Happy New Year! 2025 is here! Can you believe it? You are halfway through the school year. Where has the time gone?
It is time to reflect on last year and celebrate what you have done. Then, think about your goals for this year.
Why set goals? 1. They help you plan and prepare. 2. They can help reduce stress.
Luke 14:28 says, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”
Setting new goals is a way to plan for the new year and to count the cost of what you need to do to achieve your plan. Let’s start with the past and move into the future:
Celebrate your accomplishments 1. Learned about American culture, English, and new traditions. 2. Tried new things: foods, sports, activities, and making friends. 3. Improved study habits, grades and asking for help.
Reflect on What You Can Do 1. Talk more and watch less. Reduce your screen time on your phone or video games. 2. Make good choices for food, sleep, exercise, and study time. 3. Spend time with friends and family.
Reset Your Goals 1. What do you want to accomplish? Start with three goals. 2. How can you show gratitude? Do something kind. 3. What fun activity would you like to do? Plan it.
Do you feel better about the year? Now, you are prepared to start the year in a good way with your new goals. We are proud of you! We pray that you continue to try your best and have fun.
It’s hard to believe that 2025 is here! We are surrounded with messages of goal setting for 2025, everything from diet to exercise to financial planning. But, for us host families the start of 2025 also means that our hosting experience is halfway over. Wow. I can’t believe that much time has already passed.
For me, that makes me reflect back to August 2024 before my student arrived and all the hopes and dreams I envisioned for my student and her year in America. I’m taking this time to ask myself these questions before the rest of the year slips by:
Has she made American friends and am I helping her to cultivate those new relationships?
How is she doing academically? Can I support her in any way here or push her to challenge herself? Am I celebrating her successes with her?
Is she participating in school sports, clubs or activities to truly get the most out of her American High School Year? Can I encourage her to try new things?
How has my family adjusted to our new family member? Can we be doing more to teach her about our traditions and values? Have we given her the opportunity to share her culture and traditions with us?
And most importantly, have we introduced her to the love of Christ? Is she engaged in church, youth group, bible reading and prayer? How can we assist her with her spiritual journey?
I think of the bible verses, 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.”
I would like to start 2025, by thanking each of you who chose to open your home to a student this year. You are a blessing to AHLI and your student, and we are very grateful for you. For those of you, like me, who have reached the mid-point in your hosting experience, I would ask you to reflect on your journey and ask yourself these questions to see if 2025 should begin with new goals for you, your student and most importantly in laying the foundation for their relationship with Jesus Christ. Happy New Year and thank you for all you’re doing!
About Stacy and Inés
Stacy is the AHLI Program and Marketing Director. She has hosted students from 7 countries during her nine years at AHLI. Last year her family hosted Inés through an AHLI short term sports camp program and quickly formed a close relationship with Inés and her parents. When Inés decided to return as a J-1 student this year, her parents requested that she be placed with Stacy’s family again. Stacy’s daughter and Inés have forged a bond and share many of the same hobbies and interests. Inés has truly become a member of their family.
Inés is a student from Spain enrolled in AHLI’s J-1 program. She is a senior attending Conestoga Valley High School in PA. Inés has been very active in school life and enjoys participating in activities with her host family and friends. Volleyball is her favorite sport, and she has played on both the school team and a club volleyball team since arriving in the US. One of her favorite things about this year so far has been her volleyball senior night at the high school.
Inés, Stacy, and Kaylee
Inés, Stacy, and Kaylee at their Volleyball Senior Night
