And five months later, I've finally found it

Almost five months ago now, I had the realization that I was ready for what was next in my life. Or at least I thought I was ready for what was next.

Late one night during Holy Week last year, I was finishing up a turn as guardian of the Eucharist in a span of Adoration at my small church in Booneville. Seeing the next guardian was there, I quietly finished my prayers and headed outside to drive our big blue van back to our house. I was only slightly aware that another woman from the church, who I had only spoken with on one or instances before, had followed me out. As I was unlocking the van, she approached me and said there was something she felt she needed to tell me. Her insight for me was to "be prepared for the journey ahead of me." She of course, could not tell me what exactly this referred to. Originally I thought maybe it was in reference to what was to come with my summer with YouthWorks! in Booneville (thinking it would be yet another challenge — of course if you read my previous blog you would know it was quite the opposite). As I wrote the previous reflection, I thought maybe the "journey" she referred to had to do with the experience I would have coming home and searching for a job. I think I was still only partially right. Let me share some of my past months' journey with you.

At the beginning of October, I received an email from a former boss and mentor of mine about a potential job. We had met a month or so prior in an attempt to soak up some of her wisdom on finding a job in Cincinnati, so she knew I was looking. As I began scanning over the text on my BlackBerry, my excitement quickly faded as I read the details of the job. It was for the Holy Name Province, which was exciting, but I knew immediately that would mean having to move to New York City. I briefly considered not applying, but, I remembered a phrase my friend Courtney sometimes said when I was trying to figure out who to take to our high school dances — beggars can't be choosers — and decided I couldn't yet rule it out. And anyway, what does it hurt to apply? (At that point, my many applications had not lead to any fruition.)

So I applied, and told my mentor of this, and she wrote a very kind recommendation for me. I waited, and several weeks later, I woke up to my phone ringing with a phone number I was not familiar with. I did my best to shake off that just-woke-up sound to my voice and talked briefly to the woman who would eventually become my new boss. We briefly discussed the possibilities of me coming to New York for an interview, and she said she would be in touch.

Over the following months I took a whirlwind trip to the city, waited a lot, put together some writing samples for a newsletter, had a phone interview, and waited more to hear. And finally, on the eve of New Year's Eve, I was offered the position.

So, was that a journey? Absolutely. But I think the journey I needed, and still need, to be prepared for is the one that is yet to come. By the end of this month I need to find a place to live and pack up my life and hope that one (or both) of my parents will take off work and help me move to a somewhat scary new city, just in time to turn 24 and start a my first "real" job just days apart.

So if anyone actually reads this, that is the reason for the change in title for my blog. But more importantly, if you could just be in prayer for me and my ever-evolving journey.