What I Learned at Bible College Part II (Jennifer's Perspective)

I learned the importance of grace, both in the divine sense, and from people as well. 
God's grace was so evident in so many ways during my time at CIU. I got to hear from so many different people, walks of life, and perspectives about God and His goodness -- and know that we were all part of the same "family." I learned from the faculty and staff what it looks like to give of yourself; and I mean their time, their energy, their homes, their families, their everything -- to meet us where we were, and guide us in the right direction. As I've mentioned, I failed in various ways, and God's grace continued to point me toward Himself, and rework my stubborn mind and heart. The people there...I don't think I could ever begin to describe how beautiful and wonderful the people are there. I made lifelong friends who are now scattered all over the globe. And, despite our distance, I know we're still friends, and always will be. They helped me discover myself, taught me how to love life, and I will forever be grateful that our paths crossed.

I learned that failure isn't a destination, but could become a catalyst for success
Especially after my academic setbacks, I was aching to feel proficient at something. My friends and the faculty at CIU were so encouraging and supportive of me when I was most unsure of myself. When I transferred back to Texas, I found my feet again. I was more motivated than ever to break my pattern of subpar performance. I started at a community college, taking a few classes, then transferred to a private university, and hit the ground running. I didn't have much of a social life, because I was focusing so much on school, but I was incredibly pleased with my progress, my grades, and eventually, my hard-earned diploma. I think, given my personality, it's easy to sort of accept failure as a final thing...I tend to wallow, and become overwhelmed, and find it hard to recover. This was a moment in my life where I didn't let that happen, and I was and still am incredibly proud.

I rediscovered a passion I had neglected
As I referenced in my other post, one of the things I gained from Bible college was the freedom to love and appreciate literature and art again. That isn't something typically advertised as something you'd get out of Bible college but, I feel like my experience there was a little unconventional.

I'm sure there are countless other things I could mention...CIU was a home away from home, and a place that I will always love.