With Brent’s visit this past weekend came many a conversation about next year [and a thrilling game of Rumikub in which we discovered Aunt Linda loses it after about 9 p.m. :) love ya!]. We have had many conversations surrounding this topic over the course of this school year, but it seemed that the harder we tried to figure it out the more question marks seemed to appear. However, this weekend was different. There were fewer and fewer question marks and more and more peace.
I’ll try and make this as condensed as possible: Brent has never really been sure of what he wanted to do after he graduated. This ultimately was not a huge deal to me, as I trusted him to eventually get there, and was reassured by his commitment to work hard at whatever—all in all I knew he would provide no matter what. I, on the other hand, have known what I wanted to do [teach] since I was in my mother’s womb—or sometime around then. Early this school year Brent had widdled down his options to most likely grad school in Southern Missouri somewhere for a post-bach. degree in teaching probably. However, he took a church planting class in New York City and a different path appeared.
He met a man who was part of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky who had started a sport’s and fitness ministry program there. Once the man said this, something clicked and Brent remembered reading about this program, and remembered the excitement and passion he felt about this ministry. A little chat and a few emails later we realized there was a sport’s ministry internship position open for next year at their church. So, shortly before Christmas Brent decided that he would apply for the position and see where God took it. I’ll just say I was a little more than skeptical.
February rolled around and a call came and a phone interview was set up. Around this same time a position opened up for a Jr. high English position at my old school back home. Question marks EVERYWHERE! I was super excited about the possibility of going back home, and Brent was excited they were interested. I uploaded and printed an application and Brent talked with the main sport’s ministry guys for almost an hour for his phone interview.
His conversation ended with a job offer.
Long, hard conversations ensued for us—we felt if we picked his option we were choosing him and my option we were choosing me. We wanted to both feel right about the decision, whichever was made.
And then… it just clicked. I don’t know exactly how but one day he said, “Okay, what are we going to do?” And I said, “Well… what do you think?” And he said, “I think we need to go to Louisville.” and I said, “Me too.”
It just seemed like God had opened up all the right doors for us. The people at the church have been very helpful in giving us information about schools in the area for a teaching position for me, and even said they would potentially help me get a job at the church if I can’t find a teaching job right away. We’ll only be about 2 1/2 or 3 hours from Dan and Kali! We just feel a lot of peace about the decision and even though it was hard for me to not try the possibility of teaching back home, we just say, “maybe someday…who knows?!”
At church last Sunday we sang The Summons which just really seemed to encapsulate all that we are feeling about this decision. And as I stood by him and we sang these words, I knew we’d be taken care of:
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my life be shown will you let my name known?
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Check out Southeast Christian at their website: http://www.southeastchristian.org/index.aspx
Type in sports ministry in the search bar and check out the facility!
Thanks for your prayers on this matter…please don’t stop :) I’m sure there is much more to come.
I’ll try and make this as condensed as possible: Brent has never really been sure of what he wanted to do after he graduated. This ultimately was not a huge deal to me, as I trusted him to eventually get there, and was reassured by his commitment to work hard at whatever—all in all I knew he would provide no matter what. I, on the other hand, have known what I wanted to do [teach] since I was in my mother’s womb—or sometime around then. Early this school year Brent had widdled down his options to most likely grad school in Southern Missouri somewhere for a post-bach. degree in teaching probably. However, he took a church planting class in New York City and a different path appeared.
He met a man who was part of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky who had started a sport’s and fitness ministry program there. Once the man said this, something clicked and Brent remembered reading about this program, and remembered the excitement and passion he felt about this ministry. A little chat and a few emails later we realized there was a sport’s ministry internship position open for next year at their church. So, shortly before Christmas Brent decided that he would apply for the position and see where God took it. I’ll just say I was a little more than skeptical.
February rolled around and a call came and a phone interview was set up. Around this same time a position opened up for a Jr. high English position at my old school back home. Question marks EVERYWHERE! I was super excited about the possibility of going back home, and Brent was excited they were interested. I uploaded and printed an application and Brent talked with the main sport’s ministry guys for almost an hour for his phone interview.
His conversation ended with a job offer.
Long, hard conversations ensued for us—we felt if we picked his option we were choosing him and my option we were choosing me. We wanted to both feel right about the decision, whichever was made.
And then… it just clicked. I don’t know exactly how but one day he said, “Okay, what are we going to do?” And I said, “Well… what do you think?” And he said, “I think we need to go to Louisville.” and I said, “Me too.”
It just seemed like God had opened up all the right doors for us. The people at the church have been very helpful in giving us information about schools in the area for a teaching position for me, and even said they would potentially help me get a job at the church if I can’t find a teaching job right away. We’ll only be about 2 1/2 or 3 hours from Dan and Kali! We just feel a lot of peace about the decision and even though it was hard for me to not try the possibility of teaching back home, we just say, “maybe someday…who knows?!”
At church last Sunday we sang The Summons which just really seemed to encapsulate all that we are feeling about this decision. And as I stood by him and we sang these words, I knew we’d be taken care of:
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my life be shown will you let my name known?
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Check out Southeast Christian at their website: http://www.southeastchristian.org/index.aspx
Type in sports ministry in the search bar and check out the facility!
Thanks for your prayers on this matter…please don’t stop :) I’m sure there is much more to come.
3 comments:
congrats...I know that move will be a bit scary, but I am glad God answered your prayers, you know you can get a teaching job anywhere, they will want you. (my dad agrees) love you, thanks for calling me several times for my birthday, brandon and brent called also....that meant a lot, sorry I haven't called you back yet...love you--micah
I really am so very excited for you guys (and not just because you're moving closer to me!). It's such a blessing to have the decision behind you and move forward with peace & confidence. God will bless your obedience and faith. And I LOVE the song "The Summons" - thanks for the reminder of those rich and challenging words. That songs was very meaningful to me throughout college, esp. at certain points, and the words brought me right back to the NWC chapel and many prayers I prayed from those pews :-)
Love you!!
Kelsey,
Yay--so excited to hear this news. Hope to see you soon--Eric and I are going to the game tonight . . .
Post a Comment