Hartland helped me be a guiding hand in the lives of young people.
David Preisner was studying at a community college in Utah when he discovered God’s calling for his life. He saw that many youth were losing their way because no hand was there to guide them. He knew that God wanted him to be one of those hands. Without hesitation, he signed up for the Christian Secondary Education major at Hartland College.
“One thing that stands out in my mind about Hartland, and the reason that I attended, is their continual passion to hold the standard high,” says David. “Hartland continually calls for those who are willing to put all on the altar.”
One of his memorable experiences as a student happened one Friday evening after vespers. “My good friend Daniel Lombard and I sat watching a field where thousands of lightning bugs were flashing their secret messages to each other, while above us unnumbered hosts of planets, stars, and galaxies made ordered patterns in the sky.
We contemplated the goals and directions of our seemingly insignificant lives, knowing that in the scope of eternity our lives are like the brief flash of a lightning bug, yet they have the possibility of making the lasting impression of a star.” That night, David again dedicated his life to God, determining to let Him guide his future.
In January 1998, God led him to an internship at Oklahoma Academy. There he met and married his wife, Tasha, and today they both continue to serve at the academy. Tasha is the accountant, while David serves as a teacher and the vice-principal. The effect of his time at Hartland continues to impact him and those around him. “In addition to my classroom duties as a teacher,” he says, “I direct the communications department, overseeing the school newsletter, website, yearbook, and other productions. Through it all, my motto is this: All for God.”
“Although Hartland was only a small part of my life,” David concludes, “it gave me tools for my ministry. It passed on to me the high standard of excellence. Always upward, always honor God, always seek to save the lost.”
