Photo by Brian BaJenk on Flickr.
Early this semester I was up at 2 a.m. talking with a dear friend of mine (because all the best conversations happen that late) and he said something that struck me. Milligan is a journey, not a destination. And he’s right.
In just over three months, my life at Milligan will end and my life in the hustle and bustle of Chicago will begin. But Milligan has been much more than just a holding ground while I wait for the “real world.” Milligan has been a journey towards becoming the person God made me to be, and it has been filled with people. When I look back at my time at Milligan, sure, I’ll remember quite a bit of what I learned in class. I’ll go to Chicago and people will stare at me as if I’m crazy when I say, “That’s a Corinthian column” or “Hey, look at that Hooded Merganser!” But it isn’t the information that changed me – it’s the people who taught me the information.
It’s Dr. Susan Higgins who forced me to go to the board with sweaty palms and write out third declension Greek nouns.
It’s Dr. John Jackson who taught me to appreciate (dare I say, even enjoy!) Leviticus.
It’s Dr. Heather Hoover who pushed me to write only the good sentences.
It’s Dr. Craig Farmer and Dr. Lee Blackburn who both blew my mind with theology from Church History.
It’s Dr. Jeff Miller who gave me the tools and encouragement to defend my call to ministry.
It’s Dr. Curtis Booher who taught me that youth ministry is more than just hanging out with teenagers
It’s Dr. Phil Kenneson who reminded me that spirituality is much more than reading the Bible and praying each day
And so many more.
Furthermore, I’ve been changed by those with whom I learned the information. This journey I’ve been on for four years has been filled with so many wonderful friends.
Friends, with whom I could laugh, cry, play, explore, study, and dream.
Friends I could call at midnight because I was hurting.
Friends to celebrate with after getting A’s on our first humanities exam.
Friends, with whom to go on random adventures late at night just to say we did.
And most importantly, I’ve been changed by friends who will pray with me as we try to figure out where exactly God is taking us on this journey.
My journey at Milligan College does have a diploma at the end to recognize four years of hard work, but looking back, the diploma was never the goal. If Milligan’s only goal for coming was to get a diploma, then this place would be nothing more than a holding ground – a destination before moving on to “real life.” But Milligan College is a journey, not a destination. This community carried me and carries all of us on a journey of discovering God and learning what part we play in his story. I think I’m starting to understand what it means to be human.
milliganstampede
