So my time as a Staff Worker with UCCF in Swansea is coming to an end really quickly. REALLY quickly. A few months ago I was doing a seminar for final year students about transition and as I was preparing it I realised that I needed it as much as they did. During the seminar I encouraged them to think back over their time in Swansea and ponder the following questions:
Things past….(think back on your time at University)
What have you done? Who have you met? What are you thankful for? Do you have any regrets? What have you learned? How have you grown and changed personally and spiritually? What have you loved? What have you struggled with?
Things present…(think about the months left of Uni)
What people, places, situations do you need to say goodbye to? Who will you keep in touch with and how? What do you need to hold on to? What do you need to let go of? What will you miss? How are you feeling about leaving?
Things yet to come…(think about life after June)
What are the next steps after university? What do you need to do before then? What things will be different? What will be the same? What are the uncertainties? What are your fears? Hopes?
I graduated around 8 years ago, so for me the answers to some of these questions are a bit different, but the principles are the same. We need to face change with our minds and hearts switched on to the reality of change. Every time I face a big change I need to do some serious reflection to ease the transition. Perhaps it’s just me, perhaps I am particularly sensitive to change, and I know I like to over-think things, but I think we would all benefit from a bit of reflection in the midst of a change! It is good to ponder what is past and what’s to come. As the old hymn writer puts it:
And trust Him for all that’s to come.
(How Good is the God we Adore, Joseph Hart)
James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.
So I thought it would be a good idea to collect some of my memories of the last 3 years as a Swansea Staff Worker in a series of transition posts – the things, people and places I have loved, the things I’ve learned and grappled with, and some things that have made me laugh – in an attempt to ease my transition and draw a line under my time here. And as an opportunity to praise God for what is past!
And that process, these blog posts, I hope, will be a freeing celebration of change…to the back-drop of a God that never changes.
Watch this space!
Redeeming Clouds 