Dear Compass Checkers,

I’d like to begin this Compass Corner by saying a big thank you to Steve Nutzman who faithfully served as the editor of Compass Check since its beginning. In addition, I’d like to thank him for giving me the opportunity to follow in his footsteps and pick up where he left off. Thanks Steve!

As a teenager, you’ve probably been asked a million times, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The question can get old fast, but it’s a good one to ask yourself. For me, I wanted to be a stunt car driver until I was about eight. At that point I decided I wanted to be an engineer and I never looked back.

From that point forward, everything I did (education wise) was to work toward becoming an engineer. I graduated high school and went to engineering school. My favorite hobby during that time (and now) was working on cars. As I did, I always tried to ask myself questions like, “How was this part made? Why was it designed this way? How could it be made better?” In short, before even technically becoming an engineer, I tried to think like one.

Of course, the funny part is that after enjoying 20 years in engineering, I wound up leaving that field. God had different plans for me. As a result of those changes, I now enjoy the privilege of working on Compass Check and writing to you!

So why did I leave engineering? Well, the short answer is that I was called to serve in the ministry. The longer answer has do with how I was raised to think.

You see, before I began to start thinking like an engineer in order to become an engineer, I was raised to try and think like Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” My parents knew and understood this principle could be applied at a young age. They worked to instill values in me that made me ask questions about different situations in life, much like I asked questions about cars. When I found myself or saw someone else going through a hard situation in their life, I would ask, “How did this happen? Why did it happen? What could I/they have done to keep it from happening?”

These are good questions to ask yourself whenever you face a challenge, whether it be physically, mentally, socially or spiritually. And even though you might not have even thought of baptism yet, they are questions that will begin to help you think like a baptized member of the body of Christ.

I am very thankful for the opportunity to work on Compass Check, and with all the amazing staff. I am thankful for the opportunity to write to you each issue. And I pray that with each issue of Compass Check, you can learn to ask the right questions, discern the right answers and develop your mind to think like Jesus Christ!