Judson College is pleased to announce that the speaker for its annual Christian Emphasis Week, which will take place on January 24-26, is Grace Thornton, a freelance writer, blogger, and correspondent for The Alabama Baptist. She is the author of the book I Don’t Wait Anymore: Letting Go of Expectations and Grasping God’s Adventure for You, in which she encourages readers to let go of their own plans and allow God to write the story of their lives.
Thornton will speak in three special worship services in Judson’s Ramsay-McCrummen Chapel at 11:05 on January 24, 25, and 26. All three services are open to the public.
Thornton will also be the guest speaker at a special session for pastors, presented by Judson College in partnership with the Office of LeaderCare and Church Health of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, on January 24. A free copy of I Don’t Wait Anymore will be provided to those who attend. For more information about this workshop, contact Jill Stokes at 800-264-1225 ext. 316 or jstokes@alsbom.org.
For more than 70 years, the Judson community has set aside a week during the spring semester to focus on spiritual growth. This practice originated with the request of a Judson student. During the 1943-1944 academic year, junior Mary Essie Stephens asked Judson President Dr. John Riddle if it might be possible to bring special guests to campus to encourage the college community in their spiritual lives. Riddle agreed. With the support of Judson’s faculty and staff, Stephens planned Judson’s first Religious Emphasis Week, which would become the annual event now known as Christian Emphasis Week. Stephens graduated from Judson in 1945 and in 1954 entered what would become a thirty-year career as executive director of Alabama WMU.
For additional information about Christian Emphasis Week or other spiritual development programs at Judson, contact Cynthia White at cwhite1@judson.edu or 334-683-5107. To learn more about Grace Thornton, visit http://gracefortheroad.com.
Photo: Grace Thornton, courtesy gracefortheroad.com.