Since moving from southernmost Illinois to suburban New Jersey, I feel like I have a list of frequently asked questions. It's not a fault of those around me - I would rather be asked questions to engage in conversation than be ignored - though there is certainly a repetitive nature.
----------
FAQ #1: Why did you choose Drew?
Answer #1: As I was looking at theological schools in NYC and the surrounding area, Drew came up from either a Google or Wikipedia search. I looked into it and loved the focus on social justice. When I visited the campus in February, I fell in love. The cute, eclectic downtown atmosphere is similar to the downtown area of the small city where I did my undergrad. The campus is known as "The Forest," and my hometown is literally in the middle of a national forest. As cliche as it is, everything felt like home when I got to campus, and it has become my home base for the next few years.
FAQ #2: Why did you move here?
Answer #2: I have loved my travels to NYC in the past, and I knew that if I would move from home, I would want to be near this city. My home of southern Illinois is directly between Nashville, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri. I knew I would end up back at home if I moved to one of those locations, so it was really go big or go home. I was already home, so I thought I might as well go big. I've always loved Broadway, and it's great to be this close to superb theatrical experiences.
FAQ #3: What is your experience working with youth?
Answer #3: I have worked in a public school for the past six years in after-school clubs. I started as a volunteer and was later hired as part-time staff in addition to substitute teaching. I loved working with my students in academic and performance-based clubs. I have worked with a youth retreat for the past couple of years. (I leave out the details of all of the work that I have done with Chrysalis because it's too much to fit into a sound bite.) For about a year and a half, I worked with the youth in my church in Illinois as a Sunday school teacher. It's a small church, so I often only had one or two in my class. We got to know each other really well.
FAQ #4: What part of Illinois are you from?
Answer #4: I'm from the very bottom part of the state, closer to Kentucky or Missouri than anything else.
Q: *references being in Chicago once for a trip or going there for college*
A: Oh, I love Chicago. Fun times. I'm a lot further south, though.
Q: So like Carbondale?
A: Even further south, but yea, close enough.
FAQ #5: What's your church background?
Answer #5: I grew up in the Church of the Nazarene as a pastor's kid. For the past five years, I have gone to a church that is now non-denominational. I like the structure of a denomination, but I'm not sure where I align exactly. I'm Wesleyan-ish.
FAQ #6: You're getting an MDiv? What made you want to do that?
Answer #6: I know the normal thing with this degree is to want to preach, but that's really not my thing. I would love to do youth ministry and writing at some point. I have a 20 year plan to run a youth organization and publish a book, but I don't know what the steps are to get there at this point. I want the knowledge from a Master of Divinity to apply that later to what I'm doing.
----------
I have these answers basically down to a science when I'm asked at school, at church events, or in interviews. I really don't mind that people are getting to know me because it's nice to make connections and friends with people in the area, but yesterday I was called out for reciting one of my answers as if I was reading a resume. Haha oops.
One of my professors has stated over the past few weeks that the Old Testament exiles were experiencing much more of a quest than a journey. They didn't know where their paths would end up, but they were going forward anyway. I can relate to this; I'm out of my comfort zone and taking up new challenges. I don't know what's at the end of the road for me. I am on this quest anyway.
I have been reading the book of Matthew lately, and I got to verse 5:48 last night in The Message paraphrase. "Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."
That is the direction toward which I aspire to live. I felt as if I had virtually no identity at the beginning of the month, but as I journey through this quest, I am picking myself back up and God is putting me back together.
Friend.
Reader.
High school girls' mentor.
Observer.
Book launcher.
Family member.
Social media enthusiast.
Student.
Christ-follower.
Onward through this quest.
What quests are you going through at the moment? Do you foresee your ending, or is it open to the mystery of what may be in store?
No comments:
Post a Comment