Plans

Fact of life: Plans change.

        I had an epic idea for a blog post, but it was 5 minutes before I had to leave for class and assumed that I would be able to remember it when I got back. Well, I can't remember.
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a vet just because I loved animals.  I wanted to be around them all the time.  I then grew up more and realized that I really don't enjoy chemistry and I wouldn't be able to put an animal down.  Around that time, I was developing my love of singing.  I had an awesome plan then to go to the Juilliard School of Music, major in vocal performance, and move to Italy as a missionary.  Looking back on that plan, I'm sure God was laughing at me.  Did I really want to spread His ministry?  No.  I wanted to study at an Italian Opera School.  Looking back, I can't believe that I ever thought it could work out.  God wasn't calling me to do that.  I was calling myself. 

        This week, my college choir toured around the Mennonite hot spots in the Midwestish areas (Kalona, Goshen, Ohio, and Pa) for all of Spring Break.  We spent all but one night in host homes.  My most meaningful and probably favorite night was spent with Kelley in Goshen.  We were with an older couple who shared their very cute story of their path to finding love again.  They were newlyweds of 5 years.  They were both so sweet and caring and I could tell that they genuinely cared about us.

        Kelley and I were asked the typical questions such as our grade, where we were from, who our parents are, and what we are majoring in.  After I told them I was a Vocal Performance major, I received the typical follow up question of what I wanted to do with my major... Teach?  Even though it's not always true, I typically say that I want to be a soloist for symphonic works.  It's an easy response.  Most people feel they don't know enough about classical music to press any further than that.  I don't know why I didn't just tell them this because I typically don't like it when the conversation revolves around me.  I told them though that I was really unsure of what I wanted to do.  I know I don't want to teach.  I know that I want to glorify God and spread His word.  I told them a lot about Aletheia Church and how it was a huge step for me to attend a church that isn't Mennonite. AH! Now I remember -- I was going to blog about denominations.  Another time...  Anyway, I told them about how I was thinking about picking up a Church Music major.  About how I wanted to help plant Churches.  Sure, the thought had crossed my mind a few times, and I've even been praying on the sly about it, but I never expected to hear those words come out of my mouth.  I even went so far as to talk about relationships and how I wasn't in one, but how I wanted to wait and make sure that I was dating a Godly man.  I shared about how I wanted him to have a driving passion for church planting as well -- How he will guide me spiritually as I submit to him, but ultimately to God.  I wanted to make sure that he will always put God first, and that we would not hesitate as a couple to follow the will of Jesus.   

        I was surprised about half the things I said.  They were things that I had thought some about, but kind of pushed them in the back of my mind.  Our host parents were very attentive when listening to my story and were very encouraging.  He said he had a son who worked in Seattle for a church and was moving to Chicago to help plant a church in a very similar way Aletheia does.  I asked if the church by any chance was Mars Hill, and he looked a little surprised that I knew of the church and said yes.  That's just a little fun fact for you.  Anyway, it was just such an awesome home stay.  I felt like God was laying it on my heart to say all those things to them.  The whole thing was just so encouraging to me.  I know that I am at the right place.  Any place is the right place.  God can use me no matter what my major is or where I am going to school.

        So where is God leading me? Answer?  I'm not really sure, but I do know that I can't wait to see what He has in store for me after college.