Very soon, Facebook feeds will be filled with first day of school photos — sweet faces that are all at once excited and nervous about another new beginning.
Things are different in the McWhorter family this year. My husband and I have been empty nesters for a while, but this fall is the first in 20 years that we don’t have a student starting back to school.
Our children are “grown and flown,” as the saying goes. And we are all at once excited and nervous about another new beginning.
Perhaps that’s why the topics covered in this year’s Back to Campus edition resonated with me.
Unlimited opportunities
Pastor and professor Michael Grayston challenges us to keep technology and its impact in perspective and reminds us of an important truth: God’s purpose for us is never limited to a particular profession or even a season in life.
From the moment of our conversion, our purpose is grounded in our relationship with Christ and our calling to love and serve others.
The most recent State of the Bible survey from the American Bible Society affirms how Scripture engagement reinforces that calling.
Inspired by God
Bible readers are more confident of their purpose in life and flourish, even amid challenges, because they view their calling as inspired by God, the 2026 survey finds.
When our children were at home, we sought to set an example of Bible study, prayer and service to the church and community. It was a responsibility and a calling.
Now the question is: Who is God calling us to disciple next?
While we may not have a clear and specific person or group in mind, we are confident that God’s plan for us still includes serving those around us and pointing them to Jesus.
No matter the season you are in, if you are a follower of Christ, that is your calling too.
You may not realize it, but the simple act of reading The Alabama Baptist and The Baptist Paper each week is preparing you to help others.
Consider the value of this edition alone.
Do you know someone with a child with an intellectual disorder? That parent likely wonders what the future holds for their beloved child. Encourage them with information about programs designed to help these special students thrive.
Are you the parent or grandparent of a college student? Tell them about the ministries of the State Board of Missions that reach students with the gospel and help them grow in their faith.
Do you teach middle school or young high school students at church? Tell them about colleges that offer students a distinctly Christian college experience. Several are featured in this year’s Back to Campus edition.
God gives you knowledge and experience for a reason — pray for opportunities to use it wisely.
Ordinary but special
A recent Facebook post by popular author and speaker Andy Andrews says it well:
“Many of us overlook our greatest assets because they come so naturally to us. The things we know. The skills we’ve developed. The lessons we’ve learned. The experiences we’ve survived.”
“We assume they aren’t particularly valuable because they’ve become ordinary to us. But what is ordinary to you may be life-changing to someone else.
“A teacher rarely thinks about how remarkable it is that she can explain a difficult concept. A mechanic doesn’t marvel at the skills he’s developed over decades. A grandmother may not realize the wisdom she’s accumulated simply by living faithfully through life’s ups and downs.”
Fulfilling the mission
“The abilities that seem commonplace to us are often the very things that allow us to help others,” Andrews noted.
The mission of TAB Media Group is to produce Christian resources to help you, your family and your church grow in faith.
It can become commonplace for our publications to arrive in your mailbox or inbox. Don’t let that happen!
From the edition you are reading now to all our other resources, including our website, The Kids Edition, new books for adults and children, and so much more, TAB Media Group wants to help you live your purpose.
What is God calling you to in this season? Who will you help today?
EDITOR’S NOTE — This editorial was written by Carrie Brown McWhorter, special assignments editor of TAB Media Group, for the July 23 Back to Campus edition of The Alabama Baptist newspaper. To subscribe, click here. For more information about any of the items mentioned above, email support@thealabamabaptist.org.
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