Each summer, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) welcomes interns from across the United States for a 10-week opportunity to learn, serve and grow at our headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. Working alongside experienced Christian professionals, interns gain practical experience while supporting ministry areas dedicated to sharing the hope of Jesus Christ around the world.

This summer, Alexia served as an intern with the communications team. Read her reflections on the lessons she learned during her time at BGEA.

One of the most valuable skills I’ve learned while serving at BGEA is the ability to be a sponge. But what does that really mean?

I saw the opportunity to serve as a BGEA communications intern as a chance to put my college coursework into practice. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was surrounded by experienced Christian professionals whom I was eager to learn from.

One of my main responsibilities was creating social media campaigns for upcoming holidays. After I drafted the content and developed the campaign, each post went through several rounds of review and refinement. At first, I felt a slight uneasiness inside, worried that this meant I was not doing my job well.

During a one-on-one meeting with my supervisor, I asked for more details on the approval process for social media posts. She explained that because the content is published on platforms with millions of followers, every post—regardless of who writes it—goes through a careful review process before it is shared. She also reminded me that we’re all human, and everyone can overlook details from time to time. The review process exists to help ensure every post is as accurate, clear and effective as possible.

As I received feedback, I began to grasp what worked best on each social media profile and its audience. I see a noticeable difference between the first posts I crafted and the ones I’m able to produce now as I near the end of my internship.

I learned that being open to constructive criticism is how we grow professionally but also spiritually. The Bible mentions in many instances that we should always be open to advice from others. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they will succeed.”

If I had to summarize the key lessons I learned during my summer as an intern at BGEA, it would be this:

My supervisor taught me the importance of being proud of my testimony. The vice president of communications taught me how understanding my spiritual gifts can help me in my future career. Another coworker reminded me that God will help me through hard times, and He will be with me in the midst of uncertainty.

These lessons only scratch the surface of how God used the people at BGEA to speak truth into my life. I thank God for their willingness to invest in me in a way that reflected Christ’s love for His church.

Before I was offered the opportunity at BGEA, I prayed intentionally about this internship for months. Now, I can confidently say that God called me here for a reason. I took away far more from this experience than I could have ever imagined. My prayer is that I will always remember the wise counsel I received here and continue to be a sponge, absorbing guidance and wisdom, learning from every opportunity the Lord gives me.