Monday, October 08, 2018

The Recruiter


I often see Katy, the young lady you will meet below, at Christmas time. As you'll see, we are distantly related and since this was penned, I've  met her husband, Brian, and children. Katy is special and still works for Oklahoma Christian University, now in the arena of student retention. This mini biography is from April 30, 2007.

Katy came to see me today. A recruiter for Oklahoma Christian University, Katy is assigned to the Houston area and frequently visits Westbury Christian School. We have a history. Her grandfather and my mom were distant cousins and she is also the niece of my brother Dave. She wasn't scheduled to be here today; her assignment was another Christian school in the area. But when she heard the Oklahoma Christian Jazz Band was performing at WCS, she paid us a call. As she always does, Katy dropped in during one of my Bible classes. Since she had no official responsibilities this afternoon, she spent most of the forty-five minutes with us. She sat in a student desk and even took our memory verse with twenty high school kids. I was impressed that she carried her New Testament in her purse and brought it out as we reviewed. Our Scripture homework was 1st Peter 3, verse 15:
"But in your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..."
Katy made a good grade, especially with zero advanced warning. I'm pretty sure she could pass my class, even if we weren't sort-of related.

Going over the memory verse in my different sections, we discussed the meaning of Peter's writing. I mentioned Peter comes off as abrasive in the gospels but with the wisdom that is age induced, he speaks of the need to be a non-threatening beacon in a gloomy world. I told the kids that if we are different because of Jesus, others will take note and be curious. We were reminded that Christianity is a religion of persuasion, not brutal force and we need to be able to explain our optimism in the Lord. And as we moved to the gym for our concert, I watched as Katy interacted with our WCS family. I have seen a great number of college recruiters over the years but Katy is the best. She excels because she embodies what Peter penned in that epistle. It's obvious she loves Oklahoma Christian as well her role in seeing it continue to grow. She doesn't force herself on the kids. They come to her and she tells them about her school without demeaning their other options. Katy speaks with the fluidity of one confident in the message she is spreading because it has become intertwined with her mission; not a quota of incoming freshmen but the connecting of youngsters with an environment where they can flourish. She is making inroads here just by being herself. Just think what that means. The choice of a college can determine your mate, your occupation, your state of residence, and your spiritual development. You know, Katy just may have altered some destinies today. My guess is that Peter would be proud.


Applicable quote of the day:
"The quality of a university is measured more by the kind of student it turns out than the kind it takes in."
Robert J. Kibbee


God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

http://www.hawleybooks.com/
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

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