Figuring Out What is Next

So the hubby and I followed this guy around last week. 

Let me back up because that just sounds creepy. Josh, the guy in the picture above, is a tour guide. Some of you are aware that for the past few months, B and I have been considering a move. It wouldn't be anytime soon! We are talking 2 years down the road about May/June 2016. [Eek! That's actually more like a year and a half now. Can you believe it's almost October?!] My hubby is working on his Master of Divinity right now -- 94 loooong credit hours, but he's over halfway done. Realizing this, he started looking into what his next steps would be. A lot of people assume that he is studying to be a pastor by default. Although he definitely is the shepherd of this family, his goal is to become a teacher, preferably in a college/university setting. 

The issue is that a lot of jobs in this area require a Ph.D. Typically, you need to at least have one degree higher than what you want to teach. Makes sense. So, B started looking into schools and stumbled across Southeastern in Wake Forest, North Carolina. 

I should have warned you that this post would pretty much turn into a photo dump. [Also, don't mind the watermark. I'm experimenting with it and I'm def not sold on this one] I promise we did more than take pictures, but my hubby was kind enough to let me take some photos of him [rare occasion!!], so I had to take advantage of it. I need all the practice I can get!

Too. Much. Schwag. 

Anyway, we loved the campus and the professors were incredibly friendly. B was able to make a few contacts and check out what this might look like financially. We both had such a peace that this is the next step in the journey for us. 

As I mentioned earlier, this is something we have been talking about/praying about for months. Until now, we've kept it relatively hush-hush. So why the announcement now -- over a year from the time these changes will be made? Well, we covet your prayers. I am the type of person who can be happy anywhere. Until we started thinking in this direction, we were perfectly content to live out our days here in Virginia. Now, we both feel like this is the direction to which God has called us. Even though the peace is there, there are a ton of things that need to fall into place, in order to make this change happen. 

First, we need to graduate. It would be much more difficult for me to get a job in my field with half of a degree. B can't get accepted to the Ph.D. program without his completed Master of Divinity. That brings me to the next thing. B would have to be accepted to the program. There isn't really a reason why he wouldn't be accepted once his degree is complete, but this part is pretty much completely out of his hands. That can be such a nerve-racking thought. BUT then you have to come to the conclusion that, really, everything is out of our hands. If B is accepted, we would still need to get jobs. We would also like to purchase our first home right out of the gate so we don't need to worry about moving twice. From what we've seen, the price to rent an apartment is not much more than an average mortgage payment would be in some areas. However, all of this hinges on us relocating and finding jobs...which hinges on whether or not B gets accepted. He can't even apply until next fall! The next two years are going to be such a time of transition.

Aside from a request for prayer, I also wanted to post this on the blog because I have been feeling more motivated to make some changes, in light of the time we've spent there. There is a great emphasis all throughout the campus on making disciples and bringing the gospel to everyone around us. This is such a great reminder, but it's so easy to get caught up in self. I'll speak for myself, but it is so easy to be caught up in what I want to do in my life. There is not enough of an emphasis in pouring into others. What good is it to be moving up if you're not bringing others with you? What good is it to hold tightly to the gospel if you aren't sharing it with other people? We were so challenged in the small amount of time we visited. We could tell that there is definitely an environment that has an emphasis on accountability and growth.

Although there won't be any tangible adjustments to be made until 2016, it becomes more important to me now to hone my photography skills and develop some DIY/crafting skills. I figure that I might not be able to just walk into a job in my field. So, if I can use these skills for a part time hustle in the meantime, that would be amazing. I'll be showing you my first rehab project later this week. 

I know I have kind of been all over the place with this post, but there's a ton going on. So many changes. Pray for us as we work and pray through this thing. We know that if nothing else, God will be teaching us to trust in Him all the more. What about you? Was there a time you can recall where you made a move on faith, looked back, and realized that it was no one but God. I'm sure your story is encouraging, and I'd love to hear it!