Two weeks from today I will be at Simpson University. As I look forward to my future in California I can't help but look backwards at the road I have been traveling on. God has taken me literally across the United States on a journey to find Him, and understand what His plans are for my life. I want to share a little bit about the amazing journey I have been on, and am going to be on with you. I hope that this blog will be a place for me to share all of the amazing moments that God will allow me to be a part of. In order to do that we need to travel back in time to see where it all began. So power up the DeLorean to 1.21 gigawatts , and punch it to 88 mph, because our first destination is Louisville, Kentucky in the year 2010.
In July of 2010 my life was completely redefined. I attended the Life youth conference in Louisville, Kentucky with my high school group at Salem Alliance Church. Leading up to Life I was pretty far away from God in my relationship. When I arrived at Life the world I thought I new was shattered to pieces, and God immediately embraced me as I began to repair the damage in my life. It was really at Life where I discovered how faith was personal, and that God desired to have a intimate and personal connection with me in every step I make. Worship became one of my favorite things to do, and my calling in life became redefined.
I have always been a die hard Disney fan, and even to this day still dream about one day finding my way into the company I love. Prior to Life I had planned on working for Disney, but at Life I felt God tugging at my heart and encouraging me to place the Disney dreams on hold because He had something special in store for me, and that was Youth Ministry.
I rededicated my life to Christ, and was baptized in Kentucky. Since then the ones closest to me for the longest have noticed the changes God has made in my life. Life certainly hasn't been easy, but every day Christ gives me the strength I need. I graduated from West Salem High School in 2011, and because of my good grades in high school I earned a two year scholarship to Chemeketa Community College. What seemed like an unexciting opportunity quickly turned out to be one of the biggest blessings in my life. During those two years I was able to live at home, improve study skills, gain college experience, save money for college expenses, and continue to pursue God's calling of a future place as a youth pastor. I was finally able to volunteer as a leader in my church's middle school youth group, and God quickly confirmed in my heart that this is where I am suppose to be.
I felt like a degree in Youth Ministry was something I needed to obtain. I wanted to attend a school of the same denomination as the church I grew up in. Salem Alliance is a part of the CMA, or Christian and Missionary Alliance. There are only four CMA schools in America, and I narrowed down my choices to Crown College, Nyack College, and Simpson University. I promised God that I would follow Him wherever He lead me. I took classes that would transfer over to all of the school's Youth Ministry degrees while my family found ways to get me across the country for campus visitations before I made my decision.
Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota was the first stop. My family had an awesome vacation during the 2012 spring break to the Mid West. We hit many amazing places, and made tons of memories, but our main intent was to visit Crown College. Just outside of the Twin Cities, Crown has a rural feel to it. The school was a great place and I loved my visit. I easily could have seen myself living there, but the rural atmosphere of the campus helped me feel that at this point in my life, Crown was not the place for me. I would easily recommend Crown to anyone, it is an amazing school, and God is very present on that small campus up North in Minnesota.
The complete opposite of a rural feeling is urban, and God has always given me a heart for New York City. Nyack College in Nyack, New York is only thirty minutes North of New York City, and instantly I had a huge draw the school. In February of 2013 my Mom and I flew out to New York. Nyack is a spectacularly beautiful campus on the hillside of the Hudson River, and during the cold month of February was a joy to be visiting. As much as I believed I was ready for a life in the Big Apple, the recourses I would have needed for everyday life were not present at that time. Life in New York would have to wait, this wasn't the place for me. I could recommend Nyack to anyone, the school is one of a kind, and God is very present at that school along the Hudson.
I always tell people that my first visit to Simpson University in Redding, California. Was because of an accidental bus breakdown on our high schools missions trip to Mexico. God gave us an incredible stay, and I was quickly exposed to the family atmosphere that is present at Simpson. I decided to return for an official campus visit in November of 2011. The visit was good, but it wasn't the confirmation from God that I needed to feel incredibly clear that Simpson was the place I was going to grow at the most. I pushed it aside, and focused on Crown and Nyack. Through events in my life and through the unfathomable work of God, Simpson crawled its way back into my life. I visited again and felt at home. When I concluded my cross country trip, I prayed for months. Ultimately God made His voice very clear. Simpson it was, and Simpson it will be. I am incredibly excited to be having a fresh new start at Simpson at the end of the month. I can't wait to grow in my relationship with God, and my relationships that I will make with friends that will last a lifetime. I am truly excited to move into my new home, and start living out my own California Adventure.
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