Here goes nothing!

What a blessing living in Grand Rapids has been. I could not have asked for anything more. As I sit in my new family room near Chattanooga, TN, I can recall my memories fondly. But I'm not a memories guy, I'm more of a relationships guy, I've come to find. And there is nothing else I could ask for in that department than what I got.

Coming out of high school, my crew was pretty one-dimensional. I love them to death and still am in contact with them frequently. But we were all sports junkies - high on the sarcasm, low on the tolerance scale. It certainly shaped who I was coming in to college.

College Here I come!

At and around Calvin, I got to appreciate the finer art of having different kinds of friends (even friends that were girls!!). I loved every second of it. Granted, it took me a few months to get comfortable around people that didn't think exactly like I did, but man, what an experience. Everything at Calvin was up for debate. I grew a lot because of it, and I feel I'm more tolerant and open to discussion on my viewpoints now.

Crossroads Bible

As important was being able to grow within an inspiring church in Grand Rapids. I felt like I was on a Bible retreat for that hour and a half every Sunday morning, and it got me fired up every week. There is no doubt that I will miss Crossroads a ton. Look for big things out of them! They are on fire and are doing things right. I have no doubt that God will bless that congregation and all the great things they are doing. I'll keep listening online!

Vocation

All the way through Calvin, I really had no idea what God wanted me to do with my life. The Business degree was an easy choice, because, essentially, it wasn't making a choice at all. But through my experiences in the last year, and some timely encounters with some insightful individuals, I feel like I have the best grasp on what I want to do with my life that I ever have.

Perhaps this is just me being optimistic (a rarity, I know :). But leaving the Midwest for "greener" pastures just seemed right. And I can't thank my supporting cast enough for giving me the go ahead to try to pull it off. Never have I felt so much support from friends and families for making such a risky decision. And that makes me feel great. Thank you all for being a great safety net, and I will continue to look to you for your insights and thoughts.

Take care and God Bless! From backwoods Tennessee :)

Tyler