An Open Reflection to My Younger Self

Step outside your comfort zone to participate with people you are afraid to trust with your ideas so you can change worlds, change people, but most importantly, change you.

Hey You,

I am the seven-year-older version of you. You are angry about God’s call in your life and bitter with everyone. For some reason, FTE sees something in you and selects you as an Undergraduate Fellow. Honestly, you do not know how they made this mistake. Sure you are creative, brilliant, and thoughtful, but you rarely show anyone this side of you. What you do not realize is this experience plants a seed inside you and gets you where you are today.

In 2014, you will listen to conversations from young adults with sparkling minds. You will facilitate dialogue for great people who rest in the chair you sit in now. You will be an exploration lab facilitator who listens to theological leaders turn into superheroes for a divine cause. That cause is molding toxic hate, moldy complacency, and throwaway people into victorious agents of God. HEY SELF, STOP DAYDREAMING AND PAY ATTENTION!

Seven years from now…

Would you expect to see yourself without anger or mistrust and in a leadership role during a FTE event?

Would you expect to be one of the people listening to others without expecting them to only listen to you?

Can you imagine your call being more than just upholding antiquated church traditions of destruction?

Can you imagine your call moving beyond the four walls of containment to dismantle a cradle to prison pipeline so God’s liberty is felt?

In seven years, would you expect writing this open reflection to yourself as you participate in a leadership forum with hundreds of Christian leaders? Imagine it.

Imagine it by participating at this FTE event that transforms you seven years from now. Step outside your comfort zone to participate with people you are afraid to trust with your ideas so you can change worlds, change people, but most importantly, change you. Take the risk of going through the process of critical engagement with scholars, laity, students, and the incarcerated. Do it because they brought you back to this place you are at now, only positively different.

Be a good version of you,

You (2014)