Writing Prompt #15: The Unknown

Tanner's prompt for today is The Unknown.

I've spent a lot of my life going into "the unknown." I left private school for public school. I left the state to go to college. I moved to Florida. I moved to Oklahoma. I used to be okay with the unknown.

That last unknown backfired, and I found myself longing for the "known." I wanted my old friends, my old home, my old life. I am so blessed that I was able to return to it. Living in Wisconsin as an adult is not the same as being a college student here, but there are many familiar aspects.

I don't know that I'll ever venture into that dramatic of an "unknown" again. But I do try the unknown on a fairly regular basis even now. I feel comfortable trying new things and seeking out new experiences when I am surrounded by friendly faces. It may be "the unknown," but I am not going through it alone, and that makes all the difference.

Stay tuned for June 5th: Sadness.

Writing Prompt #13: Anxiety

Tanner's prompt for today is Anxiety.

I write about anxiety a lot. You guys know this. So instead of doing that, I'm going to write about the opposite of anxiety. According to Google, the opposite of anxiety is "calmness" or "serenity."

Calmness = the state or quality of being free from agitation or strong emotion.

Serenity = the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.

I tend to associate calmness and serenity with places. The bluff at CUW. University Lutheran's sanctuary. My balcony. Melissa's living room. Lindsey's backyard. These are places where I feel no pressure to succeed, no fear of judgement, only the opportunity for peace and joy. I can go to these places, even in my mind if I can't be there in person, and feel okay.

Any of you have places like this?

Stay tuned for June 1st: Breathe.

The End of the Decade

Hello, friends.

I'm going to do the stereotypical "it's the end of a decade" post here. Because it is! And it's interesting and informative to reflect back on what the last ten years have been.

In 2010, I turned 18 years old. I graduated high school in Iowa and moved to Wisconsin to begin my first year of college.

Since then, holy cow, a lot has happened.

I graduated college in 3 years.
I've had 9 different jobs and lived in 4 states.
I made a lot of new friends and lost touch with some old ones.
I've gained a sister-in-law and seriously cute godchildren.
I became a dog-mom, and then a foster mom, and then an adoptive mom.

The end of 2019 finds me recovering from following my dreams to Oklahoma. My recovery has led me to Milwaukee, with my wallet a little tighter than before, but my heart much fuller.

Looking back at who I was in 2010, I doubt I ever would have guessed what the next ten years would hold. I never thought my first church work job would be campus ministry in Florida. I would have been aghast to think that my first call would end so painfully. I hoped I'd find my husband by now.

So many things are different than I thought they would be, but that doesn't mean they're bad. I'm ending the decade on a good note, in a good place, with good friends. It may be a note I never would have predicted ten years ago, but it's a good note nonetheless.

Along the same lines, I have no guesses as to where I'll be in 2030. I'd like to see myself in a stable job, with a husband and maybe a few more kids (biological, adoptive, foster, whatever). That's as specific as I want to get. God will fill in the blanks. After all, He certainly did in the last ten years. I have faith that whatever He's got planned for the next ten will be equally surprising and ultimately good.

Know any college students? Read this!

Hello, friends! Yesterday was kind of an exciting day: my aunt Laura and cousin Haley stayed the night at our house. They were just passing through on their way to Purdue University, where Haley is starting on Monday! I'm so excited for her, and I know she'll do fantastically at Purdue.

Haley's visit reminded me that most colleges and universities are starting soon. I know Pastor Jay in Tallahassee is probably finishing up the last meal he has to cook for Go Week right about now, and tonight is the FSU Luau. Concordia Wisconsin's Campus Ministry Leadership Team will leave for their annual planning retreat tomorrow. I may not be involved with any colleges or college students this year, but I urge you to be! For my blog today I'd like to give you the text of a presentation I made while in Florida.

What's going on in the lives of college students can be summed up in one word: change. Students are in a new place, away from home and all of the amenities that home provides, such as comfort. familiarity, parents, friends, and school. When all of these things change, a student's identity is in question. They suddenly have the freedom to make choices they couldn't make before. Their parents aren't there to check their grades, or make sure they're doing their homework, or call them if they're out past curfew. They're tempted to skip class, eat all junk food, and make friends in all the wrong ways. Students are asking themselves, "Who am I when my entire world is suddenly stripped away?"

Campus ministry provides a constant in the change of college life. It provides a place that feels like home, where students can find comfort, safety, Christian relationships, and answers to the tough questions they're asking themselves. Campus ministry also reminds students of their identity. They are a child of God. This is found in their baptism, and it never changes. This identity is something they can always rely upon. The problem is, it's easy for students to forget about their faith when they go to college.

That's where YOU come in! If you're a parent or aunt or uncle or grandparent or sibling or some other obscure relative or even just a friend, you can be there for your student. Before they leave, find the campus ministry at their school. You can do this easily at LCMS-U. Tell them about the campus ministry at their school, and tell the campus ministry at their school about them. (I include the second part because college students are not known for their memory.) And while your student is away, be that constant in their lives. Keep in touch; remind them of their home and their identity. Let them know you're still thinking about them and you still care. When they're home on break, get together with them and be that reminder in person.

The LCMS-U slogan is this: "College is tough. You need Jesus. We'll help." But in order for the campus ministries to do that, they need YOUR help, too!