A long time ago, in a land far away, a group of young people prepared to walk across a stage, receive their diplomas, and embark on a journey filled with unlimited possibilities and a fair share of uncertainty. Although we had spent several years together, this would be the last day some of us would see each other. Our paths would take us beyond the boundaries of the town and county where we grew up, into a world much larger than we could have ever comprehended.

Less than five months later, I would make my first trip outside the United States, visiting Rome, Greece, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, and Israel. I would walk in the footsteps of Jesus and the Apostle Paul. Although I had always been an avid reader, seeing these places in person was more breathtaking than my imagination had ever envisioned. My world was undergoing a radical transformation.

The call to ministry soon captivated my heart as I read Luke chapter 21 in the early hours of the morning, and later from an older minister who prophetically quoted Proverbs 18:16 to me. Daily, this call reverberated within me, prompting the question: Where would my journey lead me?

As I approach the end of the third quarter of my life, I must confess that I never imagined that night where my journey would take me. God has been more gracious to me than I deserve. A part of the young boy I once was still wonders where this journey will lead me next. It’s a new day, full of unlimited possibilities.