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If I could sum up my entire summer in one word, it would be balance. It has not been about traveling, or ministry training and experience, or even learning a lot of cool things. Although I did do all that, what I learned the most this summer is balance.

I learned that having balance is not a one time thing but yet an ongoing experience. Trying to find a balance between family, friends, my relationship with Christ, reading, dreaming, vision, school, and rest, is never ending. What I discovered this summer is that I am actually 21 years old and am in the MIDDLE of college. God has called me to full time ministry but God has also called me to be a student at North Central. There is only so much preparation I can do for ministry in college. Some of it may come from classes or books but a lot of it will come as I "do" ministry. In high school, I did not read books on how to plan and throw large parties. It was something I loved to do and I learned from experience. Well the same is true with ministry. Until I am a pastor, what good does it do for me to read books on "Simple Church?" What I learned this summer is that I need to find a balance between my future and my present. Golfing, video games, late nights in the dorms and, ping-pong, are all things I love to do and I need to do because I am a junior in college. On the other hand, God has anointed me and I need to BEGIN to prepare for life after college as time goes on.

This is just a jumble of my thoughts all thrown in one paragraph but it is huge for me right now. Finding a balance in living my life as a college student, a friend, a son, a brother, and a boyfriend, but also living my life as a future pastor. Also, having patience to develop into the man God has called me to be over time and not in one summer. This is an exciting journey I am on right now and it is fun to trust God completely.