By Elexcia Washington
SBS Parent & former Director of Advancement
There’s a passage in 2 Kings about a woman blessed with a child because of her kindness toward a prophet. The child falls ill and dies. The woman doesn’t murmur or complain—not even to her husband—she just affirms that “it is well.” The Bible says she saddles her donkey and heads straight to the one who can fix the situation. There’s another mother mentioned in Genesis; she is treated harshly by her mistress and runs away to the desert. The Lord finds her crying by a well, hopeless and wondering what would come of the child she carried.
While I strive to be like the woman in 2 Kings, there have been times when I’ve found myself in what felt like a desert, hopeless and wondering what would come of my sons. The beginning of 2017 was such a time. My family had recently gone through a family transition, and I, like the woman in Genesis, wondered what would become of my children. The position I held at the time was becoming more demanding and unconducive for the type of mother I wanted to be. In addition to the growing demands at my job, I had become more aware of the value and moral conflicts sprouting at my boys’ school. I knew that if I wanted my sons to become the godly men I desired them to be, I needed—at the very least—to find them a better educational environment.
Immediately, I began calling and visiting private schools across the region. But when I came to StoneBridge School during an Open House, something was different. The Upper School principal at the time, Mr. Dan Jester, dismissed everyone with a prayer for God’s will—not our desire, but God’s desire for all the families in attendance. When I toured the campus, the atmosphere was different; I felt a peace and calm. When it came time to sign the contract, any lingering doubts were erased once I attended the parent interview with the Lower School principal—she prayed over my boys.
My boys started school that August, and soon after, God opened a door for me to work at StoneBridge as the director of development. While serving in that capacity, I led SBS fundraising efforts. Over the next seven years my boys and I ventured together to 1629 Jolliff Road every morning. Each teacher patiently came alongside my sons. They helped them learn organization skills and practice Christian self-government. They nurtured in them a love for reading. When I came to school, praying before meetings and freely being able to talk about the Word and the Lord was cathartic, healing. Being around a diverse body of believers also drew me closer to the Lord in prayer and Bible study as I listened and tried to understand a variety of “Christian perspectives” on a host of issues.
StoneBridge School served as a place of healing, growth, and protection for my family. A few months ago, my time as an employee came to an end; it was a decision made after much prayer. So while I no longer work at the school, I know my time here has prepared me to be more empathetic toward the people I encounter and serve at my new place of employment. My boys continue to flourish, mature, and develop as young Christian men. While Upper School is slightly different from where they first started, the teachers, coaches, mentor groups, and chapels call and encourage them to be more Christ-like.
Sometimes, when I watch my sons at a cross country or track meet laughing with their friends, I just smile because I am so happy about what the Lord has done and what he’s doing. I am so grateful that I am no longer sitting in a desert place, wondering what will become of my children. I can confidently say, “It is well with my soul.” And I know I can say that because God saw me, and my boys, and he sent us StoneBridge School.
