What an Eventful Four Years!

Four years ago today I graduated from college. Now, the past four years have been rather full and exciting. There have been highs and there have been lows, and God has been faithful through all of it.

December 18, 2004 I graduated with a degree in mass communication/public relations. That night friends and I went to see the Raleigh Ringers, a professional handbell choir (it gets more random....a year later my best friend, Erin, and I went to Barnes and Noble to see the Juggling Rabbi). Three weeks later I began divinity school.

After that first semester I headed to Waco, TX. Not being well traveled in my life, I remember walking from the plane and excitedly thinking, "I'm in Texas!" That summer changed my life in so many ways and before I knew it I was back at school. After another year I found myself in West Chicago, IL, about an hour out of Chicago. Not having any clue how a summer in the suburbs made sense, I also was at a bilingual church and didn't understand roughly 50% of what was spoken. Again, that summer was fantastic. I returned to Chicago a couple more times.

I returned to school and completed another semester. Then I went to Belize with a group from the divinity school and I believe God showed me there that one of my spiritual gifts is teaching. After returning home I had four days before I left for a semester in Chicago. Again, fantastic and an incredible experience.

I came back home, began a role as a leader with my youth group at church and embarked on my last year of divinity school. That December my car died and I began working at Bojangles. I mean, seriously....last semester before a masters degree and working at Bojangles. Oh, if only I knew it would be crazier than that!

I entered my last semester going to school, working three part time jobs (ok, the other two were pretty fantastic- not like Bojangles!) and leading the youth group at my church. Around March I began driving around a few states looking for jobs and finally chose The Salvation Army in Reidsville. After I went through the incredible experience of my final chapel as a div school student, the hooding ceremony and graduation, I moved to Reidsville, NC to began a career.

And in a month and a half I moved back, having had accumulated more school debt than my salary could handle. I also was pretty miserable there. Coming home I applied for jobs like crazy and found myself back at Bojangles! What a wonderful opportunity for ministry there, though one I wish I had been a better steward of sometimes. But then I also got a job at Family Christian Stores in Cary and things were getting better.

During this time I also entered my first serious romantic relationship (oh yes, a true champion of singleness doesn't enter their first serious dating relationship until they are 26!) and it was wonderful. But that's come to a halt and yes, I'm still reeling from it.

So, here I am now. Having been accepted into the CPE internship program at WakeMed Hospital, I am weighing my options for what is the best next step in life.

I want so much to do what God wants me to do, but this learning process is quite painful at times!

So, let's see....domestic and international missions, earning a masters degree, serving in a youth leadership role in my church, starting a career and then completely changing plans, having my first serious romantic relationship, and learning more about God and faith and trying to grow closer to God through it all....I'd say it's been an eventful four years.

So, what did I do today on December 18, 2008? I interviewed for and was accepted into the program at WakeMed and I worked a shift at the bookstore.

Let's just say life is a little different than I planned. But that's ok. Not only does God have a sense of humor, but he has a plan....a really good and awesome plan, one he is guiding me on step by step.