New Beginnings

This was published on January 13, 2007

Today is the 13th day of 2007. It is a new year. A new semester has begun at school. I must say these first two weeks of the New Year have been incredibly eventful. God is going to make this an unforgettable year. I know He has some pretty unbelievable things in store.
I arrived back to Wichita late on the 1st after a very exciting and eventful stay in Miami for the holidays. Inservice was boring as usual on Tuesday. Classes started Wednesday and I must say I am incredibly excited about my classes this semester. I have some great Juniors and the Freshmen seem like a lot of fun.
However this is only a very small piece of the changes that have begun this semester. I also joined the Biggest Loser at work. I lost 4 1/2 pounds this week. Yet again though this is still only a very small part of the changes about to occur in 2007.
I mentioned in a previous post that I wanted to be enrolled in graduate school by the fall. Well it's going to happen. Towards the beginning of this school year I had started to doubt my original goal of going to graduate school for Theology. So I decided to look at some other options. I thought counseling would be a good idea. I felt, hey I'm good with people. This could be a good thing for me. Plus I would make more money, and that is a good thing right? Well I looked at countless programs. Got several applications. Told myself this was what I was going to do. But the entire time I was getting ready to do this I felt no peace. None at all. It just didn't fell right. I felt like I was doing this for all the wrong reasons. The main things motivating me were money, and wanting to be in D.C. where some of my close friends live.
Then last week a lot of things really began to hit me and turn me back toward my original goal. First the Bishop's homily at all school mass. He spoke about taking courage and doing what God has called us to do, even if it may seem scary. Then something I said to my cousin in an argument over Christmas kept playing in my head over and over again. I said to him "I'm sorry you have that impression about the Church, but that is not what the Church is about. That is WHY I DO WHAT I DO, so that people will come to realize what the Church really is about". This is what gave me my answer in a sense. There were also two other small things that happened over the break that I thought of. First my parents got a gift and a card from one of my student's parents. The card was thanking them for me and the influence I had had in the life of their son and his friends. Once again the phrase, THIS IS WHY I DO WHAT I DO came through my head. Lastly my parents told me they would help me out financially.
All the pieces came together. I experienced a clarity like I have not experienced in a long time. I was not called to counseling. I have been called to work in ministry for the Church. That is exactly what I'm going to do. I called the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado on Friday last week. They still have everything on file from when I applied last year. I also still have my 50% scholarship. The money my parents are giving me will cover the rest of my tuition. All I need to do is find a place to live and a job. That however, is in God's hands now.
I am moving to Denver in August. I told the school on Monday and began telling others on Wednesday. I am scared to death, but also know deep down inside this is what I am supposed to do. I feel so much peace about it. I am very sad to say goodbye to Wichita. This has been my home for the last 4 and a half years. I have made some great friends. I will miss you all terribly. I am not going to dissapear from the lives of the people here in Wichita, however. Ask anyone I know and they will tell you I am very good at staying in touch. So please pray for me these next 7 months as I finish one chapter in my life and begin another one.
"Behold I am the servant of the Lord, may it be done unto me according to thy will".