Discernment
Clearly I've been absent from my blog for quite a few weeks. It's been somewhat of a...well...I don't know how to describe this period of time. I thought I had well-laid plans and a strong sense of what my future was going to look like. And sure enough, God threw a monkey wrench into the works. I hate when God changes things just when I think I have everything worked-out.
For quite sometime I imagined that I would begin my ministry as a priest by building a Catholic Community on Long Island, New York. In addition, I thought that I would continue working for Catholic Charities -- providing services and housing for homeless folks who live with a disability. I figured that after I gained community-building experience and the community was well-established, I would consider immigrating south to Virginia Beach, VA or Charlotte, NC where there are existing United American Catholic Church ministries that could use my help. However, as the saying goes: "While I make plans, God laughs."
The anxiety started when my landlord & friend informed me that her family situation was changing and she would need the space where I live -- therefore I must move out by December. At first glance, it would seem that this change is not much of a crisis. While I am disappointed that I needed to move (I lived in a beautiful apartment on a canal with a terrific house mate), I had faith that I would find another apartment and would be fine. However, I immediately had this nagging feeling that there's an opportunity to further my ministry away from New York. It does not seem to matter that I have a wonderful job on Long Island and am currently serving as Deacon in a growing faith community -- I continued to hear the Voice of God in prayer telling me that I'm needed else where. That is where the crisis lay.
God's call is never easy, or at least it's never been for me. I heard God's gentle prodding to go into ministry for years before I took the first step on the journey toward the priesthood. And now once again, it is very hard to follow God's call for me to relocate. I love Long Island. I grew up there and left it only for a short time to attend school. I know the communities, the culture and have wonderful relationships with folks who live there. I have a strong professional network in the community-service and social work arenas. I love Long Island Sound and the Great South Bay, the wineries on the North Fork, the terrific community theatres and museums, and the fact that New York City is a short drive or train ride away. Although one can argue about some of the drawbacks to living in an area with one of this country's highest cost of living -- it was home for me and I was quite comfortable.
Yes, God's will is hard. It became apparent that I would be leaving Long Island soon when my dear friend Ginger, who knew I was discerning a big change, sang a Psalm to me over the phone and all I could do was cry -- tears of joy, tears of sadness, tears of uncertainty. The decision was made. Charlotte, North Carolina would soon be my new home. It was there that I was being called to assist with a growing community of Peruvians.
As is always the case -- stay tuned, there is more to come.
For quite sometime I imagined that I would begin my ministry as a priest by building a Catholic Community on Long Island, New York. In addition, I thought that I would continue working for Catholic Charities -- providing services and housing for homeless folks who live with a disability. I figured that after I gained community-building experience and the community was well-established, I would consider immigrating south to Virginia Beach, VA or Charlotte, NC where there are existing United American Catholic Church ministries that could use my help. However, as the saying goes: "While I make plans, God laughs."
The anxiety started when my landlord & friend informed me that her family situation was changing and she would need the space where I live -- therefore I must move out by December. At first glance, it would seem that this change is not much of a crisis. While I am disappointed that I needed to move (I lived in a beautiful apartment on a canal with a terrific house mate), I had faith that I would find another apartment and would be fine. However, I immediately had this nagging feeling that there's an opportunity to further my ministry away from New York. It does not seem to matter that I have a wonderful job on Long Island and am currently serving as Deacon in a growing faith community -- I continued to hear the Voice of God in prayer telling me that I'm needed else where. That is where the crisis lay.
God's call is never easy, or at least it's never been for me. I heard God's gentle prodding to go into ministry for years before I took the first step on the journey toward the priesthood. And now once again, it is very hard to follow God's call for me to relocate. I love Long Island. I grew up there and left it only for a short time to attend school. I know the communities, the culture and have wonderful relationships with folks who live there. I have a strong professional network in the community-service and social work arenas. I love Long Island Sound and the Great South Bay, the wineries on the North Fork, the terrific community theatres and museums, and the fact that New York City is a short drive or train ride away. Although one can argue about some of the drawbacks to living in an area with one of this country's highest cost of living -- it was home for me and I was quite comfortable.
Yes, God's will is hard. It became apparent that I would be leaving Long Island soon when my dear friend Ginger, who knew I was discerning a big change, sang a Psalm to me over the phone and all I could do was cry -- tears of joy, tears of sadness, tears of uncertainty. The decision was made. Charlotte, North Carolina would soon be my new home. It was there that I was being called to assist with a growing community of Peruvians.
As is always the case -- stay tuned, there is more to come.
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