The first step *check*

I heard, very unofficially, that I was accepted to graduate school two days before I left for church camp.  Very unofficially has never worked well for me, so I worked out an agreement with my mom.  She would email Taryn (a camp staffer and my favorite person on the earth) with good news, and Taryn would deliver that news to me.  It was on my mind all week, needing to know if this next step was going to happen, wondering if God's timeline for my life would ever match up with what I wanted.  I spoke about it a little on Thursday - the danger of really trusting God means that you don't always get what you want.  I had an evil little knot in my stomach by Friday afternoon.  What if I'd misunderstood the admissions counselor?  What if I'd been hearing God's call wrong all along?  What next?  I headed into Friday night campfire a little stressed.  It was a fun evening.  All the crazy skits and songs that you can pack into an hour being led by two fantastically energetic  high school seniors.  Half way through the night, Taryn tapped me on the shoulder.  "So, I got an email," she started.  Katey, another counselor, jumped up cheering, I burst into tears, and the campers didn't hear a thing.  I collected myself, told the counselors around me, told a few of "my kids" (the youth from Caldwell) and then the camp.  And what a perfect ending for the theme of the week!  I was so grateful for the opportunity to show that trusting in God does work out.  

So the official details:  I was accepted to Iliff School of Theology in Denver, CO.  I will be attending a consortium school, Northwest House of Theological Studies in Salem, OR for at least a year.  I am beyond excited to move back to Oregon, I've missed that state a whole lot.  I don't have a job, yet, but I'm just staying confident that it will come.

So now I feel like the journey is really beginning.  I've spent the last year officially discerning my call, but I was sure long before that.  Now it's on to school and life in ministry.  I would say I'm terrified, but I'm pretty sure that will come later.  Right now I'm just excited about moving forward and SO very grateful for everyone who has supported me while I try to figure it all out.  

I'm hoping to use this blog as a place to keep everyone updated on what I'm doing, reading, thinking, whatever.  My call is rooted in the community that has raised and loved me, so I am hoping to keep that community around me no matter where I go.