• Good evening seniors, parents, and friends! It is so good to see you all here, seniors, whether I’ve known you for 13 years or we have just met tonight. When Billy asked me to share parting words with you, I was so excited to be able to encourage you in this next big chapter of life. I asked Billy, “So how long do I have?” and he told me, “Oh, 5 minutes.” WOW. Okay….. let’s just say that I had been thinking a LITTLE longer than that because I had so much to say to you all! I have so many memories with you guys and so many things I wanted to remind you of as we continue on this scary and adventure-filled journey called life. I did, however, decide on what I most wanted to impart to you because I think these few things should be most important to all of us as disciples of Christ. Alright, here it goes…

1. Make it a PRIORITY to find a church body and get involved! Christ is coming back for His BODY, not individuals. If we aren’t connected with other believers, we can’t be held accountable in the ways God designed, and thus we are succeptible to error and temptation much more easily. Christian college or not, we will grow in the way God created us to grow by being a part of a diverse (age-wise and culture-wise) body of believers. Research the churches in the area of your college if you’re moving away before getting there the first week to see where you may want to visit. Look for a place where you not only will grow, but where you can also serve. Using your gifts to edify the church is a high calling! Though you may not realize it, the church needs you. The church is Christ’s Bride and if we are not a part of His bride, we cannot have the kind of relationship with Him that He so eagerly desires to have with us!
2. ENGAGE in the world! Look around you to see where God is working and ask Him how you can join what His people are already doing wherever you may be, or ask Him how you may be the innovator in His work! Part of knowing Who God is and what He is doing involves knowing how He has worked in the past. To know that, we can read Scripture, His Story of humanity and how He is working in and through His people. We can also read accounts of what God has done (and is doing) in His people in the time since Scripture.  We can read biographies of missionaries, autobiographies, blogs, magazine articles… the list goes on and on, and so much of this is very readily available to us — thank you, technology! These books may not be inspired, God-breathed, but they can still teach us more about Who God is and how He has worked with His people. Another great way to become informed about God’s involvement is to ask others around you! Sharing your story of how God is working in and through you, and hearing about others’ journeys of life and faith not only teaches you, but builds a relationship with the other person and could even be the beginning of a life-long friendship.
3. Start off well — begin college or work by living the way you want to live the rest of your life. These next few years will be hugely instrumental in shaping the way we think, act, interact, and spend our time in the decades to come. If you will be moving away from home, NOW is the time to form habits that you want to keep in the distant future. These decisions could impact future generations, because they could effect marriage, friendships, and children in the long run. Be intentional about how you spend your time and with whom you spend your time.
4. Have an OPEN heart and mind. God may have something CRAZY in store for you! I know that He will work in mighty ways through each of you, some of which I may have a better idea of than others, but you have to give Him the opportunity to do that first. Oftentimes our ideas of what WE want to do for God can conflict with, and maybe even oppose completely, what GOD wants to do with US. Be flexible and moldable during this time of huge growth and change to allow the Holy Spirit’s work in your life. He may show you great things that He wants you to do for Him and may completely transform the picture of your future. You may plan to do one thing, but God wants you to do something vastly different. Be willing to let Him use you where HE wants you, not just where you want to be. Be available to be used by the One who knows what He made you to do and who He made you to be! Let Him take control of you, for He is a LOT wiser than we are, and what a comfort THAT is. God has greater things in mind for each of us than we could EVER begin to fathom. I don’t know about you, but I would rather be a part of that crazy adventure ride than try to build my own, which won’t end up to be nearly as exciting or fulfilling.

• Well, we’ve come to the end of the things I was eager to share with you. If senioritis got the best of you and you missed everything else I said, hear me out on this last one. You were created to enjoy God and love Him. He LOVES you…. SO much. He watches over your every thought and action. He knows you better than you can ever know yourself, and I pray that is a comfort to you. Whether you are excited and thrilled, or terrified and freaking out about ending this chapter and beginning the next one, He will never leave you. Take comfort in Christ.

And finally, as Pastor Reggie never failed to ask, “Have I told y’all yet today that I love you? I love you guys!”