All good things come to an end

...and so does unemployment! In just 16 days, I'll be starting my dream job as the Area Residence Coordinator at Northwest Christian College in the Oregon Duck-crazed city of Eugene. I'm thinking about adding two things to my wardrobe upon my arrival: a green U of O sweatshirt and an NCC Beacons t-shirt. You know, the necessities. :) Maybe my 4 months of non-shaven Bolivia legs will help ease the transition into this hippie culture?

100 students live on campus and I get to know them all! I'll work with 7 RAs and live on campus in a cozy apartment inside the dormitory. There are several quirks that accompany the close proximity of the U of O campus. A frat house neighbors one of the dorms. My apartment is across the street from a bar. I'll get a true taste of college-town life where establishments are hopping past 9pm, although I will miss the familiarity of seeing 9 Fox students at Fred Meyer at 10:56pm because it's the only place still open for another 4 minutes.

Weeknight and weekend commitments, one on ones, deep conversations at coffee shops, the college cafeteria, quiet hours... all to be part of my life again. Only this time, I'm not studying for exams or attending classes. This has been my dream since my sophomore year as an RA. I sat on my fold out bed on Ed One across from my AAC. I shared my dreams with her, and even as a naive 19 year old whose major was still "undecided", I was confident in my calling to Student Life. I remember thinking it was so cool that there was a job where "someone gets paid to take college students out for coffee." Granted, there is much more to this job than drinking coffee, and I'm pleased to say the love for this caffeinated beverage extends to student life professionals everywhere! (I was treated to coffee during both of my visits to NCC.)

I'll soon pull my "trunk-o-funk" out of storage to dress up for various activities. My favorite jeans, zip-up hoodie and sandals will soon be replaced by professional garb as I start work in an office. This means a paycheck (yahoo!), my very own parking space, and a business card. This all sounds very career-ish.

I'm shaking my head in disbelief and a smile is appearing on my face as I think about God's impeccable timing. All the closed doors up to this point meant God was preparing the perfect match for me.

There is something to be said about waiting for God's best and trusting the desires God has placed on your heart. An email from a good friend in Mexico encouraged me today: "I remember you sharing a verse with me that you like. Trust in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart -- Psalm something or other. And when you worked at Tilikum you came across a different version that said something like obey/do what the Lord wants and he will give you what YOU want. Don't remember the exact words but LOOK!!!! God was totally holding out on all those other jobs because he had something better in store for you. Something that was a DESIRE in YOUR heart and something that YOU wanted!!!! Wow, the stories never end with God's faithfulness."

Psalm 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Delighting means serving and seeking wholeheartedly. My friend is exactly right; God has never failed me and the stories of His provision in my life keep getting better. I refused to settle on a job that didn't excite me; trusting the desires God placed in my heart left me available and ready for the best.

Now I'm waiting for God to provide a 3rd roommate for the amazing amazing amazing girls I've been living with, furniture to furnish my space in Eugene, a new church, a spiritual mentor/teacher, and friends to compensate for the families I'm leaving in Grants Pass and Portland.

At least I-5 North and South will lead me right to people I love... just a couple hours away. :)