Hitting the Road

The suitcase is packed!

Snacks are ready for road trip munching!

And I am ready to explore and learn about Duke Theological Seminary!

I am extremely pumped about this trip! Sure, it's not your typical senior-year-of-college spring break, but "normal" has just never been an accurate word to describe me. Ha! 

I have known for a while now that seminary is something that I want to pursue. Since I heard God clearly call me to ministry about two years ago, seminary has remained in the back of my mind. 

I'll be honest - I've spent some time in denial about it. I successfully convinced myself for a few months that teaching English or elementary school would be the more "logical" or "practical" route. I've also tried to  avoid the idea of a graduate degree altogether. After all, I have worked tirelessly throughout college to keep high grades, and I am just "too burnt out" to keep going now! English majors can always go into publishing, right? 

Over the past year, there are a few things that I have come to know with 100% certainty:

1. I am not a desk-job kind of girl. I did gymnastics for thirteen years, have coached for eight, and was a personal trainer for almost a year. I like to move and interact with people too much to be cooped up in a chair for eight hours a day!
2. I love learning and being in the classroom, no matter how tough it can be at times.
3. I have a passion for talking with people, and I especially love seeing lives transformed by the simple yet profound truths of God's Word.
4. I yearn to learn more about the Bible and its history. I long to gain a deeper understanding of theology and doctrine. I want to learn how to minister to people so that they know that God loves them and wants to have a true, deep, matchless relationship with them.
5. I want to do something that I can't do without God's help.

That last point is definitely the most important one. I want to live my life in a way that I cannot live on my own. I want to lean on Him and rely on His provision with every step that I take. I want my life to look differently because of my faith!

So tomorrow, the journey begins! It's just a baby step, but I can't shake the feeling that it is an important one. I have a sense that I am on the brink of something new, and I can't wait to keep moving forward and see what lies ahead.

I want to leave you with a thought tonight - no matter what you believe or what career you pursue, knowledge and learning have amazing transformative power. In reality, these things are no different from exercise or diet - in order to live the most abundant lives possible, we must strive to improve ourselves from the inside out, and this includes the mind, body, and soul. I encourage you to find your passion and to pursue it wholeheartedly. I encourage you to pursue your dreams with all of your mind and all of your strength, because transformation, growth, and a sense of purpose are always within reach.