October 31, 2024
Re: An open letter to any graduate in 2025 in any town, USA—feel free to borrow this letter and share it with your graduate. No acknowledgment is necessary. Grace be with you and your graduate.
Dear Graduate,
In the grace of God, I give praise for your life of faith as a follower of Jesus Christ. In the still waters of this world, we are refreshed by Jesus who calls us the beloved.
Throughout this year I have been praying for my daughter Kiah with all the life decisions ahead. My thoughts and prayers have also been for you and your family. I am reminded of the words of Jesus in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
I remember the anxiety and fear of having to choose a college. My parents were insisting I go to a traditional liberal arts college. All I wanted to do was become an auto mechanic. When I finally decided to go to Ashland University, Ashland, OH it was a God moment. At that time, I was spiritually dead from the neck up; I had no faith or trust in God due to life experiences. I hated everything about the United Methodist Church (even though they gave me student loans and a scholarship.) It was particularly my disdain for my pastor. I was full of anger and rage and did not know how to express it constructively in God’s grace.
Somehow God worked through all that mess and is still working on me in grace, thanksgiving, and repentance. One of John Wesley's historical ordination questions asked is this: “Are you going on to perfection? Do you expect to be made perfect in this lifetime?” I have never been able to answer those questions in the affirmative until recently when your Mom continued to remind me, “God’s got this!”
My prayer for this season in your life is that God will fill you with joy for the journey through the power of salvation in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Wherever you decide to attend university and make life choices as to career and calling know that I will be praying for you. The road of grace has already been paved. It’s not about fear or failure. Remember this: along the road of grace you will stumble—it is not failure but progress not perfection. My best friend Rachel reminds me, “It’s hard to see your feet when [you stumble] you are on your knees.” My response to her is, “There is no place I would rather be because it allows me to look up and see Jesus. In that moment he takes my hand and helps me up along the road that has been paved with grace.
Keep focused on the gifts of the kingdom: salvation in Christ, and service and love for others in your community. The rest is details--window dressing if you will. “God’s got this!”
In humbleness’ having received God’s grace and I continue to receive this grace daily—more than I can conceive or imagine,
Rev. Daniel J. Bradley
Comments