Starting from Scratch

Good morning. It is Monday, May 9th at 10:30 in the morning. That means that a day and a half ago I walked across the commencement stage of Azusa Pacific University! It was a crazy roller coaster of emotion going from an awesome roommate lunch to lining up on the Cougar Walk to sitting and waiting on the field until ultimately having your named called and walking across that stage to shake the presidents hand. In what seemed like a heartbeat the moment had ended and I sat in a flood of adrenaline holding my empty black folder that someday (whenever I get my actual degree in the mail) will house my degree. I must say, it was a real party. Being surrounded by 600+ people who are all pumped on finishing college is a great time. I for sure will remember that moment for a long time. Not taking too much time to let the brain go into idle though. Spent a good little chunk of time last night praying, thinking, and reading youth ministry blogs as I begin to think through.... starting my job and ministry at Northgate Christian Fellowship in Benicia, Ca. It feels awesome to graduate college on one day and then turn around and start to do it the next. I am already beginning to experience the first lesson that I was never formally taught during my education. Starting from scratch is hard. There is so much to consider: What kind of events do I do? When do I do them? How often? What do I teach? Where do I live? What do I take with me? Will I be lonely without my best friends and roommates? And so on, and on, and on. Today I am coming to peace with the excitement, mystery, and apprehension that comes with the first steps in this new phase of life. Even as I currently write I feel a sense of excitement swelling within me. Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." It is time for me to Go. I was recently reminded again by my awesome mom of an important thing that God has taught me while in college: Live like a radical for the Kingdom of God. Time to go do it.