![\"Open](\"https:\/\/jonathanbrooker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Open-Letter-to-Senior-Class.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSenior year is tough and yet it\u2019s full of celebration. It\u2019s a time of incredible change and hope for the future. However, as I\u2019ve watched many senior classes come and go, I see a dark side as well. It\u2019s because of that dark side and the hope I have that my students can rise above the obstacles they face that I write this:<\/p>\n
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**NOTE** Yes, this is directed towards the students in my youth ministry, though it pertains to any seniors. And no, though we always want to assume it is, no part of this is written specifically about any one person.<\/i><\/p>\n1. \u00a0Our youth ministry is still for you, even if it\u2019s not for you anymore.<\/h3>\n
Things in our youth ministry are becoming less and less FOR you in the sense of a consumer and are becoming more and more FOR you in the sense of a leader. It\u2019s not like things have magically become less pertinent to you. What\u2019s happened is that your mind is now beginning to shift to your soon-coming change out of high school, living under mom and dad\u2019s roof, and being viewed as a child.<\/p>\n
There are some big changes going on! Under the surface, even if you don\u2019t realize it, you\u2019re beginning to sense you need to change. 99% of the time the answer is not to run away but to stay and begin to lead. However, about 99% of the time there is that urge to leave instead of leading. The underclassmen are looking to you. Choose to lead them rather than to leave them. It\u2019ll be an example much more along the lines of what I\u2019m sure you\u2019d like to be known for.<\/p>\n
You know that thing called senioritis? That thing you joked about having in freshman or sophomore year? But now you REALLY have?! Yeah, that thing. Well it\u2019s going to push you to sit around and do nothing. To coast. To take the easy roads whenever possible.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s understandable, but it shouldn\u2019t really be all that desirable. Why would you work so hard to let your grades go down the drain? Or why would you strive to have a solid relationship with God and then decide to do a last minute change up and use your senior year to throw it all away?<\/p>\n
By the time you\u2019re a senior you\u2019re tired. You\u2019re just frustrated and exhausted with all the effort you\u2019ve had to put in to get to this point. You\u2019re ready to just do what YOU want. But don\u2019t let what you want now<\/i> take away from what you\u2019ve worked so hard to achieve for so many more months and years<\/b> before now.<\/p>\n3. \u00a0Set some \u201cI\u2019m not finished yet\u201d goals.\u00a0<\/h3>\n
At this point you probably know you\u2019re going to graduate high school. That\u2019s great. We\u2019ll eat barbecue and sit out on your lawn and tell you how great you are in about 8 months. But you can do more!<\/p>\n
There\u2019s incredible potential in you. You\u2019ve learned things you can pass on. You have influence that underclassmen only dream of having. You have experience that makes you a more knowledgable leader. You have more flexibility which allows you to serve more, achieve more, help more, accomplish more. All I\u2019m saying is you\u2019re not done yet!<\/p>\n
Start setting some serious goals for the next few months. What can you accomplish before you graduate? And how can you run this final sprint of the marathon with all you\u2019ve got? You\u2019d be ticked off if you watched a runner start to slow her pace as she neared the end, figuring that she was almost there anyway. Run hard, run strong!<\/p>\n
And while you\u2019re at it, set some goals for the summer after you graduate. How are you going to make sure you soak in all that time with friends before people go their separate ways? What are you going to do to make sure it doesn\u2019t feel like a wasted 2 months? And what are you going to do to prepare for college or whatever is next for your life?<\/p>\n
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Before you know it your senior year will be over. You\u2019ll be dressed in that gown trying to remember which side the tassel starts on. (It\u2019s the right side, by the way.) You\u2019ll be thinking, \u201cWow! This year flew by so fast!\u201d And you\u2019ll be right; it did.<\/p>\n
The future will be staring you in the face. And we, as your cheering section, believe you can handle it. Show us we\u2019re right. Don\u2019t show us then<\/i>, because if you start then<\/i> it may be too late. Then <\/i>is not your time.<\/p>\nTo the class of 2014: Your time…is NOW.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"