Here at Mount Calvary, I have learned that to be a true servant to God is not only reading His word, but going out and practicing His commands.  I have also learned that no matter how much we sin, God never turns His back on us.  And, undoubtedly, the greatest lesson of all, that our Lord gave His one and only Son that we might have life.  That is just amazing to me.  To give up your only son to give life to those who will sin against you an uncountable amount of times.  But, that shows how much He loves us.  At Mount Calvary, they have taught us students not only to read God's word, but to go out into the world and put His commands into practice.

God has a plan for everyone.  One part of His plan for me was to grow up without a father.  My mother taught me that to be successful in life, you must work hard, be diligent, dedicated, and persistent to achieve your goals.  I really have to thank my mother and my grandmother for all the time they have spent with me and all the wisdom they have shared with me preparing me for my journey out of Mount Calvary and into the world full of temptation.

Making important choices is an important lesson I have learned here.  You make a million and one choices a day.  And every single one of them affects your life in one way or another.  The choices my class and I will make in high school will affect us for the rest of our lives.  Our choice of friends, our classes, and how we choose to apply ourselves to our schoolwork all have a great influence on our chances to succeed.

As I look back on my journey not only through Mt. Calvary, but through life, I have had a lot of help.  My teachers, my friends, and my family have all assisted me in my journey.  I do not have to do it alone.  God says in Isaiah 43:2, "As you pass through the waters; I will be with you; And through the waters, they will not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched.  Nor will the flame burn you."  The Lord will always be with me in my journey through life.  As I graduate from Milwaukee Lutheran High School, I plan to attend Harvard University and Harvard Medical School.  It is my plan to become an anesthesiologist and help my family for all they have done for me.  I would like my mother to be able to get everything she wants.  My grandmother will never have to work again.  Although I can try, I will never be able to repay my family for all they have done for me.  There is someone else I can never repay.  Our Lord Jesus died for all our sins and there is nothing any of us can ever do to repay Him for it.  But there is one thing we can do for Him, and that is to praise Him with all of our hearts, minds, and souls, as I will do for as long as I live.