I was seriously planning on moving to Vancouver this fall, October or November. I miss my sisters, brother-in-law, Dad, uncles, and that whole side of the family so much it just seemed to make sense for me to get down there as soon as possible. Once again, God seems to have other plans in mind, and as I've surrendered all these ideas and decisions to Him I find myself surprisingly content and at peace with the direction He is taking my feet even if it is not what I would have originally chosen for myself.
The friend I was going to possibly be roommates with in Vancouver has since made other plans. I also realized that if I were to move to Van in Oct/Nov and then leave for Barbados in July, I would only just be getting settled in and perhaps just started building a couple solid friendships when I would be up and leaving again. In terms of storing my things in Vancouver, that is another expensive problem I would need to find a solution to. I would rather spend the next year further investing into the relationships in PG and being faithful with the ones He has given me here, than trying to start from scratch for such a limited amount of time in Vancouver.
A few weeks ago I applied for a full time term position at the hospital. It is a Mon-Friday deal in one of my favourite places to work, OR. I've only been in housekeeping for a year and three months so I am still very much near the bottom of seniority and thought for sure someone above me would apply and take the position. I happened to look at the board and notice this term the last day it was up so I quickly filled out the form and just dropped it in the box not thinking much of it. 3 days later I get a call from my boss telling me I got the position if I wanted it and that I could start August 24th. With family coming up I had intentionally only booked shifts until August 24 and then wanted to keep the days my sisters and Jonny will be up here open. Start dates for term positions (if you get them) are not usually negotiable, however family is a priority for me so I decided I would tell my boss "I would like to take the position but I have previous family commitments and cannot start until Sept 6th" and if I was meant to have it he would accommodate. It wouldn't be hard for staffing to fill that 2 week gap with casuals but it also isn't usually an option for a casual to choose their start date if they get a position. However, a week later I got the official document in the mail from northern health confirming my term position and start date Sept 6th! Hours are 2-10pm so I have to sacrifice evenings but it is worth it. This means guaranteed full time work with weekends open and a schedule I can plan around! Last winter work during November and December slowed right down and I hardly had any work as a casual, just enough for rent and food. With a guaranteed steady income and a fixed paycheck I will be able to budget, taking into account rent and a set amount put aside for groceries, a small monthly allowance, tithing, and then put the rest aside for YWAM.
Speaking of YWAM, that is another somewhat recent development. I have thought about and considered it for a number of years but never felt the timing was right, nor was I in a position to make enough money to save for it. What I would really like to do is the in depth inductive style teaching SBS (School of Biblical Studies) with YWAM offered in a number of locations around the world. Something I desperately miss about the discipleship school I did in Abbotsford is the in depth Bible study and solid teaching we received there. I love taking a book of scripture and going through it verse by verse, section by section, researching the culture and era it was written in and to which people groups is was written to. To know God's word in context, allowing me to better understand what was being said and therefore better understanding how it applies to our lives today. With full time work, day to day responsibilities, and lives to invest in it is difficult to study the Bible in such a way while keeping up with the rest of life. I would love to be in an environment where myself and those around me are digging into the word 8 hours/day, discovering things anew, and challenging each other as we go. I recently found out YWAM offers a Social Justice dts in a couple of locations. Since I know God has called me to a life of fighting for social justice issues on a global scale, it makes sense to do a dts that will help me to connect and network with others who share the same passion.
There is a Social Justice dts in Barbados that starts every July and that is the one I am thinking of applying for. I just discovered today while visiting the YWAM site again that there is actually a Social Justice dts in Kona, Hawaii that starts this September!!! If only I had the money I would be tempted to go for that one but that would not leave me much time to plan, pack, and buy plane tickets.
Here are the links for the two social justice dts' I am looking at:
http://uofnkona.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=154&Itemid=659&lang=en
http://ywambarbados.org/dts/justice-dts
In the meantime I am discovering the joy and contentment of not rushing through life at the superspeed most of our culture runs at. I've been reading a revolutionary book called "Everything Must Change" by Brian McLaren and one of the points he makes (in specifically talking about the prosperity system but which also applies to all of life) which I so appreciate is this [ These abstract obsessions drive it mindlessly and relentlessly toward "more," "bigger," and "faster," but never allow us to ask "More what?" "Why bigger?" and "Faster to where, and for what purpose?" ] I don't want to be one of those people who is in such a hurry to get to the next stage of life that I never actually stop and enjoy the season I am in. I want to live my life to the fullest and I believe a a huge part of that is living in the moment.
I've realized that although I still feel the urgency to act on the things I can change and the injustices I can stop, I don't need to be in a state of perpetual rushing as I walk out God's call on my life. Even the fact that I am only 22 and I already know what I want to do with the rest of my life, what my passions and giftings are and that it is paramount for me to take a stand against human/social injustices (especially in the area of human trafficking) in a real and tangible way... that is huge. A lot of people in their 40's and 50's still don't know what they want to do with their lives or what they are most passionate about... many are stuck in careers they never wanted or tied down with mortgages they can't be free from. I am still young, I have a good paying job, no debt, great relationships with family members, some incredible friends (and a few soul friends), I know which passions I want to concentrate on and where I want my life to go, even if I am not sure how this path will take shape or in what timing. I am blessed. So whether the money thing miraculously works itself out by this September and I can go sooner than later... or whether God does want me to stay in Prince George another year and continue to invest in the people he has placed in my life for this season... I do not know. All I know is that I am content with where I am and I am going to make the most of this season of life.
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