September 21, 2025: The Side Roads

I squeezed five years of college out of four.

That wasn’t my master plan since I didn’t particularly enjoy school, outside of the friendships.

My freshman year was at UNC-Charlotte, followed by two years of commuting from Burlington to UNC-Greensboro.

During my last semester at UNCG, something stirred in me. Ministry caught my interest. A few conversations and connections later, I found myself transferring to a small campus in northeast Georgia called Emmanuel. A big leap, but a good one.

That two-year program stands out as my favorite. I learned so much, surrounded by people who shaped me in lasting ways. Many of those connections remain strong even now.

After Emmanuel, doors opened once again, this time leading to a three-year master's degree at Regent University in Virginia Beach. I never planned on such a winding path, but life has a way of redirecting steps.

Looking back, the journey feels like a series of side roads which turned into destinations. Every shift, every unexpected choice, carried me closer to where I was meant to be.

And all those educational adventures finally led me to Jessica while at Regent. Today, more than 30 years later, we live about an hour from the campus.

Emmanuel gave me friendships, but Regent gave me Jess.

Who knew detours could be so scenic?