There is a unique weight to the final week of a OneLife year. It is a season that requires us to hold two seemingly opposite things at once: the joy of accomplishment and the grief of goodbye. As our first-year sites and our OLX program gathered for commencement, we found ourselves standing at the “end of all things” for the 2025-2026 year.
As J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in The Return of the King, “I am glad that you are with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam.” While our students weren’t destroying a ring of power, they were completing a journey that was, in its own way, intense and transformative. At the end of everything this year had for us—the treks, the seminars, the deep-dives into scripture, and the messy reality of community life—we are simply glad to have experienced it all together.
The Gift of Lean-In
Graduation is more than a ceremony; it is a celebration of a choice. Nine months ago, these students chose to “lean in.” They chose to prioritize character over comfort and community over convenience.
This week held plenty of fun, but we also intentionally made room to grieve the goodbyes. We reflected on the “countless incredible opportunities” that have shaped these students. From the classroom to the wilderness, the Lord has been faithful to use every unexpected turn and every challenging moment to mature and mold them into the image of Christ.
A Diversity of Callings
One of the most exciting aspects of graduation is seeing the sheer diversity of where the Lord is leading our students next. In the economy of the Kingdom, there is no “standard” path. Each student is being uniquely guided for a specific purpose:
- Some are heading into the physical intensity of firefighting, prepared to serve their communities in moments of crisis.
- Others are stepping into youth pastoring, ready to shepherd the next generation with the same intentionality they received here.
- Many are moving into college life, taking the “OneLife DNA” of discipleship into traditional university settings.
Whether they are heading to a job site, a mission field, or a university lecture hall, they carry with them the “beautiful moments” and formative lessons of this year.
The Launch
To our graduates: Congratulations! You have put in the time, the work, and the heart to finish well. You have navigated a long, challenging, and beautiful year, and you have done so with excellence.
As you step into these new chapters, remember that while this specific community is changing, the God who guided you through the “wild places” of this year is the same God who goes before you now. We are post-commencement, but we are also “mid-launch.”
We are profoundly grateful to have had the gift of witnessing your growth. We close this chapter of the 2025-2026 community with a renewed sense of hope, trust, and the question that has guided us all year: “What’s next, Father?”
Go forth and lead, serve, and love for His glory.