The Very First Post!

Welcome! Yes, I have decided to join the blog world… So many people I care about are spread all over this globe – from other parts of Texas, to a few states away, to across the world – so this is now my effort to better keep you all informed!

During this time of “taking a year off” before continuing with more school (couldn’t have made a better decision!), I have been able not only to rest like I never have before but I have also had time to slow down and really process all I have done and what I want to do. So for this first post I will give you little tid-bits to update you on where I am right now.

I’m living in Dallas and loving it! I’m currently tutoring a 9th grade girl in Algebra, Biology, and Spanish everyday after school. She struggles with ADD and depression…so I’m helping her keep up with her homework and also trying to impart study and organizational skills along the way. It’s a challenge some days, but I think we’re both learning a lot.

As for the next move, you may know I’ve entertained many different options including going right into my masters program (applying to Trinity, Gordon Conwell, and Duke) and teaching English abroad for a year (have applied for Spain and also considered Chile and Peru). BUT all of this has been put off a little longer as of this past week!

I have been asked to join the leadership team of a new ministry that is starting up – and after much prayer and thought, I accepted! It is in correlation with a camp here near Dallas that I worked at a few years ago, Sabine Creek Ranch. Eddie, the owner of the camp, and Rob and Misti, friends who will be moving from Houston soon, shared with me the vision for the ministry: it is called Segue (seg-way...as in "a smooth transition") and the purpose is to train 18-25 yr olds in ministry...basically like an abbreviated seminary. The four tag words are community, discipleship, missions, and worship. There will be classes (spiritual form, worship, Bible survey, missions, etc.) and also immediate integration into relational cross-cultural ministry. It's a time for the participants to take time to receive Bible/ministry training or simply take concentrated time to seek the Lord - or both - for about the length of a school year. It’s similar to the DTS of YWAM, if you’re familiar with that…

So they asked me to be the fourth member of the leadership team - helping get it organized, off the ground, do recruiting, handle the administrative side of things, and teach once it begins (!!). It encompasses so many things I have such a passion for! I can't tell you how excited I am about it!

We are all very excited to get everything underway and to see what the Lord has in store!

So this is where I’ll be for the next year and half or so – we’ll see what happens after that! One thing I’ve learned during this “break”: I’m just not in a hurry! I know I am going to learn so much through this experience...

Well, big pat on the back to you for reading all the way through! I’ll continue to keep you updated on the developments of Segue and other parts of my life here in the big D – and I’d love to hear from you too! Post a comment, shoot me a message, or subscribe!

(pics: Misti and I, Eddie and Rob)