I just completed my final semester at Ozark Christian College… I heard all the time that these college days would fly by and my goodness if that saying wasn’t the absolute truth I don’t know what is. It feels like yesterday I was a nervous little freshman moving into my dorm room and sending my mom off with a tearful goodbye. I remember being so nervous I repeated to myself over and over the mantra “these years will fly by… only four years. I can survive this.” (Jokes on me…it took longer than four).
It really didn’t take too long for me to realize that I loved being at Ozark and didn’t want the years to fly by. I had never been pushed so much in my life. Five hours from family and nothing but new faces around me I had no choice but to step way out of my comfort zone. But the further I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried new things the more I learned I loved being pushed and trying new things that terrified me. I mean…not necessarily in the moment. There have been plenty of times in those moments when I’d yell at myself “Why the heck did I agree to this?!”. But afterwards, whether I succeeded or failed to the max, I almost always got a good story and some kind of lesson out of it.
Ozark has taught me so much. Most importantly it has taught me to love Jesus. I’m pretty sad that my time at Ozark is over and many of my friends are leaving and starting new lives. But their leaving to do amazing things for the Kingdom. And I’m pretty stinkin honored to know them and see the impact their going to have, or in many cases the impact they’re already having.
I might be sad about leaving Ozark and eventually Joplin, but I’m so excited for The Race! This is over and beyond out of my comfort zone…and I’m pumped!! I can’t wait for the new lessons and stories I’ll get out of it. And I really can’t wait to meet the people moving and shaking the Kingdom in the name of our Good Father.
