But as much as we have learned about the peace we only get through Christ, there is that much more controversy, persecution, suffering, and hardship in the Christian life. This past Sunday, Pastor Terence Little read us Colossians 3:12-13 over us:
“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
What do these verses mean for the Christian life, post-fellows? I am walking away from
this year with the reality that my life as a Christian should be radically different than my non-Christian counterparts. The reality of a present and intimate God is life-changing. The
implications go against everything our culture tells us about how we should live. The attributes listed in the verses above are what make the Christian life, a counter-cultural life. To forgive as Christ forgives is impossible to imagine. To live in humility, meekness, patience, and kindness is to die to one’s flesh; it is to reject culture’s selfish habits and take up our crosses to follow Jesus.
Hearing this verse on Sunday made me reflect on these things for my own life. Am I living out these qualities to the people who see me day in and day out? Will I show meekness, humility, and kindness, even when life is tough? This is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit, whose work in and through me is how I can display these radical qualities. Thank the Lord that He has given us such a gift as this, and I pray that as I walk away from my fellows year, into the rest of my life, I can use it to advance His Kingdom here on earth.
Joyce Benjamin is a member of the Capital Fellows class of 2023-24. She is from College Station, TX and is a graduate of Texas A&M University. This year, she is working in the U.S. House of Representatives on Capitol Hill.
Pictures From The Week
Some of the girl Fellows at a tea party!
Friday night pickleball and tennis!
Fellows taking a hike at Great Falls.
Know a Potential Capital Fellow?
If you know a college senior or recent graduate who should consider joining the Capital Fellows program in 2024-25, please encourage them to get in touch with us. The easiest way to express interest in the program is through our Contact Us Form. You can learn more about the program, including application deadlines, by visiting the Capital Fellows website.
About Capital Fellows. Capital Fellows is an advanced leadership and discipleship program for recent college graduates. Through graduate courses, a paid internship, one-on-one mentoring, and many leadership and community service opportunities, fellows develop and apply their gifts in real-world situations while learning to integrate a Christian worldview into all areas of life. Capital Fellows is a unique opportunity to live and work in the Washington DC area and to be an active member of a supportive community that seeks to serve the city with the love of Christ. It is also a unique opportunity to get hands-on experience in the workplace while deeply exploring God’s design for us as workers and contributors to human flourishing.
Pray for the Capital Fellows
Thank you for praying for the Capital Fellows each week!
On Saturday, May 4th, we will gather together for the Capital Fellows Celebration Banquet. This is a great time for family and friends to come and reflect on all God has done this year in the lives of the fellows and in our church. Please pray for this upcoming gathering—that the Fellows' efforts this year will be celebrated and that God would be glorified.
Want to pray for the current Capital Fellows in an ongoing way? Download this handy prayer guide for your phone or tablet.
About The Fellows Initiative
Capital Fellows is part of a network of similar programs across the country. This network is called The Fellows Initiative. There are 34 Fellows programs in TFI, roughly 3,000 alumni living around the world, and more Fellows programs on the way.
If you know a church in the US or Canada that would benefit from joining TFI by launching a new Fellows program. Please contact TFI by visiting their website.
Don't Miss a Blog Post!
Sign up for the Capital Fellows blog email! Emails are sent weekly during the program year. An unsubscribe link is provided in every email.