Grit

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• This past May, when I was preparing to participate in my college commencement, I remember having a conversation with my pastor about the future. He told me that a lot of young people from my generation are very ambitious and we tend to think that we can change the world. As millennials, we carry the stigma of acting entitled to accessing our dreams… And maybe it’s true.

  While I was at my Christian liberal arts college, I used to attend these “Dream Room” gatherings, which were fashioned in the spirit of Parisian saloons. There, I listened to many of my peers share their vision for impacting the Kingdom of God through various disciplines and trades, such as entrepreneurship, fine arts, business, and theology. It was literally a think tank that epitomized the dreamer’s fold. It was the place where we were developing and exchanging our passions and ideas.

  So I think my pastor is right; a lot of us want to make a positive impact in our community and we have the audacity to think we can. Yet the most impressionable part of that conversation was not the analysis of millennial go-getters. The most valuable wisdom that he imparted upon me were the challenges: to face the test of actually living out my convictions, to put into reality the principles of love and mercy that I continually rave about, and to have integrity in the workplace by matching my actions with my words. If only it was all so easy.

  All of this also reminds me of something another local pastor from my previous community said: “I’ve noticed that college students these days are very idealistic, with big dreams to change the world. But I’ve also noticed that they lack something very important—grit: the discipline to do those hard, little things that may not seem very glamorous or important.”

  When I decided to become a Greensboro Fellow, I was most compelled by the vision of the program, which is to develop young people to be disciples and Kingdom builders in every aspect of life. As previous fellow bloggers have conveyed in their posts, there are so many dynamics to this program: internship, discipleship, volunteer involvement, further academic study, leadership development, and the list goes on. The program is obviously set up in a way that would draw someone like me, who enjoys being a jack of all trades (master of nothing).

  But the rhythm of life can be grinding as we go back and forth each week. As I face the day, I find myself phasing in and out of the dreamer mindset and into reality. Yes, I come from a generation that is passionate, but passions fluctuate. This program is equipping me to be committed to my responsibilities and resilient against the wear of the every day. I have to admit that I sometimes make mistakes at work and I’m not always peppy at 7AM discipleship and I occasionally run late to class. Nevertheless, I appreciate that this is a learning experience filled with grace.

  Along with my peers, I find myself developing grit for the road. In the little things that are seemingly far from glamorous or important, I am learning to persevere and serve my bosses and co-workers well. When my fickle heart does not see purpose or passion, I realize the necessity of faithfulness. The Greensboro Fellows program has provided the structural parameters and patterns necessary for me to develop endurance and integrity in my callings and my responsibilities. My character is refined everyday as I seek Jesus with this community.

  I am thankful for the accountability of our internship supervisors, mentors, supporters, friends, and family in this program. This journey is beautiful because I’m not doing it alone and it’s challenging because it stretches me beyond my preferred approaches to life.
• We invest in a lot of different activities (including spiritual disciplines and even yoga at CCL), while simultaneously being exposed to new experiences (such as our upcoming trip to Baltimore, Maryland, on Tuesday to attend the Veritas Forum and to listen to Ravi Zacharias speak). I intern at a wedding and corporate events planning business. I volunteer with a non-profit that serves at-risk girls with high academic and leadership potential. For a Greensboro Fellow, the breadth of these experiences and the passions that they stir are amazing!
• Emily Dao
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What a great post from Emily, front left!