A Decade Ago… 

I had just graduated high school 7 months ago. 

I had completed my first semester at North Greenville College, majoring in Broadcast Journalism.  This would be my career and I was so excited to get started.

 I was interning at WYFF 4 periodically and working in radio in preparation for my future. 

Weekends were spent hanging out with Jason, Stuart, Joe, and anyone else who happened to be nearby.  Other people were certainly not a priority of my life.

My heart was determined to never go back to any church that seemed traditional (choir, steeple, and coats and ties made it traditional in my eyes)

 I was serving in children’s ministry at a new church start, never imagining that I would one day lead children in a full-time capacity.

 I had no desire to work in the church as a full-time staff member.  It was mostly filled with stuffy, boring people and who would want to work with them everyday? 

I had never been through the doors of Northwood Baptist Church and had no plans to do so.

 I had never heard of a Pastor named Michael Joe Harvell, who would later become a mentor, friend, and pastor.

 I had no idea that I would lead a change in children’s ministry at Northwood and be part of creating an environment where kids can’t wait to get to church.

Today …

 I still can’t believe that I get to do this.  I am so incapable, unworthy, and unqualified.  There are days when I love what I do and days when I would be willing to do anything else. 

I have no doubt that God called me into ministry and I love serving parents and children. 

I know that there is a church where coats and ties, choir, and steeples are secondary and Jesus is primary. 

I am blessed to serve under a Pastor who sacrificially gives of himself to better the lives of me and his congregation.  I watch it happen everyday.

 I can only imagine what the next ten years will hold.  There will surely be good days and bad days.  There will be days when I rejoice and days when I struggle.  But – as I remember where I came from, I also trust that the best is yet to come!  I can’t wait!