2013 Year In Review

This is my last post for the year, so I think it should be a reflective post.   This year began, as most years do, in January.  In January, I was sort of a lost person looking for something to do with my life.  I had it narrowed down to two things.  The first was to become a teacher, while the second was to go to seminary and become a pastor.  So I started being a substitute teacher. 

In February, a friend sent me a link to look into becoming a missionary.  With the knowledge that I had no control in a middle school classroom, I applied for the missionary position, a program of Generation Transformation.  A few days after sending in my application, I started substituting in an elementary school, I was good at that. 

In March I was called for an interview, and I packed my bags and went to Oklahoma City.  For the rest of the month, I spent as much time as I could with my nephews as well as with my Grandma who was recovering from a stroke. 

In April my Grandmother’s health took a turn for the worse and we laid her to rest beside my grandfather who had died just months before I was born.  I also received the news that I had been accepted to the US-2 missionary program.  I spent many days doing recess duty and implementing already written lesson plans.  I enjoyed those days, especially the when evenings were full of me playing cars with my nephews.

During May school ended and the swimming pool opened.  While waiting to find out where I would be placed as a missionary, I watched soccer, and swam with my nephews at the local public pool. 

In June I was finally informed that my placement would be in Davis, California.  I found this out just hours before attending the Missouri Annual Conference.  At that event I heard Bishop Thomas Bickerton talk about his own calling, and decided that my calling was to be a clergy member in the United Methodist Church.  During vacation bible school that month I thought about how much would miss my church family but that I would be going where God had called me to go. 

In July I went on a mission trip as a youth leader to Oklahoma.  After that trip I will never be able to hear the song, “Awesome God” without memories of dancing in the parking lot on a hot morning while a van load of teenagers watched.  I then traveled to New York City to begin missionary training.  At the God Box and then Stony Point, New York, I learned what it would take to be in ministry with. 

On August 12, two amazing events happened.  Flint Isaac, the fourth son of my friend, was born and I was commissioned as a missionary of the United Methodist Church.  I packed up my life in and in a few short days my Dad and I were off driving to Davis, California.  After the two and a half day drive my dad took a plane back to Missouri, and then I found myself in Davis trying to be a missionary with the campus ministry of the Cal Aggie Christian Association. 

In September, school at the University of California, Davis started, and the staff of the CA House rallied for success of the ministry.  I officially joined the US Masters Swimming program through Davis Aquatic Masters.   This required me to learn how to swim properly.

In October I turned 27, learned to swim the fly, backstroke, and breast stroke in addition to the freestyle crawl.  I was also a participant and worker in our fundraiser. 

November began my search for a seminary with an event called Exploration 2013.  In Denver, Colorado, I visited Iliff Theological Seminary.  I pretty much fell in love with it that day. 

In December I learned to make my own biscuits and gravy, since no one out here eats this for breakfast.  I watched as “MLS Cup dreams came true in Sporting Blue.”  I spent most of the rest of the time counting down the days until I can visit home, which is tomorrow, so have a merry Christmas, I will post more next year.  

Ministry Is Like Soccer

I remember the exact minute I became a Sporting Kansas City fan.  It was the 89^th minute of the New England Revolution at Sporting Kansas City game on July 30^th, 2011.  Teal Bunbury used his left foot to put a strike in the back of the net, and the crowd at Sporting Park erupted with celebration. 

Why would ministry be like soccer?  For starters soccer is a low scoring game, and a low scoring game requires patience, lots of patience.  However, you can’t just sit back and wait, you also have to have lots of perseverance.

When a play starts in the back line and includes a few passes and a cross and maybe even a header in there, and finishes with a goal kick from the other teams goalie, (because the shot did not find the net) you don’t have time to hang your head, you have to get the ball back and make start a new run of play. It is the same as when you are trying to build a ministry, a campus ministry in my case.  When I do advertising and outreach and still only a few people show up for worship, I don’t have time to feel defeated, it is time to do outreach and advertising and hopefully more people will show up next time.  Just like when you defend a goal kick, make a run, then shoot, and maybe one time in the whole game that shot will end up in the back of the net.

Congratulations to Sporting Kansas City on being the 2013 MLS Cup Champions.  

Advent

I think that it is time for an update on the life of Cindy.  I am sitting in my room after a successful holiday party.  We had good food, entertainment and did lots of holiday stuff.

Remember that time back in October I wanted to slow down and remember that I was God's beloved.  Well tonight during our holiday party, there was a moment when we all just slowed down.  The room was full of about 40-50 people and we were listening to someone share the gift of music.  They were playing on the piano, only the piano was not in the room.  No one was watching the performance, and everyone in the room was just listening.  That was cool, and it was a good time to just remember who we where and what we were doing there.  

I needed to fix punch for this event.  So not really knowing about how to fix punch, I called my Mom.  She took time out of her busy schedule to explain to me how to make the punch.  It turns out that the punch was really good.  I always know that I can count on my Mom, because I know that when they day is done, my Mom is still my biggest fan.

When a Toddler Hands You a Carrot

In this post I want to talk about 3 things; my thanksgiving in Davis, my high school English teacher, and what else besides soccer.

On my first Thanksgiving away from my family, I was invited to my mentor, Clay, and his families house for an afternoon of Thanksgiving fun.  While I was there I did something I have never done before, I picked an orange off a tree and ate it!  The noteworthy thing was not that I picked something directly off the tree were it grew, I do that often, this was an orange.  That orange was so good and so juicy.

In that family I felt welcome, and I enjoyed it.  Even the 1 year old toddler enjoyed me being there. I know this because we played several rounds of peek-a-boo, cuddled with her when she was tired, and when she was getting ready to leave, her mother was packing a bag of fresh produce, the toddler then dove into the bag and dug around until she emerged with a large carrot, and a huge smile on her face.  Still smiling she presented me with the carrot, and that is an honor.

On a not so happy note, my high school English teacher, Susan Gheens-Magnus, passed away this week.  She had been fighting cancer for a long time.   She had been a long time teacher and coach in Audrain County, and I know that she touched many lives.  One afternoon during my senior year she was teaching about how characters are not only good or only bad.  To illustrate her point she asked the class if they knew anyone who was only good.  A girl in the class who I never really paid much attention to said, "Cindy."  I thought that was nice that someone I didn't even really know would think of me as a good person.  However, Ms. Gheens response was even more humbling.  She responded, "Ok, well, yeah that is probably true"  So, thank you Ms. Gheens for being awesome, I'll see you in heaven.

Finally, an announcement....Sporting Kansas City is going to the MLS Cup as the Eastern conference champion!!!!!  That is my team, and I am so excited to watch the MLS Cup.  I haven't been a fan of that team as long as some people have, but I still feel like they are my team.

You may not know it now

This weekend was a weekend of discernment.  The weekend of Exploration 2013.  This event was for young adult United Methodist who are considering ordained ministry.  It was a great time to see so many of my friends.  I was even able to quote my favorite gospel rapper.  Before this weekend I had been intimidated by seminary because of the academic side, money and time.  But this weekend  I can say that the take away from this weekend was "An angel came and was like 'Breath life, you got this man." (That is from On Jordan's Stormy Banks, part II, from my favorite rapper, Praiz.  Not sure if that is the exact interpretation, but its the way I interpret it.)

Now lets move from one of my favorite genres of music to another, country.  Yes I do like them both.  I drove to do some shopping for a big event we are having on Wednesday, in my car I was listening to country music and I heard Trace Adkins singing "You're Gonna Miss This"  After I parked and was walking through the parking lot I continued the lyric in my head thinking, "You may not know it now, but you're gonna miss this, gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast."

I thought to myself am I really going to miss this?  Will I miss the virtual absence of fall, the lack of omnivores, the strange arrangement of traffic signals, and my room?  I thought about my count down till I visit home.  Then I thought, will I really wish these days that I can't wait to be done hadn't gone by so fast?

I guess I will, well I can't wait until I can hug my nephews Landen, Ethan and Owen again.  But I know that the day will come when my hand written letters are addressed to families in the Davis UMC congregation (Instead of Mexicoans), I know a day will come when Briaghia texts me to tell me that it took 8 adults to replace me when I left.  (At least I hope that I can do that for this Church.)

So one day I will wish that my days as a US-2 did not go by so fast, but for now, I can't wait until I can start seminary and finish seminary, and get ordained and give the world my gifts of service and love.

InterFaith

This is a very Cindy blog, and as many of you know, my nephews are super important to me.  I will start with a story about them.  One cold dark evening in Missouri, I was working in my "homework"  while my nephews played in the cupboard under the stairs next to my room.  Then I heard Ethan's scream of pain, and he continued to cry, so I left my "homework" ran to him and ask him what was wrong.  Through sobs he replied, "Landen said he wasn't going to be my friend anymore!"  My worry subsided and I announced to the boys that you can't ever stop being friends with your brother.  A little shocked by this proclamation, they began playing in the cupboard again just like the friends they will always be with each other and with their brother, Owen.

A Jewish Rabbi, a Christian Missionary, and a Muslim woman sat down for a peaceful dinner.  Yes, they were at the same table.  This table was a meeting of the celebration of Abraham.  It is during these times that we seek to find a cultural understanding that I am reminded of the rule I enforce with my nephews, you cannot stop being friends with your brother.  You don't have to be your brother, you just can't not be his friend.

A Ministry of Presence

    I remember the late October night, not too many years ago, when the pastor told me that during the baptismal covenant a United Methodist promises to give the church prayers, presence, service, gifts, and witness.   At that time I thought how are your presents and gifts different. It only took my brain a few seconds to come up with the difference between presence and  presents, but still it is funny.

When I applied for the US-2 program, one of the essay questions was "What does ministry with mean to you?"  That was the only question I had left, and I spent two to three days thinking about a good answer.  Luckily enough I had taken Mr. Pascoe's exposition class, so I was able to write a good essay answer.  However, also in said exposition class I learned that works of writing may never be fully finished, works can and should continually be revised.  So today I have a revised answer for what ministry with means to me.

Ministry with is a ministry of presence.  I have continuously been passionate about ministry with children and youth.  So outside of my actual job, I have continued my ministry with children and youth, by being present.  I like to say hi to as many children as I can when I see them in worship on Sunday mornings, and I am an assistant to Sunday school teachers about once a month.  Today I went to children's choir practice.  (With my joy for singing and lack of tonal awareness, children's choir is the place to start right?)  I had fun singing with the children.  Notice I did not sing to the children or for the children, I sang with them.  By participating in choir I bonded with those children in a way that I could not have done any other way.  

That afternoon as I was leaving the church, one of the boys from choir who was busy playing with other boys, stopped and waved shouting, "Bye Cindy!"  Right then I knew I had been in ministry with the children, and that ministry had a far greater impact on the children than a ministry to or for.  

I Can't See Until Sundown

The sun shines so brightly in California.  Every morning for the first 4 hours after sunrise I can't see anything when I look east.  Also every evening I can't see anything from 3 pm until sundown. Even with sun glasses it is just really sunny.

So naturally I had to think about the sun.  I then decided this is a metaphor in defense of being politically moderate.  I decided that the suns visible journey across the sky is like the liberal/conservative spectrum.  If you are facing north, then to your right is east, and then to your left is west.  During the course of the day, the sun travels all the way from the far right in the morning to the far left in the evening.

When the sun is at the far right, I can't see properly.  Likewise people who are on the far right don't see properly.  Also when the sun is at the far left I can't see properly, so people on the far left don't see properly either.

So you can't just be in the middle thinking that everything is all good though.  You see, if you are at the far right, and you look into the sun you cannot see properly, but if you look certain directions you can see just fine.  It is the same if you are on the far left.

When you are in the middle you can see properly looking one direction at a certain time(issue), and at another time(issue) you can see best looking the other direction.

It is important to be able to see something from more than one viewpoint but it is also important to know who you are and what you believe, where you stand, and from there you will know what direction to look and when.

October Starts with O and Ends With Halloween

I like to get to know people.  I like to know when people have birthdays.  There are about five days a year when at least 5 people I know have a birthday.  October 1st is one of them.   I know so many people with with a birthday in October, myself included.

So on this day in October I want to just take a minute to say Happy Birthday to all of my October friends including you Nabil, Rachel, Bethany, Spencer, Schyler, Kaleigh, Josh, Jennifer, Brad, Debbie, Dan, Misty, Owen, Brett, Drew, Roland, Ruth, Kristy, Christy, Steve, Gaven, Julie, Amanda, Michelle, Sam, Julie,Brian, Jessica, David, Mindy, Cheryl, Penny, Liz, Lauren, Megan, Susan, Ashley, Elenor, Carol, Kristina, and anyone I missed.

Obviously October means a lot to a lot of people.  What will October 2013 mean to me?  Well on October 6th 2006, I took my first steps after shattering my femur in traumatic car accident.  I usually do something to celebrate or commemorate that day, thten I celebrate my little O-zone buddy's birthday, then my own, then Halloween, and then October is over.

October begins the downhill slide into Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the new year.  This year in October I want to stop.  I want to remember that I am God's beloved Cindy.

If I didn't name you and your birthday is in October, I am truly sorry, let me know I will give you a shout out.  Speaking of shout outs....

Are You A Mexican or a Mexican't?

Actually I am a Mexicoan, thanks for asking.

This past weekend, I was on a retreat with 30 college students, who seek to live out their faith during their college years.  The time was amazing.  I learned so much about planning retreats and how much I needed to buy of what.  When the college students were asked what was the most interesting thing you learned about someone else, the agreed fact was,"Cindy is from Mexico, that is a town, not the country."

That brought me to reminiscing about an exercise we did during our missionary training.  We wrote a poem with the theme of 'Where I am from.' so as promised, here is my poem/psalm

Cindy's Psalm 

Where I am From

I am from a beautiful sanctuary in a town full of empty industrial buildings.  This town has a rich history, a struggling present, an uncertain future, and the smell of burning soybeans fresh in the air.  

I am from a hand built multiplex that smells of popcorn, platter grease, and sanitizing solution.  I am from the ball fields with grass and dirt stains on my clothes.  

I am from family hugs, early mornings, and Dr. Pepper.  I am from writing letters to people in my own house, math homework, and Mom's chocolate chip cookies.

I am from a small liberal arts college in rural Missouri, where I found a place in the front pew of a wooden white church.  I am anchored in Christ and growing in grace while serving others.  

  

This I Believe

Miracles do happen. 

Social holiness cannot stand without personal piety.  

Personal piety cannot stand without social holiness.

There is no sin that can separate a person from the grace Christ offers.   

The Trinity.

This past week or so people have been telling me there views and these are things I know that I believe.  I was really shocked when someone told me that social holiness is more important than personal piety.  She went on to tell me that personal piety isn't even important.  IT IS.  

Just thought I should post this to let you all know that I am still doing ok, and spending lots of time thinking through theological questions, so one of these days I will post deep, well organized thoughts, but not today.  Today you simply get a small list of things I believe.  

Swimming in The Spirit

Today is September 7, a little over a month ago I was introduced to the concept of swimming in The Spirit. This was a children's sermon about how the Holy Spirit is all around you.  I have done a lot of "swimming" lately.

First, and most literal, I have been swimming in an actual pool.  A few weeks ago at a local Farmer's Market, a girl convinced me that all I had to do was show up at a nearby pool, and I could swim.  So I showed up, with only a swimming suit and a towel.  My only knowledge of swimming competitively is from watching the Olympics.  The coach got me set up with some goggles and a swim cap and taught me how to actually swim freestyle.  Swimming in a pool is good for my soul, it is good for my muscles, and it reminds me to continue to swim, in The Spirit.

Next I have been swimming in garbage.  Don't worry not literally, but if you know my enthusiasm for dumps, you might think this has been something I enjoyed.  I did, but for a different reason.  At my job there is an intentional multifaith living community, for students at the University of California Davis.   This past weekend was a move out and move in weekend, so the dumpster was completely over flowing.  So bravely I vested myself in garbage attire and went to sort out the garbage and the recycling. While I was doing this, someone noticed me and asked to help, so he went to work breaking down boxes for the recycling folks to pick up.  As I was helping him break down the boxes I realized that even though we had two radically different faith backgrounds and beliefs we shared two things; an enthusiasm for garbage, and the realization that cardboard boxes are a genius invention.

Finally,  I have been swimming in The Spirit.  I have been going to a new church and signed up to help with Sunday School and Youth group.  I am working thru a devotion.  I have found spiritual "mentors," and I have found time to honor the Lord with my work as a missionary and the community coordinator here in California.

With that all being said, I also really miss my friends and my family in Missouri.  However, just like Dori says in Finding Nemo, "Just keep swimming"  that is what I will do, just keep swimming, in The Spirit.

The Lord Turned My Sandals into Jordans

First I need to give a shout out to Praiz.  I listen to his CD, as some of you may know, over and over and over and over.  One of the songs on his CD is called On Jordan's Stormy Banks,and a few songs later there is a song called On Jordan's Stormy Banks, part II.  On Jordan's Stormy Banks is a hymn that was written in the late 1700's.  I think but am not sure, that Praiz put some artistic rendition stuff in there, especially in part II, but I don't in any part own any rights to this music, I am just talking about how it has impacted my first week as a missionary.

On Jordan's stormy banks I stand/ and cast a wishful eye, is the first line of the song, and that is how I felt when moving to 433 Russel, home of the Cal Aggie Christian Association, which serves students at UCDavis.  I was standing on a sort of metaphorical river bank, just looking at what place the Lord had prepared for me.  Jesus is already present on the University of Davis campus, so what do I need to do to allow ministry to happen through me, that is the question that I was wishfully trying to answer.

After my first week here, I realized that the Lord had turned my sandal into Jordans.  (which is a line that you can find in On Jordan's Stormy Banks, part II.)  My sandals that I had brought from Missouri with all my love. wisdom, and passion for the gospel, have been turned into infinitely cooler shoes (personally I prefer Nike or Adidas) when I put them with the "sandals" that everyone else has brought here too.

What I offer to the table is important, and with what the other people that work here offer, we are amazing.  I am excited to let Jesus work through us and see how this school year goes.

Did this really happen?

This is my first post from my new place!  For the past 3 weeks I have been training in New York City with the General Board of Global Ministries.  Then my Dad and I drove half way across the country in 2.5 days. Yesterday we arrived in Davis, California.

This morning I took my Dad to the airport in Sacramento and then drove back to Davis and to the CA House.  Today I met a lot of people who do a lot of things to make the CA House work.  After I met lots of people and had lunch with a cool coworker, I met a few more people and then went to unpack my room and set it up.

I did just like they told me to at training, I unpacked and claimed the space as my own by putting up pictures and setting out my nutcrackers. I plan to hang my Sporting Kansas City scarf like a banner in a few days.  After I did as much unpacking as I could, I laid down on my bed and fell asleep.

When I woke up from my mini nap I thought, "Did this really happen?"  I had to think through everything that had happened in the past few weeks.  I have been to training, and I have been commissioned as a Missionary for the United Methodist Church, I traveled from coast to coast, I met my co-workers, and I moved in.

I really like it here, I like this town, this state, the CA House, and all the people that go with it.  

I Command My Hands

Training is a lot to process.  A lot of concepts, mostly not new, but still a lot to think about.  So I really haven't been keeping up with posting as often as I should have, but bear (bare?) with me, I will start posting more regularly after I get to my placement and get settled.

In the midst of learning about being a missionary, and hearing call stories, I had written a date down incorrectly.  I had signed up for a date to do the morning devotional, and then written in my planner that I would be doing it a day later than I had signed up for.  

Today was the day I was supposed to lead.  Five minutes before I was supposed to lead, I was told that today was my day.  So with no preparation time at all, I was told to just go for it.  I sang I Command My Hands To Praise the Lord, had a volunteer pray, and we read John Chapter 7, aloud together and then we prayed.  

Everything worked out really well. I know that in the midst of this season of a jam packed head, I know that the Holy Spirit is with me.  I haven't been able to keep in touch with everyone in the way that I would like to, but I want you all to know that I am just fine as I journey with Christ through this amazing time.   Oh, and the poem is still coming.

Saying Goodbye

This is the last post that I will write from my computer desk in my room that I know so well.  This is the last post I will write while listening to the sounds of my 3 nephews playing with toys above my room.  This morning was the last morning that would wake up in my bed to my alarm clock.  Yesterday was the last Sunday I attended worship at Mexico United Methodist Church.  

Thinking about all this makes me sad, but then I think about my first post in my new place, the first night I spend there, and the work that I will be doing for the kingdom of God.  And thinking about my new place in California makes me so happy. 

So to everyone from Mexico, I say good bye and I will miss you a whole bunch, but I am going to follow God’s call on my life.

Important stuff:  My advance # 3021843

My commissioning ceremony will be webcast live!  It will be on August 12, 2013 at 10:00 AM Central.  The address is www.umcmission.org.

Goodbye everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please continue to pray for me! 

Is It For Naught?

A black pants suit with a lavender shirt hangs in my closet.  It is my missionary commissioning outfit.  Directly below it on the floor is a pile of dirty work clothes waiting to be washed.  The work clothes are from a recent mission trip where I was a youth leader.  The mission work was all for good, and I saw God so clearly so many times.  The lasting relationships and inside jokes I built with the nine other people on the trip are priceless.

An unforgettable experience came on a afternoon when we had decided to visit the Cherokee Heritage Center.  While waiting for the whole group to be ready to leave, A woman entered the air conditioned lobby with 5 children under the age of 4.  She and the five children looked very tired from the heat.  I couldn’t resist talking to the lady, holding a child and talking to the children who could talk.  I spoke to a girl who was 3 and she was trying to tell me something I couldn’t understand.  I told her that I was sorry I wasn’t sure what she was saying.  The mom then told me that she was telling me about her siblings that had been lost to a miscarriage and that the family hoped they were in heaven.  I told the mother that I think they are in heaven, and she had a huge smile on her face when she said thank you, I told her I didn’t have a doubt at all that the babies were in heaven because all people are born with God’s grace and all people are given God’s prevenient grace before we are even formed in our mothers’ womb.  The mother was elated, she smiled from ear to ear as she told me that rarely did people argue about unborn babies going to heaven, but that she had never had anyone give her a definite explanation that unborn babies do in fact go to heaven. 

That lady and I had an interaction that was less than 5 minutes. I don’t even remember her name, and if I ever see her again I won’t recognize her.  I still made an impact in her life, one she will remember forever.  I just wish that I could make that big of an impact in the lives of everyone that I interact with.

Maybe I do, or at least I mean something to people, my church had a going away dinner for me, and that was an extremely touching day, especially seeing everyone who came to wish me good luck and tell me they will miss me. 

A couple of years ago, an 8 year old in my congregation got to wrestle in the state wrestling competition.  The competition was in a nearby town, so of course I was going, who would pass up an opportunity to watch 8 year old children wrestle.   So late one night, after a soccer game I ventured out to Wal-Mart and walked the aisles to find painters tape and paint to make signs to cheer for the boy.  I am sure that the friend who was with me was thinking that I was one strange person.  It is too bad wrestling is no longer an Olympic sport because that kid might as well have packed his bags and headed for the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. 

During my going away dinner, I had to make a speech, during my speech that boy who is now 10, jumped up on stage and gave me this huge hug.  It was so awesome, it was like Jesus was giving me a sign to keep on being Cindy, because I had done something right, I had been a blessing, and I will be a blessing wherever I go.

With my commissioning suit ready, I hope that I am also ready, and then the pile of laundry reminds me that I am already witnessing, and although things will be different in California, I just need to keep being “Cindy” because what I do does make a difference, even if I can’t see the difference right away. The title of this entry is, “Is it for naught?” The answer is, it is absolutely NOT for naught.  

A Misinterpreted Calling

Sometimes I think of God evaluating my life.  God looks at where I am, a Christian with assured justification trying to live as Christ would want me to live.  Then, God looks back on all the times I was given signs on where to go with my life and when God thinks about how I have misinterpreted all those signs, God slaps his forehead with a palm and laughs and laughs.

Perhaps Bishop Thomas Bickerton said it best when He described that he thought God wanted him to help people see better.  So he set his mind around accomplishing that goal and prepared to become an optometrist. He reflected that his calling was to help people see better, but it wasn't by putting a pair of glasses on them. 

As a young girl with extraordinary faith, a similar situation happened to me.  I know that Christ called me to help people live better more fulfilling lives.  I thought that the way to do that would be to become an occupational therapist, and through all that, I would fulfill my calling as a Christian.

Fortunately, occupational therapy did not work out.  With a little over one semester left to become an occupational therapist, several professors got together and decided that I did not have the clinical reasoning skills to be a successful occupational therapist.  They dismissed me from the master of occupational therapy program at the University of Missouri-Columbia. 

It was a really strange felling, I was so relieved not to have to worry about making the grade, acting just right, and not crying from the frustration of the program everyday. However, I was so sure that helping people to live a more fulfilling life by being an occupational therapist was what God was calling me to do. Then again, John Wesley thought his first trip to America was what God was calling him to do.  He returned to England considering himself a failure.

Right after the "dismissal", I knew I was going through something that Christ had planned for me, and that as unfortunate as the previous events had been, Christ had never let go of me, through that storm, and I could feel his hand holding me until the darkness cleared.  It was a few days later when I asked an old friend from Truman State University, how a person got a job with UMCOR.  Her response was to send me a link to the young adult mission and service programs through the General Board of Global Ministries. 

I kept that link, and the thought in the back of my mind as I pursued other job opportunities.  Finally just before the deadline, I applied.  That was one of the best choices I have ever made.Now I am headed to be a missionary, and I will spend these two years to growing in my faith, and discerning my calling, which will be in some manner clergy.  I realized this during the laity session at the Missouri Annual Conference, while trying to keep my mind on my district lay leader instead of the Confederations Cup soccer game that was on TV in the background, I felt the Holy Spirit speak to me saying that I shouldn’t be in a laity session when I was clergy material.

For the next two years I will be stationed at the University of California-Davis in Davis, California.  I will work as a United Methodist representative in a multi-faith community, with goals of increasing understanding among faiths, and to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. 

College ministry is an area that is important to me.  It is always heart-wrenching to hear a story about a child who hears the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time after having lived his whole life not knowing.  My story doesn’t involve an adorable little kid, in fact the main character in my story is a college aged girl, from a small town in Missouri. I was a junior in college, and she was a freshman.  She had started attending church when she came to college because it was something she had never done before.  Then one evening after a bible study she came to me, and said, “hey Cindy, do you know those lyrics in the song In Christ Alone, that say ‘there on the cross when Jesus died/ the wrath of God was satisfied” I replied that I did know those lyrics and then she asked the real question. “How did Jesus dying satisfy the wrath of God?”

I am confident that there are many other college students who have never heard the good news of Jesus Christ.  I intend to lessen the number of people who become adults never knowing the love of Jesus Christ.  I very much appreciate your prayers as I begin this mission.