The Last Next Known Thing

I just closed a few more doors - some permanently  (like Clinical Pastoral Education, ie, hospital chaplain internship, and last term of onsite intensive seminary classes at Dubuque), and some which are still cracked open (like my as-yet ungraded senior ordination exams - please, Lord, let me not have to take them again!). The next few months will be filled with the last known things I have on my plate - my last two online classes, and my SPM/Supervised Practice of Ministry internship, and then, God willing, commencement weekend on May 18!

This is the first time in my life that I have finished school or left a job without knowing what's next. I have never been as open (and unclear) about my future plans as I will be in a short 15 weeks.

And yet.... the changes that have happened in my life the past four years were completely unknown, unexpected, unplanned. And as painful as some of them were, they have liberated me so significantly. What I have learned from them, and the one thing about which I am clear, is that God has a plan, and when the time is right, the way will be clear. That has been the case all along the way, and I do trust that God will let me know again. In the meantime, I am focusing on discerning, and praying, and watching for opening doors that seem to fit with my call as I understand it.

This is a crazy new experience for me, and I'm kinda loving it. My hope and prayer is that, a year from now, I will know a bit more about what's in store for me, how I can serve, what I can do.