If you think this is a post about Lost, I'm so sorry. While I haven't embraced the full chaos-ity of the Lost Season Finale, I am still a fan. I just thought that for those of you who are Lost fans, this might suck you into reading my story. It's all about the title; us writers know this.
No, I will be taking a different Oceanic flight of sorts. And the destination is around where Lost is filmed...
Last night, I booked my airline ticket to Maui.
Let me explain.
My senior year of college has been life-altering. I always thought people who said that were lazy, crazy, and not as prepared as me. You see, I had a plan. I was going to become a teacher, find an inner city school, and teach for the rest of my life. I'm a good teacher. I love kids. I want to find those places only Jesus could love. I want to do it.
However, I began to think about missions. Particularly, translating the bible with Wycliffe. So at the beginning of my senior year, I explored the Wycliffe organization with the possibility of going to Papau New Guniea for two years as a teacher for missionary kids who are on the field with their families helping translate the bible into unknown languages. (http://www.wycliffe.org/) I was in the "system", had interviews, and even began to ask churches for help to get there. It was set.
Then God closed a door. A pretty big door. And even after that door closed, I still tried to pry it open with my own strength and my own means.
Enter the most desolate time of my life.
At the beginning of my last semester at A&M, I completely disregarded God. I started student teaching and began to be arrogant. I was in my own terrible-two stage, where I wanted gratification NOW and I wanted it MY way. The Lord is loving, and He let me experience a fall that ripped my life and my thinking completely away.
Student teaching became hard: that's an understatement for those like Kari who actually walked through it with me. And as I began, like a little baby again, to cling only to my Father, my eyes began to see something greater than myself.
I began to learn humility. I learned dependency. I learned how to submit to authority. I learned about love. I began to experience sorrow for sin, something I never had experienced, or recognized.
And I began to fall head over heels in love with my Savior all over again.
I began to ask the Lord to bring MY castles to the ground and to crash down. That's a Spur 58 song (http://www.spur58.com/) And I began to see the abundant life...
As I began to think about my future as a teacher, I realized I didn't want to do that anymore. My whole life, this is what I wanted to do, and now, my heart felt it wasn't right.
From that point to now, a lot happened. A lot that still has to process. But I'm here, and I'm speechless and in awe about the journey the Lord has taken me to.
I will be boarding a flight to Maui on Aug. 21 at 8:20am. I'm going to Maui to be the Jr. High youth intern at a church called Hope Chapel. Visit their website and learn about my future home (http://www.hopechapelmaui.com/) I'll be there for a year, and I'm so excited to see what God does!
The Lord right now, though, is telling me to be content where I am. Meaning: Yah, Maui is going to be life-changing, but I still have growing for you to do, Whit, before you get there. I have a purpose for you this summer that is just as important.
So pray for me and with me that I will become sanctified this summer. And also pray a prayer of thankfulness, that our God is a God that gives! Every good and perfect gift comes from above!
On the topic of Lost: Sawyer is my favorite. Locke creeps me out, and I have a LOST calendar.
No, I will be taking a different Oceanic flight of sorts. And the destination is around where Lost is filmed...
Last night, I booked my airline ticket to Maui.
Let me explain.
My senior year of college has been life-altering. I always thought people who said that were lazy, crazy, and not as prepared as me. You see, I had a plan. I was going to become a teacher, find an inner city school, and teach for the rest of my life. I'm a good teacher. I love kids. I want to find those places only Jesus could love. I want to do it.
However, I began to think about missions. Particularly, translating the bible with Wycliffe. So at the beginning of my senior year, I explored the Wycliffe organization with the possibility of going to Papau New Guniea for two years as a teacher for missionary kids who are on the field with their families helping translate the bible into unknown languages. (http://www.wycliffe.org/) I was in the "system", had interviews, and even began to ask churches for help to get there. It was set.
Then God closed a door. A pretty big door. And even after that door closed, I still tried to pry it open with my own strength and my own means.
Enter the most desolate time of my life.
At the beginning of my last semester at A&M, I completely disregarded God. I started student teaching and began to be arrogant. I was in my own terrible-two stage, where I wanted gratification NOW and I wanted it MY way. The Lord is loving, and He let me experience a fall that ripped my life and my thinking completely away.
Student teaching became hard: that's an understatement for those like Kari who actually walked through it with me. And as I began, like a little baby again, to cling only to my Father, my eyes began to see something greater than myself.
I began to learn humility. I learned dependency. I learned how to submit to authority. I learned about love. I began to experience sorrow for sin, something I never had experienced, or recognized.
And I began to fall head over heels in love with my Savior all over again.
I began to ask the Lord to bring MY castles to the ground and to crash down. That's a Spur 58 song (http://www.spur58.com/) And I began to see the abundant life...
As I began to think about my future as a teacher, I realized I didn't want to do that anymore. My whole life, this is what I wanted to do, and now, my heart felt it wasn't right.
From that point to now, a lot happened. A lot that still has to process. But I'm here, and I'm speechless and in awe about the journey the Lord has taken me to.
I will be boarding a flight to Maui on Aug. 21 at 8:20am. I'm going to Maui to be the Jr. High youth intern at a church called Hope Chapel. Visit their website and learn about my future home (http://www.hopechapelmaui.com/) I'll be there for a year, and I'm so excited to see what God does!
The Lord right now, though, is telling me to be content where I am. Meaning: Yah, Maui is going to be life-changing, but I still have growing for you to do, Whit, before you get there. I have a purpose for you this summer that is just as important.
So pray for me and with me that I will become sanctified this summer. And also pray a prayer of thankfulness, that our God is a God that gives! Every good and perfect gift comes from above!
On the topic of Lost: Sawyer is my favorite. Locke creeps me out, and I have a LOST calendar.
Here's to lots of Oceanic Flights this week!!!!
P.S. By me calling this post Oceanic Flight does not mean that I think my flight will crash...i kinda freaked myself out just thinking this thought...
4 comments:
Oh I miss you so!!!!
What an amazing and honest young woman you are!
I'm so thankful and feel honored to have been a part of this life changing year for you! I have grown because of you and working with you in youth!
I can not wait to see what all the Lord is going to do while you are in Maui, and know that I have been and will continue to pray for you!
Sawyer is my favorite too ;)
Wouldn't that be so cool if you met some of the cast over there!?! :)
luv ya!
Oh Whitney, we are going to miss you so much. I wish there was some way that we could see you before you leave...Kallie would love it.
We will continue to pray with you and for you through this amazing journey. Please keep Kallie in your prayers as she desparately needs to find a "home in which she feels she belongs". My prayer is that she can find another amazing mentor such as yourself as well as some new amazing friends in the upcoming year! We love you Whitney!!!!!!
Lost? really..... You just had to reference it didnt you?
dear whit,
i think you need to cry about getting to go to maui to live for a year
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