Today on the radio, the talk show host asked his listeners, “What would you tell your younger self?”  For me, it depends on how young are we talking.  In junior high and high school, I was rebellious from the things I was taught as a child about God and how I was to live my life.  In fact, I wasn’t sure God even existed.  When I entered college as an undergraduate I was still real concerned with being cool but there was a deeper part of me that knew that there was something missing in my life.  I was more concerned about what other people thought of me.  Looking back, I should have been less concerned about what other people thought of me and being cool, so to speak.

I did start paying more attention to the spiritual part of my life.  It was during that time that I started reading the Bible in a modern translation and seeking whatever was missing.  During this time, it’s hard to explain, but some of the stories became more and more alive and real to me.  At the time, I started attending a Bible study, actually a couple of them.  The Bible studies participants’ were different culturally but they both focused on what the Bible said about God, His Son Jesus, and me.  One of the Bible studies was composed of mostly African American students.  The other was mainly Caucasian.  I enjoyed both.  Pastor Leo Barbee of Victory Bible Church led the Bible study called Harambee, which is Swahili for “let’s pull together”.  He always had insightful things to share and it was great to have him as someone I could talk to, get advice from and share with. Plus the friends I made there became life long friends and helped support me while attending a predominantly white university.  Even when not many attended Harambee, he always made himself available.  Mike Jordahl of the Navigators, campus Christian ministry, was the other mentor who shared with me in that other circle of friends and brothers and sisters in Christ.

Since then I’ve learned a lot through blood, sweat, tears and God’s grace.  And now, I’m a Christian minister ordained ten years ago at Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church just outside of Atlanta, Georgia.  I’ve decided that I while I’m here in Kansas, I want to make a place for African American (and other) students to learn and study how God’s Word gives insight, comfort and strength for life’s hardships, struggles, and disappointments like we did in Harambee.  Just like Pastor Barbee was there for me, I want to be there for others.  So I can share what I would tell my younger self.