One of the best things about teaching on a college campus is seeing students graduate each year. I don’t have to be the one graduating to celebrate such a major accomplishment. In a time when our attention spans are nearly non-existent, it’s a great testament to be someone who stuck with a years-long process to be awarded a credential that will move you into the next phase of your life.
Graduation also presents a sobering reality: the real world is waiting on the other side of that stage to greet you, ready or not with student loan bills, rent, job applications, interviews, rejections and relationships. The path to fulfillment is usually littered with those unexpected twists and turns. One thing that keeps me grounded in the high and low times in life is knowing my worth is not in my accomplishments, but in the one who already valued me enough to give Himself for me. The classic scripture, John 3:16 tells me that God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. If that weren’t enough, I also get encouragement from knowing that Christ came that I might have not just an ok life, not a life of grind or struggle, but an abundant life (John 10:10).
Whether you’re graduating, finishing another semester on the path to graduation or you’re just happy that spring is finally here, I invite you to celebrate by staying connected. Make a point to get with friends who will encourage you, especially as the fast and free days of summer approach. We are stronger when we are accountable, and accountability (AKA connectedness), when done right, can be a joyous, life enriching experience.
