I have been working on this post for quite sometime now. I write a draft, go through and read it, edit it, and then erase it. This has happened at least 3 times. Hopefully this will be the last and final draft! :) In the past drafts I have felt the need to explain...everything. They have all ended up being really long, but I realize you, who are reading this now, do in fact have a life other than reading my life story!
I felt the need to explain people my thought process of how I have gotten to where I am now, and what I will be doing now. It's not really necessary though! I mean if you want to know the whole long story, I would be more than happy to tell you. For the others though, I will spare you the details! :)
The important thing is, God is calling me somewhere and I am going. "Where you go, I'll go. Where you stay, I'll stay. When you move, I'll move. I will follow." Those are song lyrics to I Will Follow by Chris Tomlin! Look it up if you have never heard it! It's a really great song! :) That is my prayer though. I want to be following the Lord. I want to be walking in His will for my life. I know that His plan is way better than anything I could think up on my own!
With that being said, I have some news to share! A lot of things are about to change in my life, and I am so excited to see what god has planned! Here it goes:
1) I am changing my major....again!! I know, I know....story of my life! (I will explain)
2) I am going to be house mom starting....sometime really soon. And soon as in the next couple of weeks!
3) I am going to be on leadership in Chi Alpha!
After a lot of prayer, talking with friends about it, and more prayer, I am changing my major. This will actually be my last semester at Washburn! This is a wonderful thing! Starting in August, maybe a class or two this summer, still not sure...I will be taking classes through Liberty University. Liberty is a Christian university in Virginia. No, this does not mean I am moving! They have distance learning which means I can take all my classes online. I will be getting my bachelor's degree in religion. Yes that means I am not finishing my business degree. It would take me the same amount of time to graduate with my bachelor's in religion as it would to finish my business degree. I wasn't just a few classes away from being done or anything...in fact I wasn't even to the point of being accepted into the business program. I still needed a couple of classes before that would happen.
After I get my bachelors, the "plan" is to go to seminary. I say "plan" because I have learned to not set anything in stone. I'm open to whatever and wherever God takes me! Once in seminary, I'm not 100% sure what my focus will be yet, but I am very interested in pastoral studies/ministries (not sure the official term for that!) and/or missions. But I still have time to figure that out!
I chose to take online classes rather than moving and going to a different school because I really feel like God is calling me to be here in Topeka, as well as in Chanute. Obviously, I can't be in both places at once so I'm not sure how that will work out. But I will be living in Topeka, and going back and forth to Chanute.
Here in Topeka, God put on my heart Chi Alpha. I knew that something was keeping me here, and it wasn't me taking classes at Washburn! There was something else I was supposed to be doing, I just didn't know what. But a couple of months ago, I had lunch with Becca (the leader of Chi Alpha), and that is when she popped the question, "Would you be interested in being the house mom?" Yes, yes, YES!! I am very excited! It's kind of strange, not gonna lie! I mean, am I really old enough to be a house mom? Am I the right person for the job? I guess we shall see! ;) But no, I am really excited and honored that I was asked! It was also a huge answer to prayer! I can't wait to get started. I hope all my kiddos ;)...oh that is just too weird...I hope everyone else who will be living here is just as excited as I am! Also I will be on "servant's council" next year, meaning I will help lead a bible study, meet one-on-one with the girls, and be active and participate in Chi Alpha events!
As far as what I am supposed to be doing in Chanute, I'm still not really sure. I have been given several opportunities to speak there in the past few months and I have loved every second of it! The first couple of weeks in March I filled in for Pastor Harry while he was out of town, and then twice more in April. I hope to have more opportunities in the future! Word has gotten around about my change of plans and what I hope to do one day, and people back home have already started calling me Pastor Kaci. So. WEIRD. I quickly tell them I am NOT a pastor. Maybe, someday I will be but not yet! But really, it kind of makes my heart happy to think about! :) Anyways, other than filling in when needed, I'm not sure what else I am supposed to be doing there. Right now, I feel as though there isn't anything specific but rather just helping out in
whatever way I can. I don't know what it is about that church, but I
love it. God has put it heavily on my heart, and I don't want to ignore that. I truly believe God can use that church in BIG ways if we let Him!
I am really really excited about all of these new beginnings! All of these years I have felt like I was wondering around in life, clueless and confused as to what I was supposed to be doing. To be honest, up until this point when asked what I wanted to do with my major (whatever it was at the time), or what my plans were after college, my response was always, "I have no idea, that's a very good question. I wish I had the answer!" But God has answered my prayer...
Over Christmas break I started praying hard that God would give me direction in my life and show me what I was supposed to be doing, as well as asking for boldness and courage. And boy has He done both of those things! He has been opening up so many doors, as well as stretching me, pulling me out of my comfort zone! It has been so awesome! My prayer is that it won't stop...that each day I can keep growing in Him, gaining more knowledge and wisdom, boldness and courage. I just want to spread the good news, the hope that Jesus gives, the freedom. I know that we can all do this in any job we have, we don't have to be in ministry to share Jesus with others. It just so happens that God is calling me to that! It is kind of a scary thing. I don't know why He picked me of all people, but He did. But I also know that where I am inadequate, He makes me adequate. I am taking that leap of faith, and trusting in Him.
I am ecstatic to see what God has planned for me, for Chi Alpha, for the Chi Alph house, OUMC (my church back home), and I am thrilled to be a part of it all!
To close, I wanted to share a quote a friend of mine posted on his Facebook. It is very fitting for this post, and hopefully can be something to challenge you with!
"Everything you want in life is right outside your comfort zone..."
-Author Unknown-
Are you stepping out of your comfort zone?? Are you taking that leap of faith? Or are you being held back by something? My challenge to you today (and to myself!), step out of your comfort zone. Don't let any fears you may have keep you from following God's will for your life. Don't settle for anything less! Trust in Him.
Thanks for reading! :)
