I am so grateful to be here at Washington University in St. Louis and beginning my graduate studies tomorrow morning (at 9am) towards getting my Master's in Public Health. It has been an incredible journey that has brought me to where I am today and my enthusiasm knows no bounds.
I have been down here in St. Louis for about a week and half now and have been getting settled into my new home, but still waiting to find my community here which will take some time. Yesterday I was feeling especially unsure as the reality of what I was starting on tomorrow hit me, and I felt a pang of panic wash over me as it really hit me. I am here. I left behind my family and my friends again. I am here about to start my graduate career at one of the most prestigious universities in the country and the stakes are high, the pressure is on, to perform, to excel in my studies and in my field.
I try not to go into anything in a whirlwind of panic, and luckily had today to reason through things and get myself set up and ready to start things off tomorrow, and God gave me the morning I needed to get back on track.
I had plans to meet a dear old friend for church this morning, I've known her for a number of years and this is only the second time we have seen each other stateside (We have spent a lot of time together in Nicaragua though!). She is such a beautiful, compassionate and amazing person and I was excited to see her and reconnect (being as she is a native and I am brand new to this city which is in a time of serious trouble), and especially so when I saw that she had a Safe Families placement with her. So this morning as I got ready for church I was missing my dear friends who have afforded me some amazing exposure to the Safe Families program and what it is like to have normal functional relationships and families. Well long story short, the church was off of Hanley Road (get it?) and I got to connect with a sweet friend and snuggle a Safe Families baby and just love on him this morning and praise God all in one amazing place.
The story that was talked about today was Esther, and I will admit through most of the reading and retelling of the story I had images of the VeggieTales version going through my head, but the pastor said something very poignant which stood out to me. He was talking about Mordecai and how he essentially told Esther, "you are here for such a time as this". He said that who are we to say that God doesn't say the same about us. We are here for such a time as this, everything that has happened to bring us here, together in this place, is because we are here for this time. This was the message I needed to hear as I prepare myself to start this amazing journey God has laid out for me at this time in my life...
You are here for such a time as this. This is my time, and I am here, I can't wait to make the most of it!
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Katie and I this morning |
You go, girl! You've got this.
ReplyDeleteSue <3