Hey family and friends!
I hope you have been enjoying summer time as much as I have. I know many of you enjoyed reading my blogs while I was in Costa Rica, so I've decided to make a new one for this next year, or however long I keep it up ;). I have some exciting news for you regarding what I'll be doing starting in the fall, but first let me catch you up on what lead me this adventure I'm about to go on (but please read this first part and don't skip down to where I reveal what I'm doing this next year :).
God has really provided for me since returning from Costa Rica in April. Soon after I arrived back in Atlanta, He lead me to a job at a day care in Buckhead, GA, and through that job, I have been getting several babysitting jobs. I also started applying and interviewing for teaching jobs when I got back from CR. After several applications, and a couple of interviews, I received a job offer teaching middle school health and PE at a Christian school near Athens, GA. After the interview with the school, I was so excited about the idea of teaching there. I loved the school, the administration, their beliefs, and that I would get to coach the Varsity girls' basketball team! It seemed like the perfect fit and the best experience I could have being a teacher fresh out of college (Side note: I officially graduated from the University of Georgia on May 11, 2012!!). When they called with the offer, I was almost positive that that was where I would be in the fall. I wanted to say yes right away, but knew I needed to take a few days to pray about it before giving them an official answer. They gave me a week before I would need to give them an answer.
During that week, my boyfriend, Aaron, graduated from his second year of Masters Commission, a school of ministry in Atlanta. The school is a part of the church I've attended the last 4 years, the Atlanta Dream Center. Graduation weekend consists of a night of performances of Friday, where family and friends get to see the dramas, steps, stomps, dances, and worship that the students have been doing the past year, the ceremony on Saturday, where each student is recognized and given a certificate, and the church service on Sunday. I went to Aaron's graduation last year, and being around the church and other MC students so much, I know what MC is about, what the students do on a day to day basis, and I see how so many students are completely transformed after only 9 months in this school.
Now to back track a little: The last 2 years roughly, I have had a growing desire to have more of God. I've realized over that time that not only do I want more of Him, but I need more of Him. It's been hard though, to discipline myself daily to get in the word, pray, and spend time with my Daddy. Costa Rica was an amazing time for me and God. If you read my blogs from my time there (http://casadeoky.blogspot.com/) then you know some of the things I was experiencing and how I was growing in Him. I felt so close to Him during those 12 weeks, but it only fed my hunger to need more of Him. It was this MC graduation weekend though where God started to transform my heart and mind even more.
As I mentioned before, I've seen how how on fire students are in MC and how much they grow in their knowledge and relationship with God. It's hard to explain, but God changed my heart in no more than 48 hours that graduation weekend. All I know is God quickly and undoubtedly changed my desire from teaching at the Christian school to being a student of Masters Commission. At that point, I only felt a need for one thing: to know God more. I knew exactly what I wanted and needed, but it was so hard letting go of a job that I knew I would love and get so much from. After much prayer and confirmation, I knew what God was pushing me to do, and I was so excited (but honestly a little nervous) to finally accept it! So..I have officially been accepted into Atlanta Dream Center's Masters Commission and will start as a first year student in September!! Trust me, I know it seems crazy...I never thought this is what He would lead me to after attending 4 years and graduating from college. I do, however, have complete trust in the Lord's plan for me and know He will provide for me in every way.
My sole desire is just to grow closer to my Savior and King, and I'm at a place where I can't imagine moving forward with anything else until I fill this need. Now I know I will never fully know God because no one ever will, but I'm so ready to be rocked my Him and to have a fire in me that can't be put out. I still have a strong passion for teaching, and pray that God would use this time with Him to help transform me to be a better influence for the students I will hopefully teach in the future. I also pray that God would lead me back to that Christian school and that I would have the opportunity to teach there again. I know that he knows all of my heart's desires, so I have no doubt that he will always be leading me to do something great for Him. I know this was super long, but just think, I could have made it a lot longer...be thankful you got the summed up version :) I know it goes without saying, but please keep me in your prayers this next year, and I will try to keep you updated through this blog. Thank you for your support and prayers, and to Him be the glory!
If you'd like more information on the school and church, here are the links:
AtlDC Masters Commission
Atlanta Dream Center
