My name is Zhenya Ballenger. I’m an 8th grade student, and this is how I’m living deeply.
“Middle school can be a really tough season in anyone’s life. I am an anxious person in general, so middle school has increased my worries and anxieties. But there are two places where God’s using Cedar Springs to help with that: the middle school and sports ministries. The middles school leaders, especially Bethany Johnson, have had a big impact. When you’re a middle school student, you’re facing a lot of challenges, some for the first time: feeling anxious about grades at school, getting homework done, anxiety about your friend group and where you fit in, and pressures from some students who are starting to explore inappropriate behavior. Starting with my first summer before entering 6th grade, CSPC’s middle school ministry has held a lot of activities to strengthen me as I face these pressures. These activities have helped me connect with leaders who care, make new friends, and grow spiritually. One of my favorite weekly activities is the MID on Wednesday evenings. We have a large group teaching with games, and then we split up into small groups to discuss. When I come to the MID, I can look forward to getting away from all the daily anxiety to hang out with my friends, talk about issues in small group, and learn what God has to say about the hard things in life. Being a Jesus-follower in middle school can be complicated- sometimes I get funny responses from my friends at school after I tell them about some church activity I was at over the weekend. But that’s okay. I’ve actually invited some of my classmates to church activities. A few have shown up. That’s encouraging. As I finish 8th grade and prepare for high school, I look back with sweet memories of fall camp, silly summer activities like Color Wars and Ice Cream Olympics, and lots of fun Wednesday nights. If you’re a middle school student, I would encourage you to get connected with the middle school ministry. It’s really fun.
The other place where I’ve seen God work in my life at CSPC is through the sports ministry. Playing sports at Cedar Springs helps a large church feel smaller. I’ve played all the sports available through the years: soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, and volleyball in the spring. You get to know people on your team, have devotions with them, and share the highs and lows of your week. And every summer they have such fun sports camps. I’m not a super-competitive, athletic person, but I’ve really enjoyed the basketball, soccer, and cheer & dance during summer camps. I’ve also gotten closer to my friends from the MID at these camps. This past summer, I had the opportunity to be a co-coach at cheer & dance camp. I really enjoyed teaching the 3rd grade girls and helping them have a good experience. I remember the teenage and college cheer camp coaches who helped make that week a really enjoyable experience for me, and I wanted to help give the younger girls that same experience- making them feel welcomed and encouraged. I’m thankful for a church that has so much to offer to everyone, and I hope that continues for years to come.”