All good things...

It was kind of funny, really. It's funny how just a few words can change the direction of your existence. "Will you marry me?" is one common one that changes the lives - but rest assured, I have not been propositioned by anyone! My new direction came from a very different set of words though - "Resurrection Lutheran Church, St. Joseph, MN".

Suddenly, my mind had left seminary behind, skipped past the whole of the summer, and even left Trinity and my youth group in a split second, and I tried to get my mind around the challenges sure to come at my upcoming internship placement. For context, I'm to be spending ~15 hours per week working with the college students of St. Benedict's and St. John's. Sermon ideas, opportunities to meet the people I would be pastor for, how I would try to connect with them, how I would try to continue the work of the previous interns... my mind whirled with possibilities, and excitement.

It is interesting what one can learn about oneself in a split second. I've always been a bit of a nervous wreck when taking on any big challenge, especially pastoral challenges. Preaching, CPE, leading Bible studies, and praying with people has taught me this about myself. In a way this is a good thing - one who is not intimidated when handling the things of God has not comprehended what it is they are doing. In ways, I'm still that nervous person. However, in that split second, I learned something new about myself - I was excited by taking on a new and challenging ministry, which I've never tried before. And as I reflected on that reaction, I realized something: I am a changed man; I'm beginning to come into my own as a pastor. Seminary has done it's job. I'm not truly a pastor yet. But I can now see that I'm nearer to there then I realized before today.

I'm still a seminary student and I am still a youth pastor, and, if anything, I am working harder at both of these two roles in my life than I have to date - I'm more present in those parts of my life than I've been for months. However, the end for these is coming - this is set in stone now. The good things I have enjoyed to date are almost behind me. A new country is on my horizon. And I am excited by the possibilities. So I say: "Bring it on."