Why I'm Happily Paying for Apple Music

Let's take a trip back in time, shall we? The year is 2008. A 16-year-old version of me sits at his desk typing and clicking away furiously on his HP laptop. His concentration is so intense that hours pass without notice as he continues to type and click, type and click, pause for a sip of some sugary drink that's terrible for him… and then back to typing and clicking. What is this ridiculously good-looking but also terribly naive young man doing? Well, he's perfecting his iTunes library, of course. He's invested hundreds of dollars into his music collection, which consists of CDs, MP3s, t-shirts, stickers, bracelets, posters, and more, all from his favorite bands. He takes pride in showing off his collection to others, and all of his friends think he's cool because he has "like, the best taste in music ever." His music library has become central to his identity. It's what he's known for. And he spends all of his free time keeping up with his favorite bands, discovering new music, and tweaking his iTunes library so that every minute detail is exactly the way he wants it to be.

Fast forward to three months ago, the day before the launch of Apple Music. Now I'm 23 and in seminary. When I check my Timehop and see what I posted back in 2008, I realize that not only was I not as cool as I thought I was; my taste in music wasn't that great, either. But instead of trying to improve or expand it, I've basically let it become stale. Sure, I still keep up with a few of my absolute favorite bands and buy their new albums when they come out. But my passion has disappeared, and my music routine has basically become limited to listening to the same few songs over and over on the rare occasions that I actually feel like listening to music.

Not only that, but my iTunes library is a mess. Some artists are listed multiple times with slightly different spellings or with "featuring so-and-so" at the end. Albums are missing artwork. There's even a song that has a typo in the title. It's been that way for years, and I've never bothered to change it even though I know it would take approximately three seconds to fix. That one misspelled song title is a symbol for my whole approach to my music library at this time: I just don't care about it.

And then, I wake up the next day and find out that Apple Music is live. I have to try it out, not because I'm excited about the service, but because I have a compulsive need to stay up-to-date on every software platform I can get my hands on. The first thing I think is, "Wow, that new Music icon is pretty cool." I tap it, and I immediately realize that Apple Music is so much more than I expected it to be. It's not just another music streaming service. It's a music streaming service that allows me to mix my streaming songs with my iTunes library. It's a music streaming service that already knows exactly what kind of music I love and suggests playlists that mix music I know with music I don't know but will soon come to love. It's a music streaming service that connects me with the artists I love so that I can keep up with everything they're doing while I enjoy their music. The second I experience Apple Music, it's like a switch gets flipped in my head, and I'm that 16-year-old music-obsessed kid all over again.

I spend the rest of the day obsessing over my music library. I fix all the mistakes that I've allowed to slip in over the years, and I even update some of my old album artwork with newer, higher-quality images. I look up every music artist I've ever had any interest in and add their "Intro To…" playlist to my library. As I explore the app, I remember songs I've heard that I loved, artists I've completely forgotten about, and albums I've wanted to buy for years but never could bring myself to shell out the money for. And now all this stuff is accessible to me. As much of it as I want. For free. And I can't get enough.

I listen to music all the time now. I listen to it at least as much as I did when I was 16, if not more. And now, I have the resources to enjoy my favorite music while also expanding my musical horizons through content discovery. I can finally have relevant conversations about current music trends because I have access to every song that's blowing up right now. And I can discover unknown indie artists and share them with my friends, something I loved doing when I was younger. I'm into music so much right now that I bought a brand new set of wireless headphones just so I could listen to my music in more places. I listen in my car, on my bike, when I'm shopping, when I'm cleaning, right after I wake up, right before I go to bed, and all kinds of times in-between.

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Wireless headphones make the man.

And that's why I love Apple Music. It gave me the gift of loving music again. As silly as it may sound, it's been really good for me to reconnect with something I used to love so much. No, I'm not going to go 100% evangelistic fanboy on you like I once did. I won't start wearing band t-shirts again and scouring Google for the latest news on my favorite artists. But I am going to be able to enjoy music in a way that is not only fun, but also meaningful. And that's all thanks to Apple Music.

So tomorrow, when my free trial runs out, I'm going to happily pay the $10 required to stay subscribed to the service. Not only am I supporting artists and musicians. I'm supporting a wonderful music streaming service that has already done me a lot of good, and I'm giving myself even more opportunity to be encouraged, enlivened, and even edified by it more in the future. Apple Music is well worth the money to me, and I hope you'll give it a chance as well. Maybe it won't impact you as powerfully as it has me, but maybe it will. You'll never know unless you give it a chance. Who knows? You may end up three months from now in the same place I am now, handing Apple $10 a month for access to their music streaming service and smiling as you do it.

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Well, that's my review of Apple Music! Thank you for checking it out. I know it's a little different than my usual reviews, but I wanted to be completely honest with you about why I love Apple Music so much, and that meant getting a little sentimental. There are obviously other, more objective, reasons why I love the service, and I'd be happy to discuss them with you in the comments, through my contact page, or on social media. I'd also like to know: Have you tried Apple Music? If you have, will you stick with it once the trial runs out? And if you haven't, why not? Let me know in the comments! I would absolutely love to hear from you.

Stop Renewing My Favorite Shows

Guys, I have a serious problem. And before you ask, no, this isn't a joke. The headline wasn't a misdirect or clickbait. You're not going to read this entire article thinking it's serious just to get to the end and find out it's actually satire and you've been duped into believing my point of view. I hope to one day be able to write something that clever, but today is not that day. Today is about awareness. It's about making sure that you, my faithful readers, are informed of this terrible atrocity that is taking place in the television industry. It's about getting the word out to as many people as possible so that hopefully something can be done about this. Because something needs to be done.

My problem, as you can see from the title of this post, is that my favorite TV shows keep getting renewed for new seasons. And it's really starting to upset me.

You may be asking yourself, "Why would Devon be upset that his favorite TV series are living on for another year? Doesn't he want more of the shows that he loves?" Those are perfectly legitimate questions that I will do my best to answer throughout this post. But first, I want to be clear about one thing that is certainly not the reason I have a problem with my shows getting renewed.

I'm not complaining about having too much TV to watch. I love TV, there is a lot of good TV out there right now, and I fully support the creation of good TV. I look forward to the new TV season every year. I enjoy making my schedule and having new episodes of my shows to watch every week. I have at least one show that I watch every weekday, so I'm almost never out of new things to watch during the regular TV season. And I'm not complaining about that at all. I'm not saying that they should stop making new TV altogether.

What I am saying is that there are certain shows that I love to watch but I don't think should get renewed for a second season. In my opinion, there are some shows that are simply meant to exist as one-season series, almost like a miniseries. I'm not knocking them at all. Some of the best TV series of all time have been short-lived. And the truth is that some of those shows are considered good because they weren't left on the air long enough to get cancelled due to stale writing, departing stars, or an apathetic audience. And that's why I'm afraid that some of the shows I love are being picked up for second seasons.

I think the reason I have such a big problem with these shows being renewed is that it reflects a huge misunderstanding of the definition of success in the American TV industry. Creating a TV show is not about making a bunch of money from advertisers, building a gigantic audience, creating a ton of buzz on social media, or staying on the air for absolutely as long as possible until you've run your audience and creators dry. Some of those things are good, and they are often side-effects of putting out a great TV show. But none of them are the goal of producing television. Or at least, they shouldn't be.

The goal of a television series should be to tell a good story well. I know that sounds simplistic and subjective, but it's the truth. A TV show should exist to share a story with the audience that connects with them on a deep level, takes them on a journey, and leaves them with a conclusion that satisfies and challenges them at the same time. My favorite TV shows are the ones that can do that, and those are the shows that are getting the most attention right now.

But along with that attention comes complications. Studio executives hear that a show is doing well and decide that they want more. If a show works well for one season and brings in a lot of money, why can't it do the same for a second year? Unfortunately, not all shows are built like that. And the ones that I currently love the most don't feel like multi-year shows to me.

In order to last multiple years, a show has to have a premise that can be played out over multiple years without getting stale or lost in the noise. Take USA's Suits, for instance. The show is about a young genius who fakes his way into a job at a prestigious law firm and then has to deal with the stresses of being a lawyer while constantly covering up his secret. Suits is in its fifth season, and it still holds up because its premise is one that can be played out over multiple years. The main character's secret identity, the main premise of the show, is still a huge plot point. Sure, it comes in and out of focus to make way for other, smaller plots, but it's the main thread that runs through the show. It keeps the show interesting, and the show will end once that central conflict is resolved once and for all.

But some premises aren't meant to last multiple years. One of my favorite shows of the summer was Lifetime's UnReal. It goes behind the scenes of a fake Bachelor-like reality show to reveal what really happens on those sets when the cameras aren't rolling. It's intriguing, ground-breaking, and just plain fun to watch. But how long can a show with that kind of premise really last? They've already shown us what those shows are really like. The mystery and shock value are now gone. The Bachelor's reputation has already taken its hit, so UnReal has served its purpose. What can they really do in season two to keep the premise going without repeating themselves? Probably, the show will abandon its premise to focus solely on the characters and their relationships instead. And I don't want to watch a show about that. It's not the same thing, and it honestly won't be as good.

I would rather watch a show I love end early on a good note than watch it try to last as long as it can just to get cancelled when it gets bad. Give me one season of a really good show with an intriguing premise, an exhilarating journey, and a cathartic ending, and I'll be the happiest, most loyal fan you've ever seen. And in return, I'll give you my money. What I want in a TV show is a good story well told. And the current TV system does not support that. Instead, it renews any show that gets good ratings, even if the plot and premise don't lend themselves towards another season. And to me, that's a huge problem.

Now I understand that my opinion may not be a popular one. Most fans of TV shows are constantly asking for more, and they feel disappointed when their favorite shows end. But here's the thing: These fans don't really know what they're asking for. They think they're asking for more content of the same or better quality, but what they're really asking for in many cases is more content just for the sake of more content. And everyone can recognize when a show has outlived its premise's viability. Unfortunately, that happens way too often, and when it does, nobody wins.

So here's my request to the people in charge of the TV industry: Keep making TV shows that continue season after season, but also invest in more miniseries and anthology series. It's so much easier to tell a complete, well-thought-out story in a season than to try to keep coming up with new plot lines every year just because the network told you to. When choosing which shows to renew, choose them based on which series have stories left to be told, not based on which shows are the most-watched. And please stop renewing my favorite shows, because they're perfect as they are. We don't need more average stories on TV. We need good stories well told. Whether that's over one season or ten will depend on what kind of story you're telling. But please let the story determine the length of the series, not the other way around.

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Well, that's my manifesto (or rant, if you prefer) on the current state of American television. Thank you for checking it out. Now, I'd like to hear from you: Do you think American TV shows last too long? Do you have a favorite show that was cancelled too early? What shows are you most looking forward to this fall? Let's discuss in the comments!

Byte

Hey, friends! I just wanted to write a quick post to tell you about this awesome new creative tool I found called Byte. It's an app for the iPhone that gives you a blank canvas to let your creativity flow. There are very few limitations to what you can do with Byte, so it's actually a little hard to explain. But basically, it lets you arrange text, images, GIFs, links, videos, and more on a page in any way you like. You can add animations, change colors, and even link to other bytes to create a series. For example, the entire Support section of the app is simply a series of linked bytes, and it's very cool. Really, there's no limit to what you can do with Byte or what you can use it for!

My absolute favorite tool in Byte is the music composition tool. You use emojis to create loops. It's easy, fun, and even a little addictive. I've already made a couple of Bytes myself, and I hope to make more in the future. I'm not sure exactly what I'll use this tool for, but I'd like to at least tinker with the idea of incorporating it into my web presence in some meaningful way.

You can check out the Bytes I've created here and here, and you can download Byte for yourself from the App Store so that you can join in on the fun! Comment below with links to what you create, and I'll be sure to check it out.

Currently On Repeat

Here's my approach to listening to music: At any given time, I have about a dozen songs that I'm really into. I listen to them on repeat whenever I need some background noise or just want to jam out for a bit. I put those songs into a playlist called Currently On Repeat, and I switch them out as I get tired of old songs and find new ones.

And now, armed with this playlist and the power of Apple Music, I'm going to try something new on the blog. I'm going to share this playlist with you and give you an opportunity to enjoy the songs that I'm currently into. If this goes well, we might try to make it a regular thing. And if no one likes it… well, I might still keep doing it anyway because I like reviewing music and sharing my favorite songs with others.

Here's how this is going to work. I'm going to do a short write-up of each song I'm obsessed with right now, giving you an opportunity to understand why I love it so much and why you should listen to it, too. You can pick and choose which songs (if any) you'd like to include in your own music collection. Or if you'd like, you can subscribe to my Currently on Repeat playlist and always stay up-to-date on what I'm listening to. Sound good? Good. Let's get started.

Warning: This playlist is rated PG-13. I'm not going to include anything with rampant profanity or seriously objectionable themes, but it is intended to be listened to by adults who can appreciate an artistic work without necessarily agreeing with every single component of it or being negatively influenced by its edgier aspects. If this isn't for you, I apologize. If it is, read on.

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She's Kinda Hot
5 Seconds of Summer

The first single from 5 Seconds of Summer's sophomore album Sounds Good Feels Good might seem suspiciously similar to last summer's hit "She Looks So Perfect" at first glance, but if you think the band is just regurgitating the same successful formula, you're in for a surprise. The title of the song is actually a throwaway, a purposeful distraction from what it's actually about. The song starts off talking about a girl who's not exactly nice ("She's kinda hot, though.") but as the song progresses, you find out that it's not about the girl at all. It's actually an anthem for a generation of young people who are constantly being bombarded with reminders of their shortcomings and want nothing more than to feel OK. The message of the song can be summed up in the simple line, "We're alright, though. Yeah, we'll be alright though." This is actually something I tell people a lot, so I instantly connected with the song's message. "She's Kinda Hot" is catchy, and the style is a little more experimental and fun than anything on the band's previous album. If this is an indication of what's to come with Sounds Good Feels Good, I'm all in. And I can't wait to hear more.

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Bad Blood
Taylor Swift

I'm probably the last person on the planet to listen to Taylor Swift's album 1989. And now that I've heard it, I regret all the months I wasted resisting the urge to listen to it. It really is that good. Honestly, there are about six songs from that album that belong on this list, but I limited myself to one because I didn't want T-Swift to completely take over my playlist. I chose "Bad Blood" because it's the song that's been getting stuck in my head the most lately, and the only way to get it out is to listen to it. It's ridiculously catchy without being repetitive. There are some clever plays on words in the lyrics. And the song is so brutally honest and relatable that it's tough not to love it. "Bad Blood" is Taylor's tell-all song about a relationship that went sour because the other person simply didn't treat her right. Speculation about who the subject of the song might be aside (I'm looking at you, Katy Perry), Bad Blood is just a fun song to listen to, so give it a try if you haven't already.

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Unbelievable
Owl City featuring Hanson

I'll be the first to admit that Owl City's latest album Mobile Orchestra is definitely not one of his stronger releases. I'm still waiting on Adam Young to come up with an album that even remotely rivals the genius that was Ocean Eyes. But despite its flaws, the newest album from Owl City did deliver at least one legitimate jam, and that's the song "Unbelievable." Not only does it have a hook that will burrow itself so far down into your head that you'll never get it out, but it also features tons and tons of 90's childhood nostalgia, which people my age are eating up right now. The song includes references to "no girls allowed" clubs, the raptors from Jurassic Park, Floam, McDonald's french fries, and more. It's a guaranteed throwback, and the combination of Adam's songwriting with the musical talents of Hanson makes this song a must-listen.

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Here I Am Alive
Yellowcard

Yellowcard is one of those bands that I've always wanted to get into, but I've never actually invested the time to explore their music. I think I was afraid that I would really like them and end up spending lots of money on their songs, which is probably what would have happened. But once Apple Music came along and I knew that I wouldn't be tempted to drop any extra money on Yellowcard music, I decided to try them out. I listened to all of their albums in release order and found that, even though it was one of their older songs ("Ocean Avenue") that originally piqued my interest in the band, I actually enjoyed their newer albums the most. "Here I Am Alive" comes from one of Yellowcard's most recent albums, and it shows a lot maturity both musically and lyrically. It's basically a look back on their career and a wish to go back knowing what they know now. But ultimately, the message of the song is that they've survived all that they've been through. Despite all the ups and downs, here they are alive. I find that very inspiring, and I think that's a message we would all do well to hear.

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Somebody Told Me
The Killers

I don't know a lot about The Killers, but I know enough about The Killers to know that I want to be a fan of The Killers. Not only does their music sound great, but they seem to be legitimately cool people. I mean, it takes a special kind of band to write, record, and release an original Christmas song year after year. And that's just the tip of the iceberg on the band's talent. My first experience with The Killers was playing "When You Were Young" on Rock Band. It was one of my favorite songs on the game. When I looked up the band to find out more about their music, every source kept leading me back to this song. "Somebody Told Me" is grungy, raw, and just plain memorable. Everyone can relate to the narrator's struggle, and the chorus is as hilarious as it is true-to-life. There's a reason so many people love The Killers, and there's a reason this is one of their most popular songs. So do yourself a favor and check out "Somebody Told Me."

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This Is Gospel
Panic! at the Disco

Panic! at the Disco was one of those bands that was just a little too emo for me to be comfortable with when I was in high school. And now that I'm past that critical age where my musical taste was being molded into what it would be for the rest of my life, I honestly can't seem to get into them. But I know that they mean a great deal to a lot of people, and from what I can tell, they're objectively a great band. This was the first song I ever heard from them, and it's the only one I like. It caught my attention not only because it has the kind of chorus that you just have to sing along to but because of the title itself: "This Is Gospel." When I heard it, I thought, "Wow. These guys must be pretty confident if they're going to label their own song 'gospel.'" It's not gospel as in the musical genre. They're saying their music is gospel as in the good news. And maybe to their fans, it is. I'm still trying to figure out in what way their music may or may not be considered gospel, but until then, I'm just going to keep enjoying the song. I suggest you do, too.

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Shut Up and Dance
WALK THE MOON

I've heard it said that often your brain tells you that you like a song when really what it means is that you're just familiar with it. I think that's what happened to me with "Shut Up and Dance." I would consider this song the song of the summer. I hear it playing everywhere. The first time I heard it playing in a store, I didn't really notice it. The next time, I heard it playing in a restaurant, and I thought, "Hey, that line about shutting up and dancing is actually pretty catchy." And the third time, I heard it who knows where, and I knew that I simply had to have that song on my phone immediately. So I opened up my Music app, searched "Shut up and dance with me" (since those were the only lyrics I actually knew), and found the song I was looking for. I have to admit, it really is a lot of fun to listen to. It doesn't have a lot to offer content-wise, but that's OK. Usually the most popular songs don't. It's a catchy, poppy song about a guy and a girl dancing together, and it makes you want to dance along with them. What more could you possibly ask for in the most-played song of the summer?

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What's My Age Again?
Blink-182

There are a few bands that I would choose, if given the opportunity, to force my younger self to listen to. Blink-182 is one of those bands. I think that a lot of the musicians I listen to have been deeply influenced by Blink-182, but they were a little older than the bands I was into during my high school years. Blink-182 makes incredible music, and now that I've finally taken the time to explore their catalog, I can say that I'm a fan. I just so happened to be listening to Apple Music's "Introduction to Blink-182" playlist a couple of days before my 23rd birthday when this song came on. I knew there was a song out there that had the line, "Nobody likes you when you're 23," but I had no idea what that song was. It's an amazing coincidence that I discovered this song just before I turned 23, and now this song will stay in my music rotation probably until l turn 24. It's a hilarious song about growing up (or not), and I hope that by the end of my 23rd year, I'll be fully aware of my age and acting appropriately, unlike the narrator of "What's My Age Again?".

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Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)
Omi

I discovered this song while listening to one of the top Pop playlists and was amazed by how much I immediately liked it. I thought that Omi's accent would be a barrier that kept me from fully appreciating "Cheerleader," but the way he pronounces the words actually makes it more enjoyable to listen to and sing along with. I also just think the lyrics are really cute. We all want a cheerleader, and some of us (myself included) are lucky enough to have one. Omi lets the world know how great his cheerleader is and how much he cares about her while also treating her with respect and giving her agency. That's a rare thing to hear from a male music artist these days, and I find it refreshing. (Side note: I listened to the original version of this song, and let's just say there's a good reason the remix is the version that's getting so popular.)

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Geronimo
Sheppard

This song and I have actually been on a bit of a journey together. One of my jobs is to run slides for Baylor Chapel, and my boss always picks a playlist to run while the students are walking in and out. This song happened to be one of the songs he chose, so I heard it several times a week last school year, and I always enjoyed it. When Apple Music came out, "Geronimo" was one of the first songs I looked for, and I was disappointed to find out that it wasn't there. So over the summer, I practically forgot all about it. That is, until Sheppard appeared on Girl Meets World and performed the song. This inspired me to try one more time to find it on Apple Music, and this time, it was there. I've been listening to it nonstop ever since. "Geronimo" is about diving headfirst into something that you truly believe in without looking back, and I think that's a feeling we can all relate to, or at least one that I hope we can. It's a song that's exciting and has just enough repetition to be catchy without getting on your nerves. Plus the range of the lead singer is just incredible on this track. It's definitely worth checking out. It'll probably have you saying, "Geronimo!" after just one listen.

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Do Something
Matthew West

Oh, look! Finally, a Christian song. I knew this playlist couldn't be completely heathen. This is actually the newest addition to my Currently on Repeat playlist. I heard the song on Air1 when it first came out, and I immediately loved it. Unfortunately, I forgot about it until a co-worker played it for me the other day. It's not only a great song; it's a call to action. No one, and especially no one who claims to believe in Jesus, can listen to "Do Something" and not feel compelled to act. This song serves as a reminder that we live in a broken world, and we are the ones who have been called by God to fix it. It makes me want to get up and do something to make this world a better place, to share the love of Christ with someone in a way that truly touches them. I love this song because every time I hear it, it draws me away from complacency and reminds me of what God wants from me: He wants me—and really each of us—to go out and do something.

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Bonus Song:
West Coast Calling
Lights Go Down

This is the only song in my Currently on Repeat playlist that isn't available on Apple Music. That's right, if you want to hear this song you actually have to—gasp!—pay for it. But I can assure you that it's worth the money for a couple of different reasons. First of all, it's a solid pop punk track on its own merit. Secondly, it's the debut song from Lights Go Down, the new band fronted by none other than Jason Dunn, formerly the lead singer of Hawk Nelson. Jason quit Hawk Nelson a couple of years ago because the band had gone mainstream, embracing a bubble-gum Christian alternative style over their pop punk roots. He decided to start over by returning where Hawk Nelson originally came from. OK, so they're actually from Canada, but their first big song was "California," a pop punk song about a young man's desire to move to California. "West Coast Calling," the first song from Jason's new band, is naturally a song about a young man's desire to move to California, this time to "do it all over again." It's a return to form for Jason, and he has put together a great group of musicians to start this new journey with. I can't wait to hear more from Lights Go Down, and I would suggest you download West Coast Calling and get on board before this band makes it big.

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So there you have it. These are the songs I currently have on repeat. If any of these songs piqued your interest, or if you'd like to keep up with songs I find myself listening to in the future, you can subscribe to my Currently on Repeat playlist through Apple Music and alway stay up-to-date. I'd also love to know what you're listening to. What were your favorite songs of the summer? Did any of my songs overlap with what you've been listening to? And are there any artists or albums you're really excited about right now? I'm always looking to discover good music, so leave your suggestions in the comments, and I'll be sure to check them out!

Where I'm At

I'm not going to lie to you. Writing this blog post is going to be hard. I say that for a couple of different reasons. First of all, I'm not exactly sure how to approach this topic. I started off writing a summer re-cap, but I don't think that's the best use of this post. Really what I'm trying to get at in this post is not so much where I've been but where I am now, at this exact time. That's a little difficult to define and even more difficult to express, which is one reason why writing this post won't be easy. But I'm going to do my best.

The other thing making the writing of this blog post hard is that, honestly, where I'm at isn't 100% a good place. It's certainly not 100% a bad place either. It's not even mostly a bad place; I'd say the vast majority of it is good. But there's some bad stuff mixed in there, and I don't want to be dishonest about that. I want this post to be an honest, transparent look at where I am right now. That's what I feel led to write, so I'm going to write it even if it isn't the easiest thing to do.

Let's start with where I'm located. That should be easy, right? I'm back in Waco, which is where I've lived for over a year now. It's really hard to believe that I've been in Texas for that long. I spent a month traveling to different places this summer, and I was surprised to find that I actually missed Waco. I missed my apartment. I missed my friends and co-workers. I even missed my school. It's good to have a home that you can long for when you're away from it. Waco is that place for me now, so that's where I'm at in the most literal sense.

Next up, let's talk about where I'm at school-wise. I've just started my second of (hopefully only) three years at seminary. I've completed 30 out of the 93 required hours for the Master of Divinity program, and I'm starting to put a serious dent in my basic requirements. I'm taking 12 hours this semester, and all my classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so that should be fun. It's going to be a lot of work, but I'm really enjoying my classes so far—even Hebrew, surprisingly.

As far as work goes, I'm really happy with where I'm at. During the week, I work for Baylor Spiritual Life, where I serve as the Ministry Associate for Worship and Technology. (That's a fancy way of saying I create and run slides for chapel.) And on the weekends, I serve as a monitor at My Brother's Keeper homeless shelter. I think both of my jobs appeal to different—but integral—areas of my calling, so I'm feeling very fulfilled and energized by that.

Physically, I'm not exactly where I'd like to be. I got out of the habit of exercising over the summer because my schedule was just so sporadic. I've also fallen into the habit of eating the most convenient food I can get ahold of, which obviously isn't the healthy kind. But I'm on the up-and-up! I've been running five days a week for the past couple of weeks, and I'm starting to add some colorful foods back to my diet. Not only do I feel better physically, but I feel better about myself now that I'm putting forth the effort to actually take care of my body.

And now we get to the part that's not so fun. Feelings. Bleh. Emotionally, I've been pretty good, but not necessarily as good as I could be. This summer was really good for my emotional state in some ways and really bad for it in other ways.

Saying goodbye to Millie as she headed off to New York was difficult, but we've been rocking the long-distance thing and I visited her last month, so that relationship has been a real source of joy and fulfillment. Traveling with my friends and family was a blast and definitely made me really happy. I've made some memories that I'll cherish forever, and that's an emotional high that doesn't quickly fade.

But like I said, summer was a mixed bag. Most of you have probably heard or deduced that my family had a major change this summer. My parents have decided to go their separate ways, and obviously that's been quite a shock for everyone involved. Things were really stressful and confusing for a while, and they'll probably continue to be at least somewhat stressful and confusing for the foreseeable future, but that's the thing about life. It goes on. People adjust. Wounds heal. Things may be different, but life goes on.

And in the midst of the change and the pain, there is grace. There is a loving God who draws me to himself. There are friends who encourage me in ways that they'll never even know about, but that mean the world to me. There is my education, where I learn about what I'm passionate about, and my job, where I do meaningful work that ministers to others and to my own soul.  And there is always my family, no matter what it looks like, that always offers me beautiful moments and wonderful memories. 

So I guess you could say that's where I'm at. I'm in the midst of it all. It's a lot, but in the end, it's good. I'm thankful for where I am, I have hope for where I'm heading, and I cherish all the people who have joined me on my journey thus far. I'm also thankful for this opportunity to reflect deeply and share honestly about where I am right now.

I'd like to end with some lyrics from a song you probably haven't heard before. They are from the class hymn of Baylor's class of 2018, written by our chaplain Dr. Burt Burleson, but I think they capture pretty well where I'm at right now. I hope that you'll read these lyrics and not only get a glimpse of where I am but allow the lyrics to meet you where you are so that you can experience the same grace that I do. Hear these words: 

In between the seeking and the finding,
Underneath the wand’ring and the winding,
All around the hearing and the seeing,
Deep within the changing and the dreaming…

There is Truth that will meet us.
There is Love that will lead us.
There is Light that will waken us,
And Grace to make us whole,
And Grace to make us whole.

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Now that you've heard where I'm at, I'd love to hear from you. Where are you at right now? That could mean in any area of your life: school, family, career, relationships, even just location. Whatever you think defines your current state, I'd really like to hear about it in the comments!