Prayer Please!

Hey all!

I have a prayer request to send your way. Tonight I had a phone interview with a church in Batavia IL. I am super stoked about the possibilities and the chance to be a youth pastor at a great church. So my request, in my childish way, is that I get the position. My adult request is that God be in the process and that he brings the person that he has in mind to the position.

So the interview went well, and I will keep you all posted as to what happens!

Firsts

This summer I am participating in a program called CPE-- Clinical Pastoral Experience. We just spent two weeks being orientated to the hospital and each other. Last night 5PM-12:30AM Me and a partner shadowed a Staff Chaplin. It was quite a ride. We experienced a trauma, 2 elderly patient deaths, I saw for the first time a dead infant, being held as his family said good bye... clinging to any memory of their little one that they could. I saw many teeny tiny babies in NCIU fighting for their lives. I grieved inwardly as we told a sweet little old lady that her husband was in the ER, then isn't doing well, then died. My heart broke to learn that they had no one else in the world, only each other. I caught a glimpse of what long-lasting love is as I watched her through herself and his body and cry.

I was quite amazed as I visited her this morning and how well she was doing-- thanks to a nursing staff that shows great love and compassion. I ended my night shift waiting as parents shorted through their theology as to when would be an appropriate time to let their little one, who is brain dead, go.

Now, and I sit here at nine o'clock at night I begin to anticipate what the wee morning hours will bring as I anticipating stepping back into the world of critical care in 3 short hours and finding my identity as a pastor there.

Peanut Butter and Apples

There are times in one's life when things are smooth and easy sailing, then there are times when life is so full of up and downs that your stress level doesn't know what to do. This past weeks has been one of those weeks. Last week I started my final chapter of my Seminary Career... CPE. Clinical Pastoral Experience... a time of stretching, learning, and growing.... A time of stress, anxiety and doubt of ones pastoral ability. It is a season of learning to love and listen to strangers who you will only see once. It is a season of comforting those who have lost a love one. It is a season of offering hope to someone who is physically in pain and sees no end to it. It is also a season of rejection from patients who do not want to visited by a Chaplin.

During this season of my life (a short season--ending Aug 22) I would covet your prayer for courage, words, strength, and peace as I learn to depend on God in difficult circumstances...

Round 2

Today was round two of good byes for me... in two ways actually. After 3 years, potty training, crazy statements, days at the park, museum, play McDonald's and yes, even Starbucks... I said goodbye to my little Rory. My last day watching her was last Friday, but today Blake and I had lunch with her and her family. It was fun to go out with them, and I only cried a little when we parted ways.

It's hard to say good bye to someone who has been a constant in one's life for three years... to a little one who makes you laugh and is the topic of most of my conversations and stories... I mean, she was pretty much my best friend in Chicago...

I know that 'good-bye' isn't forever, and I know that I will see her again soon (For her birthday in July), But it's a change, and change is hard... and it's another ending to this chapter of my life....