Heading to college at Samford University was a definite adjustment. I immediately joined the band and began to make friendships there that would last a lifetime. After deciding to join a sorority, I found even more friends and began to adjust to college life. My first year was a little rough. The adjustment was definitely evident in my grades my first semester, as I was having entirely too much fun with my friends! But that soon turned around as I learned how to balance my time between studying and hanging out with friends.
In the Spring of my freshman year, my grandfather passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's. That was a difficult time, yet we were all glad he didn't have to suffer anymore and that he could be in Heaven with his Savior and his lovely wife. I still miss my grandparents and think about them often. Throughout that year I was reminded of God's presence in my life and His guiding me as to my career.
The Fall of my sophomore year, I finally gave in to God's calling on my life to do ministry. The summer before I had worked at a camp in Florida and it was at that camp that I felt God's nudging to Children's Ministry. So, I finally gave up the fight and decided I would go God's way instead of my own.
The next two years, were a whirlwind as I experienced normal college life. Dating, not dating, dating again, gaining friends, losing friends, making new friends. After I graduated from Samford, I knew the next step was to attend seminary. So, in the Fall of 2002 I enrolled at Southwestern with the desire to pursue a master's in Christian Education to go along with God's calling on my life. Seminary was an interesting time. I learned a lot about myself and found myself making lots of new friends and exploring more about my faith. There was a time in my three years at Southwestern that I was tired of all the "God stuff" but unlike my time in high school, I stuck with it and got involved in a group at my church that encouraged me along the way. Seminary was difficult, fun, but difficult. In January of 2005 I began to apply for Children's Minister positions throughout the Southeast to be closer to home. I went for several interviews, but was uneasy about all of them. At the same time, the church were I was currently an intern had decided to split the Children's Minister position into a Preschool Minister and Children's Minister. My boss decided she wanted to take the Preschool Minister position because that was where her kids were at the time and she felt she could have greater influence in that area. So, the Children's Minister position was open. However, I still wanted to get closer to home, but I did apply for the position at my church. For 5 months I wondered what God was up to. I wanted to get closer to home, but God had other ideas.
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