Why I Love My Work: The Pep Talk

I am sitting here in my office, less than one week away from the start of year number fourteen on campus. And so if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to give myself a little pep-talk today, a reminder of why I love my work with college students.

I love my work because in four years I get to watch people grow from wallflowers to leaders, from basically high-schoolers to adults, and sometimes from non-believer to leader in the Christian community. Four years, dramatic transformation.

I love my work because it's part theology, part sociology, part psychology, part business management, part organizational dynamics, part coaching, part pastoring, part training, part marketing, part event planning, part public speaking, and a heck of a lot of coffee.

I love my work because I spend most of my days with people talking about things that really matter.

I love my work because I love watching people change and grow and grow and grow and grow.

I love my work because after fourteen years I have alumni all over the globe serving, leading, teaching, drilling wells for clean water, working in cube world, teaching in elementary school classrooms, leading in churches, serving on the mission field, and on IV staff on other college campuses all in the name of Christ.

I love my work because Jesus loves to do amazing things with college students--most of the revivals in the United States have started with college students praying.

I love my work because locally, regionally and nationally I get to interact with some of the most gifted and creative and intelligent and thoughtful and dynamic people in the world who are all doing this same thing I am and often doing it better.

I love my work because I love college. It's the time in your life when you have the most discretionary time, the most margin to ask big questions and to wrestle through to get to the answers.

I love my work because right now I'm probably working with one or two or three or four or five students who will some day do what I do and do it much better.

Heck, yes, I love my job. The clock is ticking. Year fourteen kicks off officially in about six days. I have a heck of a lot to do. This little pep talk here, it reminds me why I'm doing it.