Seminary Assignment that Hopefully Turns Into an Awesome Journey

It's my 5th week at NOBTS and in my Spiritual Formations class I'm required to keep a journal, in any form, of my journey over the next semester. I've been wanting to get into the habit of regular blogging but just never took the time to do anything about it. Hopefully, with the incentive of getting a good grade, I will be able to stick with this and it turns into a source of hope for myself as I see God’s hand working throughout my life!

To catch up on the life of Missie this year would take more room than I care to commit to at this time, but here are some highlights:

1. I met Allen Jackson, professor of student ministry at NOBTS, last year at camp. After an astonishingly short conversation, a quick website search, and a night of prayer I decided that NOBTS was the place God was leading me to.

2. I got fired from my job at the chiropractor.

3. I took on more hours at Skycroft, then got laid off in December due to budget cuts.

4. I was unemployed for almost 2 months and then took a job at Let’s Dish.

5. March 20^th, 2011 at about 10:30 a.m. I met the man of my dreams, Andy Wiedman in the hallway at church. (Incidentally, it was the Sunday before I was supposed to leave for a preview weekend at NOBTS!)

Ø We had lunch with the singles, went for a hike at Savage Mill, exchanged phone numbers, and Andy had asked me out to dinner before I left for New Orleans by day’s end.

NOTE: My good friend, Rich, had to spell it out for me that Andy was asking me out on a date.

6. By the end of the week, we decided to officially date.

7. Two weeks later, we were talking about the future of our relationship and quickly realized that we were going to get married.

8. Mother’s Day weekend we drove to Texas (at my parents’ invite) and Andy asked Daddy if he could marry me.

9. July 29^th, 2011 at 7 p.m. I married the man God made for me. We honeymooned in Maui and made it back 2 weeks later in time for my niece’s wedding in Lubbock.

10. Another week later, we moved onto the NOBTS campus! Orientation was the next day and we haven’t stopped since!

That’s a lot to happen in one person’s life in just over a year but such is life! These last 5 weeks have proven to push me beyond a lot of boundaries I had built around my life. Boundaries that were meant to protect me from pain, trying new things, being willing to bend to God’s will, and so much more. These boundaries have kept me from enjoying the life God intended for me. And it seems that, since Allen and I met last year, he has had me on a journey of breaking through boundary after boundary. It’s been difficult and confusing at times. This I do know, my faithful God has a plan for my life and no matter what goes on around me, and He is guiding me to that end. I simply have to remember that, keep my eyes on Him, and be faithful to where He has me in that moment.

I’m hoping to record what I learn every day in class and what Andy I discover together to see the evolution of my growth from spiritual/intellectual stagnation to consistent flourishing. Please pray for me as I continue on this journey! Because I am going to need it, as will Andy (maybe more so for him)!