T Minus Three

Although I still have three days until I officially begin my time in Omaha, my summer travels begin today. Since I have only had about two and a half weeks of free time between finishing school and beginning my internship, I have been trying to squeeze in visiting time with as many friends as possible along with staying at home with my family. It has certainly been relaxing, but today I will be driving up to Fort Worth, Texas where I will meet up with one of my best friends, Luke, and his brother, Landry, and we will be traveling from there to Snyder, Texas in order to be a part of the Red Letter Rock Festival. A few of our favorite bands, most notably Skillet and RED, will be there rocking our faces off. And if my calf muscles are not sore beyond belief because of jumping and my voice completely spent due to the yelling, the weekend will be a failure.

My expectations are pretty high for this summer though. In previous years, my summers have not amounted to much other than a dead-end job and entertaining myself at home -which of course is not a bad thing. I must add though, I did spend my summer in Rome last year and gained a lot from that experience, including a beautiful and amazing girlfriend! But this time around, the stakes are very different. Before spring break this year, I was dead set on earning myself a federal internship in Washington DC for the summer. It fit my interests, would be a good addition to a future resume and I had a really good shot at most opportunities for which I might have applied. But God laid Omaha on my heart in a big way and I feel like this summer is going to sharpen me in areas that are much needed for me as an individual.

From all outside perspectives, I know that I have given up internship opportunities that could have had large implications for any career in government that I could have chosen to pursue. The most exciting thing for me though is that I am perfectly fine with that. I may not be pursuing an opportunity that has clear potential to lend me help in advancing a future career, but I am pursuing an opportunity that has eternal implications. And that far outweighs the former in my mind. As much as this summer will be an immersion in leadership training towards living missionally, it will also be life training as I truly believe that this is what we are all called to do - engage others with the Truth in terms of grace and not agenda. As much as the world may see my decision as being one that is in all respects a step backwards, I see it as being a leap forward. Granted, it may not be something with which I can pad my resume or add extra zeros to my future salary, but then when was that ever our purpose in living? It is never enough.

I have many questions to ask during my time with Coram Deo and I hope to have many conversations that challenge me in what I believe and cause me to dig deeper for the Truth. Because it does exist and it is available to those who seek it. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all who read along with me and consider my thoughts. Thank you for your prayers and your support. Please feel free to contact me at any time for anything. I have invited you along with me for a reason.

Let's do this. Today, my journey begins.

- Collin

But you chased me down and broke in just when I was done believing. Spun me around so close now I can feel you breathing. Sunlight burns inside and I feel so alive and help me now. Tell me how...how can this last forever?

RED - "Forever"