The Story and the Plan...

THE STORY

It's been a tumultuous time in my life.
On the closing of one chapter, naturally, a new one begins and this time the transitions have been fraught with fear, heartache, uncertainty, insecurity, and yet GREAT expectation. If you look at temperaments on a sliding scale, I chronically slide to the terrified side of ecstatic. Let me start at the end of the last chapter and catch you up to where we are now:

On the day of my college graduation ceremony, I had no idea what "big girl" job awaited me or IF there was one to be had. I knew that I still had to finish my summer classes and that my current (still) job at the doctors office was more than willing to work with me on scheduling. (Shout out to the most gracious workplace ever by the way!) So I worked and studied my way through the long hot summer and finally received my degree in August.

Because this is the year of Baby-mania, two ladies from my office were going on maternity leave about that time, making it feasible for me to work full-time through the transitional time period. So I worked and considered my options and formulated a plan for the next major move. Suddenly doors started opening and opportunities were beginning to overwhelm me. I considered some fantastic undertakings (many of which I still pray for and about because I believe in them so deeply). And then, after a casual conversation with my sister which I will never forget, my heart settled on an endeavor which I am still terrified of.

Which is this: I have been studying to qualify for my TEFL Certification by means of an online course through the TEFL Institute based in Chicago. TEFL is the acronym for the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language. There is another, similar program called TESL which is the Teaching of English as a Second Language. Generally they are synonymous but technically, English as a Foreign Language is taught in nations where English is not the dominant language, and English as a Second Language is taught in places like the US, Australia, Great Britain, etc. While it would be much easier to teach in an English-dominant environment, I do not feel that this is the direction I need to go at this time. As many of you know, I graduated with a minor in Spanish and I also have a big ole bleeding heart for missions! While my job placement is still to be determined, my top preferences are in Costa Rica, Spain, or Argentina.

In the midst of all my planning and mental/emotional preparation, an interesting thing occurred! My music pastor called me into his office for a meeting wanting to be better informed about how I was doing, what my goals were (and are), etc. I was very honest with him saying that I was strongly considering TEFL but that I still simultaneously felt called to help lead in worship. We discussed this several times, both of us trying to get a better grasp on what exactly that might look like. Within a couple weeks, he then called me with a local job opening that he knew of. The church only needed someone part time but it was here in the area and Pastor Steve had recommended me in hopes that it may work for the indefinite season at hand!

I met this new pastor and his wife along with another highly involved couple from the church over dinner and we seemed to hit it off almost instantly. They are a tight knit group with a heavy heart for the lost people of the area and those who have wounded by churches or church people in the past. After several hours of laughter and honesty (and one memory that NONE of us will forget!), we parted ways for us all to pray and consider. The next step was to visit the church and see if the body described matched the body alive. My mother went with me and it did indeed! What we found was a warm and vibrant place with no hidden expectations and no visible divisions! Worship was genuine and the people were tender.

Next I met Pastor Chris and Heidi (his amazing wife!) over coffee and we continued to speak honestly about my goals and the goals of the church. I was upfront with them about my intention to take a teaching contract abroad and they seemed very understanding and even comfortable with that information. I then was asked to lead worship as a guest one Sunday. That was a joy and an experience I will never forget. There is nothing as defining as being stripped of all the familiar (I didn't even play my own guitar!) and still seeking the presence of God. But with the help of the dedicated Genesis worship team, seek it we did! And no, it wasn't a shout down service, but YES God met us. Still a little uncertain of each other, I lead as a guest again this past Sunday. And again, the church was so loving, the team was so faithful and steady, the message was so unwavering yet relevant, and AGAIN, God met with us. I went to lunch with the pastor's family and some of the elders and their spouses immediately following the service and it was just a joy. We scheduled a meeting time for Monday morning, and on Monday morning, I agreed to serve as the worship leader for Genesis Church until an ideal TEFL opportunity opens up.

THE PLAN

I will serve as the part-time worship leader at Genesis Church until I leave for a contracted TEFL position. This will include staff meetings, scheduled rehearsals, worship services, and overall commitment to Genesis Church. My job at Center for Primary Care will continue in some capacity until I leave the country. Then when I have secured a TEFL position, I will relocate to that country and serve my contract teaching English and being active in the community and in the local church in order to further enhance my Spanish knowledge and fluidity.


Please forgive the secrecy, but I wanted to guard myself and my family from as much empty commentary as possible. I felt that this method might serve to better inform those who I know care about me, but also to give opportunity for each to digest the information at their own pace, and not to give too little or too much information to some and not to others. I have included a list of frequently asked questions but please keep in mind, the bulk of these questions that my mom and dad, sister and myself, as well as Pastors from both Genesis Church and New Hope, have all raised. I do not have all of the details of either of these steps of the process worked out, but I do know that God is in the details.

Please don't hesitate to pray for me and all encouragement is welcome. This will be a transition for all of us. Not only myself, but those who have come to love me in their church body, on their worship teams, in their city, and eventually even in their very nation. I will never know every step of the journey, but I know that Genesis is the immediate step ahead, and TEFL is the second. Beyond that is still a mystery, and for once, I don't fear it.


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FAQs:
When will you get a job doing the TEFL thing? --The international job market works basically the same way that the traditional American job market does. This means that I have to find openings, submit my resume, and go through some sort of interviewing process before being offered any positions.

How will you even find a TEFL job? --One of the reasons that I selected the certifying institution that I did, is because they offer students a job placement service. There is no guaranteed position, but the institution will work on my behalf to connect me with job listings that I might be interested in, as well as advising me on what information I need from the various employers to better make decisions.

So will you be on an extended missions trip or what? --I will always carry Jesus in my heart and I will always strive to love people as Christ did. Because I will be an educator, I will have to do research, the results of which will vary from country to country, on any laws or restrictions that might be in place. While I want to evangelize, my job will be my means (I will not solicit sponsorships) and that cannot be put into unnecessary risk. I do, however, fully intend to find a local congregation and serve there as much as my schedule will allow.

Will you live alone or with a family? --That depends on the type of institution that hires me. All of that information will be contractual though so I will know ahead of time, just not before I find the job.

How long will you be abroad? --Typically contracts range from six months to a year depending on the hiring institution and the country welcoming me. There have been contracts as short as three months though. My intention is to take a shorter contract if possible in order to gain the experience and then decide further if a longer stay would be right for me.

Where is this Genesis Church? --Genesis Church has offices off of Evans to Locks Road but has it's Sunday services in the Columbia County Library Theatre in Evans, Ga. (Approx. 5 mins from my current home.)

What do we know about this church? Are they even Pentecostal? -- Genesis Church is in fact affiliated with the Church of God but takes a very modern and relevant slant to that. The thing that I most love is that they are unwavering on the truth of who God is, his standards for right living, and the reality of the Holy Spirit. For a closer look into the church itself, check out their website: www.genesischurchonline.com

Are you really a staff member if they know you're going to leave eventually? --Yes. Although I may be serving in interim, I am no less a staff member and have no less the expectation of such.

Does this mean you're never coming back to New Hope? --Not necessarily. While New Hope will always be my "home church," my position as a staff member makes it imperative that I give myself over to the overall mission of Genesis Church for the time that I do serve. Because I intend to go abroad, I certainly wouldn't be able to be involved on campus at New Hope during that season. And because I cannot (and will not) commit myself further at this time, I cannot say definitively that I will NEVER come back to New Hope or that I certainly WILL come back to New Hope.

How is it that you see benefit in being on staff at a church that you yourself won't commit to indefinitely? --I see benefit in being where there is a need that I can work to fill. Genesis Church needs someone who does what I do. I need to be somewhere where I can learn how to better do what it is that I do. There is a bluegrass song that says: "Where does the teacher go? Wherever she thinks the people need the things she knows." Now I'm no expert, but I do have experience in leading worship and developing new musicians as well as working on creative teams. This will be a great learning experience for all of us though, as learn how to better lead (meaning both what TO do and what NOT to do), and the team gleans from the pocketful of experiences that I do have.

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If you are interested in TEFL, shoot me an email or check out this website: www.teflinstitute.com