New Opportunities

So some new opportunities have been popping up lately.  I am moving forward with CCO -- we are in the placement process, as it looks like I will be set-up to interview with Waynesburg University (Washington, PA) soon.  I have also decided to pursue Resident Director positions apart from the CCO, as there are numerous possibilities around the country that will open up this month.  Over our Spring Recess (long weekend) last week, I sent in applications for RD to both Bethel University (St. Paul, MN near Uncle Brian and Aunt Sheron) and Messiah College (Grantham, PA near Harrisburg).  We'll see what happens.  My current RD gave me some websites to keep tabs on Christian colleges who post on the sites with their openings.  I'll keep you posted.

Jubilee

So just got back from the CCO sponsored conference called Jubilee (Friday night through Sunday morning) at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.  The conference gathers around 2,000 college students from all over the Northeast region (PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, etc.) to learn and listen to speakers on the topic of: how faith interacts with every facet of life.  As college students, we are each "grounded" in a discipline (mine happens to be sociology) and it can often pose difficult to relate the Lord to some fields.  There were main sessions (speakers including Gabe Lyons, James Emery White, Daniel Sepulvada, Michael Gerson, and Bob Goff to name a few) and breakout sessions (Eric Metaxas, Derek Melleby, Kenyon Adams, Soong-Chan Rah, Walt Mueller, and others) throughout the weekend.

What a refreshing time to hear from those that are living out God's calling in whatever vocation they find themselves in.  I have TONS of notes from the speakers!!!  However, I did not get the opportunity to go to any breakout sessions because of meetings...

These meetings were designed for CCO candidates (which I am) to meet with Staff Directors and Partnership Coordinators.  Basically, we interviewed with them so they could get a feel for who we were and our hope for the future.  As they hear about RD openings in different regions, they will be able to accommodate my requests for whatever school they feel I would work best at.  As of now, there may be possible openings at both Waynesburg University and Westminster College.  We'll see in the near future...

Lastly, I received full staff acceptance from Athletes in Action the other day.  However, I am not sure of this working for this organization yet because of some thoughts that have been dwelling on my mind lately.  Buzz words for my thoughts in this realm lately: initiative evangelism, full support-raising, Ohio, staff support, etc.  Please continue to pray for the CCO process as it carries on throughout the coming weeks.  Thanks!

Interview!

In the final stages of scheduling my Athletes in Action interview for next week.  Apparently there was some difficulty in finding either Campus Crusade staff or AIA staff to interview me in both the Grove City and Pittsburgh area, go figure?  After all of that back-and-forth e-mailing, we have finally set up an appointment with Jay and Candi Wilson, who are family friends (I also grew up with their son in high school).  Jay is the former chaplain of the Pittsburgh Steelers and continues to work for AIA in a different capacity.  I will be meeting with him and his wife, Candi, next Tuesday morning to finally "close" the application process and enter the decision/placement process.  Please pray that God would speak through me as I am in the interview next week.  It's so important to me that I always convey what gifts and passions God has blessed me with to those that I interview with.

On a side note, please also pray for fellow Seniors in my housing group at school, Alpha Epsilon Chi.  We are all looking at careers and graduate schools --- currently playing the "waiting" game in many of those situations as applications have already been sent out.  Thanks!

Missions

I had lunch with Tim Brokopp today.  Tim was the missionary I worked with while in Gabon a couple of summers ago.  Currently, he is the Executive Director of an organization called e4 - (www.e4project.org).  He approached me to fill me in on the project and what my potential role with him could be.  We're in the process of shaping my role, which won't even be finished molding until June/July.  Most likely, I will serve as a liason of some sort, working with churches and missions teams as they prepare to travel to Gabon.  In the long term, it will look different, but that is the plan for now.  This doesn't change my current employment plans, but it is something God has already had on my heart.  I'm excited about this organization, and I hope you get a chance to check out their website and find out all about them.

Oh, Go STEELERS! (Super Bowl XLV on Sunday!)

Websites

Just in case you want to know more about the organizations that I am interested in:

Athletes in Action

Coalition for Christian Outreach

Camp Henry

Nyack College

Continuing in the Process.

Quick update on things:

• I will be attending the Jubilee Conference (sponsored by CCO) Feb. 18 - 20 and taking part in staff candidate seminars with them in preparation of placement interviews the following week.
• My Athletes in Action stuff is all in at this point, and I am preparing to interview with an AIA/Campus Crusade interview committee within the next 2 weeks.  Please pray that God would give me the words to speak - that my love of God and passion for ministry would shine through.
• I applied to Nyack College last week as an admissions counselor for the School of Business and Leadership - this is very early in the process, so we'll see where this goes.

First Acceptance, and... First Rejection

First, the good news.  I was accepted as a staff candidate for the Coalition for Christian Outreach last week!  This means, that I am able to interview with partner colleges and universities as a residence director or other college personnel.  I will be at their Jubilee Conference in February for some seminars and then start on-site interviews at the end of February.  It's exciting!

The bad news, I received an e-mail from Focus on the Family informing me that I am no longer a candidate for their outreach position.  Honestly, not a big deal, but there was also a bit of frustration because one of their only reasons happened to be no relocation compensation.  Who knows, would I really have needed that much compensation, if any at all?  Oh well.  No need to dwell on what has already happened.  Time to move on to preparing for university, on-site interviews...