Eight Years, One Month, and a Couple of Hours.

In August of 2002, I drove my Nissan Maxima (that I nicknamed “minima”) back from New Staff Training in Winter Park, FL and started raising support for my ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ.  I was a single guy, comedically overconfident regarding my abilities, excited to go where God had called.

Over the next 4 years my teammates in Murfreesboro got to watch a magical transformation whereby I changed from a really disorganized, painfully self-unaware kid into a slightly disorganized, moderately self-aware adult.  God used my time and teammates on CCC staff at MTSU to do a ton of overhaul in my life and heart regarding adulthood and responsibility.

I met my bride in August of 2005, and married her 9 months later, before she could find out what she was really getting into.  The time we spent on staff in Asheville, NC was so formative in our marriage, as we got to see marriage modeled by our director, and folks from our amazing church.  We learned what it meant to strive for balance in life, juggling home life, ministry life, and eventually parenthood.  Through it all, the support network of fellow CCC staff was so instrumental in teaching us things like conflict resolution, effective communication, and rooting us deeper and deeper in the gospel.  We’ll always look fondly on our time in Asheville, and the life-long friendships we forged there.

The past year has been a lesson in perseverance, faith, and perspective.  We persevered to the bitter end in raising support, and God taught us much.  We strengthened our faith muscle as we prepared to step into the unknown.  We gained such great perspective on issues like calling, vocation, and finances.  We’re still smack-dab in the middle of most of those lessons, eager to see where God has us next.

Tomorrow is officially our last day on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. (um, please continue giving until November, though–just to be clear) But rest assured that no matter where we go, it’s because we are being sent there by CCC.  I wouldn’t trade the life skills, relationships, and experiences of these past 8 years for all the money in the world.  I am overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude.

For a couple more hours, I can still proudly say “I’m on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ.”