This is probably my last post while at ULM.  I will try to keep up in the future.  This is my monthly article that I write for our NELBA. 

I Never

There is a party game that the ladies used to play at all the baby and wedding showers in my rather large extended family.  It’s called “I never”.  All the ladies gathered around a circle would come up with things they had never done, or places they had never been. The object is to win the game by having never experienced anything.  My grandmother excelled in “I never”. She had never driven a car, traveled much or experienced much of anything except raising 6 children on a small farm.  But, was a genuinely happy person and she had a pretty good life.   This week I have caught myself playing I never.

            Last Tuesday the executive board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention elected me to the position of State BCM Director. It’s a bittersweet honor to replace John Moore our most recent director.  He retired last month, and will be greatly missed.  But, I am looking forward to leading what is considered one of, if not the, best state BCM staff in the nation.  It will mean leaving the campus to administrate.  Make no mistake, I am excited about serving in this capacity and feel the Lord has been preparing me for a long time.  But, there are a few “I nevers” I will miss about being on campus: 

I will never again:

v     Stand on the sidewalk and hand out Popsicles to freshmen at orientation.

v     Plan a mission trip as cheap as possible in order to expose every student to missions.

v     Cook steaks for 300 people hoping we run out because too many came.

v     Plan a series of messages for the fall semester that will challenge the strong ones and welcome the unbeliever.

v     Thank God when the check comes that will cover the electric bill.

v     Plunge a toilet; pray with someone, meet with a Dean, and play sand volleyball all in the same afternoon.

v     Eat pizza every other day for three straight weeks at the beginning of the fall semester.

v     Have someone run into the office on a Monday morning and say I led my mom to the Lord this weekend.

v     Auction my beard for summer missions money.

v     Have a wardrobe primarily consisting of event t-shirts and khaki shorts.

v     Listen daily as some student discovers who they are called by God to be or who they are going to marry or that they need Christ in their life.

v     Pick up all the couches looking for a ping-pong ball that’s not broken.

v     Make nine annual meetings in September and October.

There are plenty more “I nevers”.  If I know “me”, I will think about them every day.  I already miss it.  But, I have always preached that we are called for a season for God’s purposes and his Glory.  Our associate Becky quoted her dad Rick Crandall last week saying, “We have to hold on to our ministries open handed. They belong to God not us. You just have to trust Him.” I can’t write any more. In the words of Forest Gump, “that’s all I have to say about that”.  Here’s the short of it. Thank you Northeast Baptist Association for making the last five years on campus the best.   The Lord has ULM BCM in his hands and the best days are to come. I not only will be watching, I will be visiting and helping all of Louisiana Baptist to reach the next generations of college students for Christ,

In Christ,

Mark Robinson