Graduation

As I send out my graduation announcements that are coming seemingly two years too late, I think it’s important that I let you know what I have been doing the last six and a half years. Yes, I graduated high school in 2004 and have been in college since. No, I did not get my masters too in a joint program that may explain the six years of school. But here I am, at the end of this one journey, full of excitement and relief. I want to tell you a little about it though.

Six and a half years ago in May 2004, I graduated from Kingwood High School with a plan to go to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas for the next 4 years. I did go to TCU as a Radio/TV/Film major and changed my major within my first semester to Finance. Don’t ask, I was obviously confused. I finished my first year at TCU and through a series of [unfortunate] events, I decided over the summer that I would stay in Houston the next year.

Although I can look back on this decision and sometimes feel regret, when you take a step back and look at what has happened in my life, there is no reason to regret this decision except for maybe losing some years that I could have spent with my longest life friend, Bianca, who finished her years at TCU and graduated on time in 2008.

The next year, I started attending the University of St. Thomas. I bailed out of there after a year not wanting to do the extra Catholic theology and philosophy that would be required of me. After taking a semester to clear my sciences at Lonestar College – Kingwood, I finally made my way to the University of Houston. Yep, that’s four universities.

So this month I will be graduating from the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston with a major in Finance and a minor in Supply Chain Management with Latin honors magna cum laude. I say all that because it makes me feel better about the last six and a half years.

I say this to my mom all the time, but I am tired. She does her part in helping me out, making me coffee when I am taking exams at midnight. This past year, I have juggled three jobs on top of school, and it has left me exhausted. But FULL of joy. I can’t explain to you where I am right now without going back a couple years. When I was 19 years old, my life changed forever. My parents probably didn’t really understand what was going on at the time, although I think they have caught up now. As I child, I knew that there was a God. I had a godmother that took her job serious enough to send me a Bible every Christmas and birthday. I read them. I read them over and over again because I was intrigued by the stories. Still, these were only children’s Bibles that hit on the big stories like Noah and Jonah. I had no idea that I would find life and unfailing joy from this book later. So, I knew there was a God, but I really didn’t know much about him. Whenever, I moved to America and got pulled into church like the American South does to any unsuspecting person, I learned about who God was more and made a decision to believe in Jesus. Still, I somehow lived a life where I believed in Jesus (yes, God who wrapped himself in flesh and came to earth to die for me so that I could live forever with him), but my belief in Jesus didn’t really change my life in anyway. I did the same things I always did, but stopped to pray and read my Bible along the way. At the age of 19, my life began to get rocked by the TRUTH of Jesus. I read in James where it says, “even the demons believe and tremble”, and I started to think about what makes me any different from demons if we both “believe” in Jesus. Through this time, I started to see that if I truly believe in Jesus and everything that He is and everything that He has done and will do, then it would change the way I live my life.

I made a decision to give my life to Jesus because He gave His life for me.

I wasn’t just going to believe in Him, I was going to obey His every word. (Or try to).

I am now alive in a way that I had never felt alive before. Every breath has meaning, and every part of life feels so different. I can’t really explain in words how it feels except that I feel I have been made alive. Sure, I was living before, but now I am alive.

So, all this has to tie back into my college experience. While the Lord was wrecking my life (and yes, my family can stand in agreement that He certainly wrecked parts of my life), I began to serve at a church ministering to young girls. It would take too long to explain to you really how I got in the door there, but once I was in, God began to use me to minister to His people. He opened door after door as I remained just faithful to His word and obedient to His guidance. And now I find myself licensed and ordained in the State of Texas, whatever that really means (I can marry and bury, for those who are wondering)… My “papers” haven’t changed anything. The Lord had called me into the ministry of reconciliation that all believers are called into in 2 Corinthians 5. I serve him as a youth pastor spending my time day and night with young girls. Some, I literally feel like I mother (shout out to Chelsea who now lives with me after 5 years of pastoring her). There is so much joy in what I do. I have smiled the entire time I have been writing this. If I could only convey in words what has happened in my life.

SO, the last six and a half years have been busy. I stayed in school for a couple of reasons, and I am happy that I did. It just means I had a lot of late nights and a lot of times where I have just felt exhausted and overwhelmed. I have spent my years feeling absolutely broke, but I knew that doing what I do would come with a pretty hefty price tag. I wouldn’t change a thing though. Even in the times that I literally feel like I have no money, I look around at all that I do have. If I had the time to tell you of how the Lord has taken care of me, I would do it. While some people are struggling to have one job, God has faithfully allowed me to have two.

Over the past couple years, I have travelled overseas numerous times, and you will hear of more travels over the next few years. 2011 is already looking like a full year, and it has yet to begin! I authored a book for young girls detailing some of the most prevalent struggles I have seen through my years of being involved in their lives and the importantance of setting your hope in Jesus Christ. It may have taken six and a half years for me to graduate college, but the Lord has allowed me to do so much more.

As you can tell, I am full of joy and hope and love and peace. I have big plans. But my plans are and always will be submitted under the guidance of Jesus. I plan to live a life a radical obedience to Him. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

To Him be all the glory and honor. Forever and ever.

I am glad to be done with this college journey. I need most your prayers that I would remain faithful to Jesus and what He is working in me. It also wouldn’t be graduation if I didn’t say I need financial help. The Lord has been faithful to provide every rent payment, and He has constantly met my needs. As I graduate, I will have to pay off some student loans. I also mentioned to you that I will be taking some trips overseas to do ministry. In 2011, I already know I will be travelling to London at the end of April and to Africa over the summer. I am also looking to go back to school (yes, me and school have a love/hate relationship). I have set up a PayPal account under lauren@generationministries.net to make that part of it easy, but know that this is not what graduation is about for me. What I want more than anything is for their to be a HUGE celebration in the hearts of everyone that I know that I made it through. I wish I could say that I was a silent sufferer, but the people closest to me have endured years of my bitter whining. I hope you will all rejoice with me briefly, and then it’s back to the grindstone for me.

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