Connection Christmas 2022

As Christians around the world
prepare to celebrate the birth of our
Savior, we wanted to pause amid
the holiday activities and reflect on God’s
faithfulness both to Wheaton Academy and
in the individual lives of Academy alumni.
Why is it so important to stop and remember God’s
faithfulness? One reason is that we tend to be quick to forget
His goodness. Our forgetfulness can happen at any time, but it is
especially easy to get caught up in the frenzy of the holidays and
fail to acknowledge gratitude for God’s constancy.
The word remember appears more than 200 times in the Bible.
God commands us to remember His mighty deeds and to praise
His name.
Here are some reflections from the classes of 1972 and 1967
who celebrated their 50-year and 55-year reunions at
Homecoming 2022. They were asked to share their thoughts
and observations on God’s faithfulness in their lives and His
faithfulness to the Academy.
“Give praise to the Lord,
proclaiming His name;
make known among
the nations what He
has done. Sing to Him,
sing praise to Him; tell
of all His wonderful
acts. Glory in His holy
name; let the hearts
of those who seek
the Lord rejoice. Look
to the Lord and His
strength; seek His
face always. Remember
the wonders He has
done, His miracles,
and the judgments He
pronounced.”
1 Chronicles 16:8-12
Barbara (Seven ’72)
VandeVusse
Having been a member of
what I believe was one of the
smallest graduating classes in
the Academy’s history, it was
not hard for me to imagine
that the school would not
last much longer. It is wonderful now to see
how wrong I was! God’s faithfulness has been
demonstrated through the prayers and sacrifices
of generations of WA staff, faculty, and families.
This has been a lesson slowly learned in my life
as well, but with the retrospect of 60+ years, I am
becoming ever more aware of His perfect timing
and magnificent plan.
David Gieser ’67
I will never forget that
moment as a freshman sitting
in the chapel left of the pulpit,
third row, fifth seat from the
center aisle. Years earlier, I had
made a commitment to follow
Jesus, but deep inside I knew
it was shallow. The speaker (if only I could recall
his name) explained salvation in such a way that
it all clicked more deeply and profoundly than
ever before and with my head bowed, I raised
my hand. My life changed that day. To Wheaton
Academy I remain in debt for providing an
education focused on Jesus Christ, anchored in
Biblical truth.
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