Seattle Trip

The past few days I have been in Seattle. Its been a really fun trip to take with my friend from high school, Sheena. She and I came up together to visit her sister Karissa, who is living right downtown as a travel nurse. I also had the chance to meet with a professor at Seattle Pacific University who runs a merchandising management program there. It has been such a restful time...I am really grateful to have a few days off. The professor, Jaeil Lee, was so nice. She really encouraged me to keep thinking about what I want to do with my life. It was so neat, and kind of surreal, to talk with a professor who shares the same faith as me. It gave me a whole new perspective on teaching, being able to incorporate faith into the curriculum. Dr. Lee said she plays more of an advisor type role in her student's life as well as being their teacher. She is able to talk with her students about God's direction for their life in a way that would be totally illegal in a public school. I think it could be a really great challenge to not only convey information to students but to spur on my students in their relationships with God as well. While Jaeil didn't have a job for me now, she was very encouraging about future prospects, whether part time or more at Seattle Pacific. It was a great connection to make, and a neat possibility for the future. The rest of the trip was just relaxing, shopping, game playing and chocolate tasting. What fun!!

A few things have changed in my life since my last post. I finally have a life plan...well at least for the next year or so. It is such a relief for me to know what I am doing!! It is such a challenge to go without a plan or direction. This summer, I will keep working at Java 2, the coffee shop on campus. I am also going to serve as the interim children's ministry director at my church for 3 months (through the end of September). The current director is leaving at the end of July, and I will take over for a few months while the church continues to search for a permanent replacement. At the end of July I will be moving into my own apartment, living alone for the first time. I am really excited and a little intimidated at the same time. But it will be really nice to kind of grow up in this way. In September, I will take on another job at the church, going back on staff with the college group as the missions intern, where I will keep planning this year's Brazil trip as well as add on some other responsibilities. I will also (hopefully, I am still in the process of applying) be attending a 9 month Bible school at Calvary Chapel Corvallis, called Cornerstone School of Ministry. This school is a certificate program where I will be in a cohort of students taking classes in both the Old and New Testaments, Hermeneutics, and other elective classes. I am really excited about all these new changes and decisions. It is totally a testament to God working in my life in a way I could have never imagined. What a blessing!

Summertime and the Livin's Easy

Summer is finally here!! I think that summer in Corvallis is one of my favorite things. It is much less crowded with all the students gone, and there are plenty of fun, adventurous things to do. One of my all-time favorites is to go to the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Danielle and I always have a great time sampling scones, buying flowers and fresh produce, picking up a loaf of bread at Great Harvest (and a free sample too...), and leisurely shopping the quaint stores downtown. It is truly one of the highlights for me.

I also love the freedom of hanging out and not feeling guilty for not doing homework. I am almost finished with all the work I need to do for school, so I have really been taking advantage of all the free time. I dropped off my theses to be bound, which was so exciting. Having the tangible bound book in my hand is what really makes this whole thing feel real!

This last weekend was Father's Day which was really nice. The family was all together in Eugene, we had dinner and played putt-putt golf. I made my first cheesecake, ugly, but tasty! I used an actual Cheesecake factory recipie - Key Lime Cheesecake. I would HIGHLY recommend it...just make it look prettier than I did! :) Thanks, Dad for being so great!!

A Period of Waiting

This picture makes me laugh. It was taken at a Passover dinner I attended at a Christian guys house this year. It is my best Virgin Mary impression :) If you have never attended an authentic Passover or seder dinner, I would highly recommend it. It is so rich in tradition and culture, and a true learning opportunity into a little bit of the heritage of Christian beliefs. But I digress.

It has been a while since I last posted. A lot has been going on in the last two weeks, but I didn't feel like I was ready to talk about it yet. But I am going to attempt to shed a little light on what has been happening lately. I have really been wrestling with the job decision and whether to go to Salt Lake or not. The job is such an amazing opportunity, but I couldn't feel peace about it. I didn't want to just be a chicken and not go because I was scared, so I spent about a week in serious prayer and seeking God's will to make sure that this restlessness was from Him. So this past Saturday I went to Eugene to hang out with my parents and go to a bridal shower and I decided for sure that I will not be taking the job in Salt Lake. This was huge for me to finally admit to myself that it is not the direction I want my life to go. The things I am passionate about, my ministry, teaching, and helping college students are all not a part of that job. So why then would I take it? I am such a people pleaser that it is hard for me to turn down such a great opportunity, I know a lot of people won't understand my decision. But I am ok with that. I am waiting on the Lord to provide a job for me, hopefully in Corvallis, and that is where I am feeling a peace that transcends all understanding. Last week I memorized Psalm 25 and the verse that stuck out to me the most was v.9 "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." This experience is so very humbling for me because I have always been such a planner. I take it as a poor reflection on myself if I don't know what is coming next in my life. So it is hard for me to admit that I HAVE NO IDEA what I will be doing after this summer. But that is ok, because I am humbled, and God promises to guide me and teach me. I take such solace in that.

All I know for now is that I have a part time job at the coffee shop on campus I have been working at all year for the summer, and I can stay in my apartment through the end of July. But God is so good, I am not worried about that. I know I need to be proactive in my job search, but I am confident that He will provide when there seems to be no way. I know I am not finished yet, and this trying time is not over, but if I keep my focus on Christ, it will all be ok.

Thank you all for your prayers over the past few weeks...I have felt them so strongly. Having your prayer support means the world to me.