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Welcome to another issue of The Enlightener.
As part of the Spotlight series, we connected with Hannah Kuruvilla, a committed member of the IAG worship team, and an incoming freshman. Despite the challenges with the pandemic and college preparations, Hannah looks forward to living her life with faith and joy.
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1. What's your favorite Bible verse and why?
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My favorite Bible verse is Romans 5:8. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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Having been part of JBQ and memorizing endless amounts of scriptures, this verse always stood out to me. I didn't know it at that time, but I would always remember this verse even after I left JBQ. Romans 5:8 reminds us how the love of God was shown through his suffering on the cross even though we did not deserve it. This verse puts it into perspective that even when we were so deep in our sins and walked away from God, God loved us so much that he wanted to restore our relationship with Him, so He gave His life for us. This is a verse that I always remember and find comfort in when I go through struggles.
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2. Who is your role model and why?
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My mom is my role model in life. There are times when I look back and see the godly examples she set for her family. Her faith in God motivates me to reach for a stronger relationship with my Creator. The countless sacrifices she made for my brothers and I in taking care of us while putting her career out of the way. She has taught me the importance of family and how they should be a priority in life. Her sacrifice in life by choosing her family first over her own desires has changed my perspective on the word “family”. It made me realize the importance of putting my family first in every area of my life. Her faith in God and her family priority are key examples that motivate me in striving for my own relationship with my God and someday with a family of my own.
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3. What is the last book you read?
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The last book I read was The Night by Elie Wiesel for school. A great book that focuses on Wiesel’s holocaust experience and the suffering he went through. It reminds us of how we take things for granted in today's era.
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4. If you could describe yourself using a hashtag, what would your hashtag be?
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My hashtag would be #foodforlife. I am a big foodie who loves anything to do with food. I am always the first one to go anywhere if there is food involved.
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5. What is something you enjoy doing?
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From a young age, I have always had a passion for the piano. I have been playing the piano ever since I was six and still love playing it for myself and for my family. Piano has always been my source of comfort in expressing my feelings and my thoughts. Although I never had any professional music experience growing up, something about the piano – the black and white keys and the sound it resonates – attracted me towards it. The best part about it is when I start playing any song, I try to add my own flair and other chord progressions or even a couple of notes to make it my own. Even if it's totally strange or a random note, it's fun to mess around and have fun doing what I enjoy.
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7. What are some things God has taught you in the midst of this pandemic?
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I had been feeling stressed and worried about a lot of things, and when the pandemic got more serious, it felt like another pile of brick stones were added upon me. I had a lot on my plate from events in school and church, my AP studies, friends and families, piano, stress about COVID, etc. There were times when the amount of stress and worry I had accumulated within me reached a breaking point. I felt like I had so many things to do and so many responsibilities that I needed to get done but I just couldn't keep moving forward. .
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During the pandemic, God taught me to place all my worries and anxieties on Him. He reminded me that I don't have to worry about anything because God controls everything. I just have to cast my cares to God, and He will give me the peace in my heart to get through with it. With God's help and His peace, I do not have to be worried and stressed out. I’m thankful that the time that God gave me during the pandemic helped me to grow stronger in my relationship with God. I learned that I could go to God with my problems and struggles and talk to him as a best friend because He is the only one who will never let me down and who will always listen and hear those who call on His name.
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As I prepare for my first year in college, I look forward to continuing the same level of faith and rely on Jesus for strength and comfort.
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8. What do you think is the role of the youth in church?
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The role of the youth in our church is to be anointed leaders in serving various ministries. I believe that we are all leaders with different potential to do a lot for our church.
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Everyone has a talent or skill that God has given them that someone else may not have. It is how we use those skills in serving others in and outside of our church. It's not about being in the spotlight either preaching or being part of the worship team. Even taking the time to volunteer for various events in/out of the church and being actively involved is what I think we as youths should do. At the same time, each of us needs anointing in the ministries we take part in, so that God can fully use us in drawing people towards him.
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9. If you could talk to one person from the Bible, who would it be and why?
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I would want to talk to Noah in the Bible because I would want to know what it was like in building that famous Ark and what it must have been like with all those animals. It would be cool to go back in time and see how the Ark was made and capture the animals' first steps inside the Ark. I was always intrigued about the story of Noah and how his obedience to the Lord saved him and his family.
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