Have you ever had a time when you just felt you were not in the right place? Not like you were lost, but instead just not fulfilling your potential. Ive felt like that a couple of times in my life. For me I feel it in my conscience and it will just not go away until I do something about it. One of these feelings started in me about 6 months ago...but I did not start listening to it until now.
For the greater part of the last 18 months I have been trying my best to do everything in my power to prepare myself to start applying to Genetic Counseling Graduate School. It is something I thought I wanted to do, and had lots of support from friends and family. However things were not falling into place and I was becoming discouraged. I was becoming stressed and taking it out on the people around me. It was then that everything started changing in my mind. I had the chance and I took it to become a certified crisis counselor, was offered the summer job that I had been praying for, and started mending relationships. I did not understand why at the time exactly why I was feeling so much better. Later I realized it was because I had put grad school thoughts on the back burner and decided to come back to the idea of it later.
Fast forward a couple of months. School is over and I am preparing myself for camp this summer and spending a couple of weeks by myself at home. On one of those mornings I was enjoying some quiet time reading on the front porch when it hit me. I am not supposed to be a genetic counselor. I am supposed to be something else. Something that will impact the world and the people in it for the better. But what? I really did not know the answer to my own question at the time, but I knew who did. During the entire summer I contemplated what I was supposed to do with my life. I talked to a couple of trusted friends in the Passport world and with my friends and family and prayed to the good Lord above. By the end of the summer I had my answer, and it made me happy and scared and excited all at the same time.
Friends, my life is about to turn in a whole different direction. For no longer is this senior at NC State majoring in Molecular Biology and Genetics going to be a Genetic Counselor. No, this girl is going to do something totally different. I am excited to announce that in the next couple of months I will begin the process of applying to seminary in order for me to become a medical chaplain. It is a job that will allow me to be in the medical field which I have always loved, and also be able to be in constant contact with people, while also serving the Lord in the best way I know how.
I am really excited about this choice. I know that it means another 3 to 4 years of school, but I don't think that will really matter at all once I am in my field of study helping those in need. It is passion of mine to help others and to make them smile. I have a feeling this is going to be an awesome adventure and next chapter in my ever changing and growing life.
I wanted to thank everybody for their support who I have talked with so far. The encouragement has been overwhelming and it is fantastic knowing I have a team behind me who is always going to be there for me. From my pastor, to my parents, to my boyfriend, to my best friends I say thank you. From the bottom of my heart thank you.
So I raise my imaginary glass (of water because I don't like wine) to toast to new beginnings, a new school year, and a new outlook on life. I pray that wherever any of y'all are at on your life journey that you will always remember that God is there for you and so are your friends. Love you all so much and I will continually be praying for you all. And of course I hope that your journey is blessed. Good night y'all!!!!
-Sara
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
reflections...
This summer has been filled with memories. Memories that I know will fade in the future, but for right now they are sharp and vivid in my mind so i want to write them down. From this past summer of Life Together I will take away:
1. On kids team you will always be asked by campers to eat meals with you, no matter how sweaty or smelly you are at the moment.
2. Disney songs are the best for road trips!
3. A certain pair of Keens will always smell no matter what you do to them.
4. Whenever you need someone to talk to there are 13 other people around you willing to lend a listening ear.
5. Worship with children is loud and squirmy, but the best nights of worship I have ever experienced.
6. Sometimes not knowing all the answers is okay.
7. When the Bachelorette is the favorite sow of the team...you know you have an incredible team.
8. Turning puddle jumping after a huge rain storm into a time of worship and fellowship showed me that you can encounter Christ in ANY situation that you are in.
9. Having chaperons that come to camp and act like campers themselves always makes camp that much more exciting, fun, and awesome (I hope I can be like that some day).
and finally....
10. Knowing that hundreds of seeds have been planted in the hearts of the children, chaperons, and staff this summer. I am looking forward to seeing what those seeds will produce in the near future.
Like I have said a million times before, I loved my job this summer. From the people I was honored to work with, to the campers that I was blessed to have been a mentor to this summer, I will not soon forget them. Camp is over now as you can imagine (since I am having time to blog) and I am slowly getting back into the routine of "real life". It is so weird waking up and not putting on one of the 5 tee shirts that I have worn all summer, or walking into the kitchen and not seeing 13 other people dressed in the same thing as you. I will not miss the food, but I will miss the fellowship. My team rocked, and they will all hold a special place in my heart.
Coming home from camp I had a lot on my mind and on my heart. These past two summers at camp have changed me...for the better, and I am excited to see what my future brings. For now though I have to focus on finishing up my senior year of undergrad!!! Oh my word did I just say that I am a senior? It cannot be...ugh...but yay...but ugh. When did growing up start happening so fast?!!?!?!?! (Sorry for the minor freak out, it had to happen sometime)
I do have an important announcement to make though. I will save it for another post later this week. It is some big news that I want to share with everybody, so stay tuned and alert for another post.
Thank you so much for keeping with me this summer even though I only posted once. The love I felt through snail mail, Facebook posts, and phone calls was overwhelmingly amazing. All of my friends are top notch and the best a girl like me could have. Love you all so much!!!!
I pray that everybody has had a great summer, and as you are winding down to go back to work or school please remember that you are in my thoughts and prayers. And of course I pray that your journey is forever blessed!
-Sara
1. On kids team you will always be asked by campers to eat meals with you, no matter how sweaty or smelly you are at the moment.
2. Disney songs are the best for road trips!
3. A certain pair of Keens will always smell no matter what you do to them.
4. Whenever you need someone to talk to there are 13 other people around you willing to lend a listening ear.
5. Worship with children is loud and squirmy, but the best nights of worship I have ever experienced.
6. Sometimes not knowing all the answers is okay.
7. When the Bachelorette is the favorite sow of the team...you know you have an incredible team.
8. Turning puddle jumping after a huge rain storm into a time of worship and fellowship showed me that you can encounter Christ in ANY situation that you are in.
9. Having chaperons that come to camp and act like campers themselves always makes camp that much more exciting, fun, and awesome (I hope I can be like that some day).
and finally....
10. Knowing that hundreds of seeds have been planted in the hearts of the children, chaperons, and staff this summer. I am looking forward to seeing what those seeds will produce in the near future.
Like I have said a million times before, I loved my job this summer. From the people I was honored to work with, to the campers that I was blessed to have been a mentor to this summer, I will not soon forget them. Camp is over now as you can imagine (since I am having time to blog) and I am slowly getting back into the routine of "real life". It is so weird waking up and not putting on one of the 5 tee shirts that I have worn all summer, or walking into the kitchen and not seeing 13 other people dressed in the same thing as you. I will not miss the food, but I will miss the fellowship. My team rocked, and they will all hold a special place in my heart.
Coming home from camp I had a lot on my mind and on my heart. These past two summers at camp have changed me...for the better, and I am excited to see what my future brings. For now though I have to focus on finishing up my senior year of undergrad!!! Oh my word did I just say that I am a senior? It cannot be...ugh...but yay...but ugh. When did growing up start happening so fast?!!?!?!?! (Sorry for the minor freak out, it had to happen sometime)
I do have an important announcement to make though. I will save it for another post later this week. It is some big news that I want to share with everybody, so stay tuned and alert for another post.
Thank you so much for keeping with me this summer even though I only posted once. The love I felt through snail mail, Facebook posts, and phone calls was overwhelmingly amazing. All of my friends are top notch and the best a girl like me could have. Love you all so much!!!!
I pray that everybody has had a great summer, and as you are winding down to go back to work or school please remember that you are in my thoughts and prayers. And of course I pray that your journey is forever blessed!
-Sara
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