The title of this post seems a bit apprehensive, doesn't it? That's because that is exactly where I am at right now. God has brought me to a place where He is calling me to do the impossible...to go completely out of my comfort zone and do something I KNOW that I cannot do on my own. This blog will document my journey into the unknown. Let's see what God has in store for me...
In the summer of 2009 I went to a new summer camp with my church. I was a bit apprehensive about this new camp. Up until that point I had always attended Liberty University's summer camp, which of course isn't exactly "camp". We stayed in nice dorm rooms with plenty of toilets and showers. The speakers were good, and I always came back from that week on a spiritual high that quickly faded. Now my church was trying out something new. We were going to a REAL camp...with CABINS! One bathroom for 8 girls. At least it had air conditioning...
So camp started, and you know what? God got my attention that week. This wasn't just a "spiritual high" that I would soon fall away from, back to where I was before. For the first time that I could remember, I think I felt God hug me that week. I was on fire for Him! My love for Him grew immensely, and after the week was over and I was back home, I wrote out a promise to my Lord. "Lord, I want to do what You want me to do. I will go where You lead, and I will not hesitate. Just lead me." A few weeks later, God laid it on my heart that He wanted me to attend Word of Life Bible Institute in Florida. And, of course, I was a bit apprehensive...
Word of Life Florida is a one-year school where all you study is the Bible. I thought it was a
great place. What an awesome way to spend a whole year! So you know what I said to God?
No.
No way. Absolutely not. I will go ANYWHERE but there. It is too far away and it will not benefit me in my future goals. I wasn't going into the ministry, so why would I need to go to a Bible school? I fought God in this way for several months, telling everyone that I felt "led" to attend Liberty University. Then, in December of 2009 I finally gave in. It's funny how God is always in control.
By the time I graduated in 2010 I was all set up to attend Word of Life. The day we left I felt devastated. This was completely going to mess up the life that I had planned for myself. But I knew God was coming with me and that this was what He wanted. So off we went to sunny Florida, and you know what? God got my attention AGAIN! I grew in the Lord more in that one year than I had in my entire life. I learned so much about the Bible I had never known before, and read Scriptures that I didn't even know existed! God stretched me and strengthened me through the hard times and the easy times, and all I wanted to do was to keep on growing like this. So I decided that attending a second year at Word of Life in New York would be the perfect place to do just that. I set it up to go there, and I was so excited. Then, in the summer of 2011 during summer camp at Word of Life, God spoke again. I could feel Him leading me on another adventure. During the school year we had a Biblical Counseling class taught by Pastor Steve Viars. Pastor Viars has a church in Lafayette, Indiana called Faith Church. He is very focused on reaching out the community and getting people in the church doors. Faith is on a campus with a community center, Biblical counseling center, skate park, and Vision of Hope which is a Residential Treatment Center for women who are struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, self-harm, eating disorders, and unplanned pregnancies. He had mentioned Vision of Hope one day in class and that there are internships available there. I hadn't given it much thought at the time, but now I knew this was God's next step for me. I looked up some information about Vision of Hope on their website, and sent an email to the Intern Coordinator for more information concerning the internship. When God leads you, He is not subtle and there is no question about it...I knew what God wanted me to do, and this time I didn't hesitate. The decision was hard, and VERY scary, but it was made. After graduating from Word of Life in August of 2011 I went through the interviewing process with Vision of Hope and got the opportunity to visit and job shadow the interns for a weekend in March. Shortly after my visit, I was officially accepted as an intern.
The internship training will start on July 2nd and will end in July of 2013. All of the new interns, including myself, will go through one week of training followed by one week of job shadowing before beginning the internship. During the first 6 months the interns are responsible for supervising the residents who are in "Phase One" of the program three days a week. Nighttime security responsibilities are on a rotating schedule. During the second 6 months the interns have additional duties including staying in the "Trauma Suite" two nights a week. This is where the women stay who have been through traumatic experiences and may need assistance at night.
What is required for this internship is completely out of my comfort zone, and I KNOW that there is no way that I can do this on my own, but you know what? I think that's where God wants all of us...completely reliant on Him for everything. Only then will we be surrendered to His will and always ready to bring Him praise and glory. I'm not there yet, but God is bringing me to that place. I believe that this will possibly be the most challenging year of my life, and I truly treasure your prayers. There is no way that I can do this without the prayers of my loved ones, and I am truly thankful for my friends and family who have been so supportive through the whole decision-making process. My parents are my biggest supporters, and I am SO thankful for them!
By nature I tend to be apprehensive when called out of my comfort zone, but I guess I should know better than that by now. God is so sovereign and good, and only He knows what is best for us. I'm so glad I can trust Him.
So, I guess we'll see what adventure God has set before me! Whoever said that the Christian life is boring has never gone on a real adventure with God. He is so exciting! Please keep me and my family in your prayers as we travel next weekend, and please pray for me, that I won't let myself get in the way of what God wants to do, and that I will seek His wisdom, not my own, in whatever situations I may face there. You can read all about Faith Ministries and Vision of Hope at their web site, http://www.faithlafayette.org/voh
Well, ready or not...
Here we go.
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
-Ephesians 3:20-21
