2021 Recap

Howdy, y'all! It's been a while since the last blog, but I wanted to write this one to sort of summarize my 2021.

Last year was an amazing year of growth for me and I learned so much. Not only was I able to develop as a content creator, but I learned so much about myself and life in general. College is hard… and as much as it pains me to say that, I’ve had to allow myself to accept it. The pace of college life is like a marathon, but also a sprint at the same time. You run 100 meters as fast as you can and then you realize that there’s still more for you to do and the cycle repeats over and over and over. I tried to heed the advice of so many who have done the college thing before me: “get involved in as much as you can” “college is what you make it” “these are the best years of your life” etc. While there are certainly elements of truth to each of those statements, last year I think I finally found the value of specialization.

In my first semester of college, I rushed a fraternity, worked a part-time job for 10 hours a week, tried to stay afloat in school, found a church home, managed my small business, and spent countless hours shooting, editing, and designing. Needless to say, I was wiped. I realized that there was simply not enough time for me to do everything that I wanted. While I was doing a lot, I was not doing any of it well. Some of my relationships were strained, to say the least, my ego was off the charts, and I lost perspective of why I wanted to go to college in the first place.

As a creative, I feel like I am constantly looking for the next best thing. There’s always one more piece of gear I can accumulate to make my work that much better or one more connection I can make to further my sphere of influence. If I could just land that one shoot, life would be perfect and then I would be happy. I am thankful that it only took me one semester to uncover that lie because there will always be a next thing to look towards. There is peace when we spend our time seeking fellowship with others in the present.

I took the picture featured above on a Saturday last October when I was particularly stressed. In fact, I was in such need of an escape that I drove two hours to Oklahoma to capture this sunset (yes I’m that much of an introvert). It was such a beautiful moment for me because it gave me time to sit back and think about what I wanted. My life was a mess—and would get messier before the year ended—but that moment of peace was so important for me. I didn’t receive some special revelation from God or a message about the future, but I knew that I would have someone with me for the whole journey to come.

As great as it would be to do everything I want, I have come to realize that that is not what I am called to do as a Christian. If Paul’s letter to the Colossians calls me to work hard in everything I do, then I must limit what I do in order to excel at what I do. As 2022 has started, I have found beauty in consistency and routine. Hard work is fulfilling and college really is such a sweet time.

Despite some of the setbacks of 2021, I am so thankful for the people who stuck with me and taught me more in such a short period of time than I thought possible. I am so blessed to be at DBU right now and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am looking forward to some of the projects I have coming up and I cannot wait to share them with y’all. My prayer for myself this year is Paul's prayer at the end of Ephesians 3. I just finished going through Ephesians, and this verse has been on my heart throughout it.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

-Ephesians 3:20-21

I have no idea what this year holds, but I know that it is more than I could ever imagine. Hoping to get back to the weekly blogs (so be watching on Tuesdays!), but I will be managing my time differently this year so we’ll see! I am so thankful for all of you!

-Luke