New Beginnings
Wow, what a day!
I must say that this is my first official blog on here, I wonder if this is the new Xanga? :) In any event, this will be my way to keep friends and family up to date and informed on life, I have been a part of blogger.com since last year following friends and a book bible study on here from church but have not taken the time to really blog.
So where to begin...I must say that I am at an odd phase in life, living with everything "up in the air", I believe it's in these days that God carves a little on our character and sharpens our Faith. Faith is truly my foundation right now. For those who don't know I have graduated with my Bachelors Degree from Arkansas Tech University I finished in May. In June, life made a sharp turn and through out a curve ball I was not expecting, but I am making the most out of it. I decided to pursue God given dreams and visions. The first step being applying for graduate school. Next step being pick a major, now when I was asked this question when I was 18 and just starting college oh boy did I know I was doing Pre-pharmacy...ummm well lets just say 6 major changes later I graduated with a Professional Studies with emphasis in Information Technology, no where close to what I thought "I wanted to be when I grew up".
So what is it that I want to be when I grow up? Here is the long/short version. It was towards the end of 2008 that I felt God impressing on my heart to look into a Psychology field. Remind you this was during my first semester of my senior year, I have only had one psychology course and one sociology course, and though I liked sociology I wasn't too sure about Psychology. So like any one I questioned God...Are you sure? Are you talking to me? and well even though I knew the answers I still wasn't too sure. I thought I would be a nutritionist counselor you know one that tells you what to eat to be healthy, one that is a strong activist for Eating Disorder Awareness. NOPE STOP WAIT, that's not what God impressed on my heart. So after much prayer, because I already went through four years of not knowing what to do or what to major in, I wanted to be very, very sure this was what God wanted. I can honestly say that Counseling Psychology is definitely the path that God is leading me down, without a shadow of doubt!
I lived in a drug/alcohol rehab for a few months as a house manager and God showed me a new side of me. I have always wanted to help people live better lives and I share my testimony to anyone who will listen, I have always been all ears to my friends and family, and a shoulder to cry on. But to sit and just truly listen to someone who has a breaking heart whose life has been torn apart by drugs and alcohol, is really an eye opener. It didn't hit me until the day I got home and the resident from the program had left. Now the guys facility has been open for a while and I have seen man after man walk out without completing the 12 months, I knew that it was a possibility. My heart was heavy that day, instead of running errands I felt like I needed to go straight back to the house after work. I knew something was up but nothing clicked till I walked in to be met by my pastor and his wife (the director of the program) and they told me she was gone, she chose to leave. Tears flowed uncontrollably, I didn't understand. I questioned myself all day What could I have done differently? Did I do everything I could? Did I fail her? I realize though later that night and next day after not sleeping a wink and praying and reading my bible that God gives us a "free will choice" she chose that day to walk out, nothing I could have done differently could stand in the way of her free will choice. It's just like Eve in the Garden of Eden, she made a choice to eat the fruit as did Adam, because the free will choice God gave them when He created them, just like we are created. Through the following months I was given the opportunity to mentor/counsel college students (I was also the college small group leader at the time) and I soon realized that I have a heavy heart for those who are burden by troubles, so God not only impressed in my heart He then showed me how He could use me in the area.
Since June, I have applied to 5 Universities where I have heard back from 4 and have received 1 acceptance, I have applied to Christian private schools as well as public universities. Although I have already been accepted to one school I am patiently (as patiently as possible) waiting to see what God has in store, I don't want to jump the gun and go to this school because that's what EVONNA WANTS! I want to go where God wants me to go where He can use me. I believe God is going to send me to a Christian University where I will have Bible classes. I believe in order to see someone set free you must address the whole person, the mind, the body and the soul. So this is my new beginning, I will be moving sometime soon out of Arkansas to pursue the calling/challenge God has placed on my heart. I am ready!!
What comes next? What will I do with my degree? Good question, my hope is to work in a project like the Hope Center, to help those who are wanting to turn their lives around. I also have a God given vision to help young adults, girls/boys and others who have eating disorders (I have been healed and set free from one...that's a whole new blog). But in all my future is up to God, I have a willingness to follow His lead and direction.
I am excited about the new journey of life that I am embarking on, it is an awesome feeling to be in the complete will of God.
I want to leave you with this scripture that God showed me the night that the resident left the program that spoke volumes to me that showed me what a christian counseling psychologist can do if walking with Gods lead. The bolded is emphasis I added where it hit me right at home!
Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV) - (1)The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, (2)to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, (3) and provide those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Verse 3 helped me with my healing from my eating disorder God has bestowed on us a crown of beauty, I use this verse when I speak to groups and through christian counseling I hope that many lives will be changed, not because I can speak well but because I serve a God who specializes in deliverance and healing!!
Check back for more updates, may God bless each of you!
I must say that this is my first official blog on here, I wonder if this is the new Xanga? :) In any event, this will be my way to keep friends and family up to date and informed on life, I have been a part of blogger.com since last year following friends and a book bible study on here from church but have not taken the time to really blog.
So where to begin...I must say that I am at an odd phase in life, living with everything "up in the air", I believe it's in these days that God carves a little on our character and sharpens our Faith. Faith is truly my foundation right now. For those who don't know I have graduated with my Bachelors Degree from Arkansas Tech University I finished in May. In June, life made a sharp turn and through out a curve ball I was not expecting, but I am making the most out of it. I decided to pursue God given dreams and visions. The first step being applying for graduate school. Next step being pick a major, now when I was asked this question when I was 18 and just starting college oh boy did I know I was doing Pre-pharmacy...ummm well lets just say 6 major changes later I graduated with a Professional Studies with emphasis in Information Technology, no where close to what I thought "I wanted to be when I grew up".
So what is it that I want to be when I grow up? Here is the long/short version. It was towards the end of 2008 that I felt God impressing on my heart to look into a Psychology field. Remind you this was during my first semester of my senior year, I have only had one psychology course and one sociology course, and though I liked sociology I wasn't too sure about Psychology. So like any one I questioned God...Are you sure? Are you talking to me? and well even though I knew the answers I still wasn't too sure. I thought I would be a nutritionist counselor you know one that tells you what to eat to be healthy, one that is a strong activist for Eating Disorder Awareness. NOPE STOP WAIT, that's not what God impressed on my heart. So after much prayer, because I already went through four years of not knowing what to do or what to major in, I wanted to be very, very sure this was what God wanted. I can honestly say that Counseling Psychology is definitely the path that God is leading me down, without a shadow of doubt!
I lived in a drug/alcohol rehab for a few months as a house manager and God showed me a new side of me. I have always wanted to help people live better lives and I share my testimony to anyone who will listen, I have always been all ears to my friends and family, and a shoulder to cry on. But to sit and just truly listen to someone who has a breaking heart whose life has been torn apart by drugs and alcohol, is really an eye opener. It didn't hit me until the day I got home and the resident from the program had left. Now the guys facility has been open for a while and I have seen man after man walk out without completing the 12 months, I knew that it was a possibility. My heart was heavy that day, instead of running errands I felt like I needed to go straight back to the house after work. I knew something was up but nothing clicked till I walked in to be met by my pastor and his wife (the director of the program) and they told me she was gone, she chose to leave. Tears flowed uncontrollably, I didn't understand. I questioned myself all day What could I have done differently? Did I do everything I could? Did I fail her? I realize though later that night and next day after not sleeping a wink and praying and reading my bible that God gives us a "free will choice" she chose that day to walk out, nothing I could have done differently could stand in the way of her free will choice. It's just like Eve in the Garden of Eden, she made a choice to eat the fruit as did Adam, because the free will choice God gave them when He created them, just like we are created. Through the following months I was given the opportunity to mentor/counsel college students (I was also the college small group leader at the time) and I soon realized that I have a heavy heart for those who are burden by troubles, so God not only impressed in my heart He then showed me how He could use me in the area.
Since June, I have applied to 5 Universities where I have heard back from 4 and have received 1 acceptance, I have applied to Christian private schools as well as public universities. Although I have already been accepted to one school I am patiently (as patiently as possible) waiting to see what God has in store, I don't want to jump the gun and go to this school because that's what EVONNA WANTS! I want to go where God wants me to go where He can use me. I believe God is going to send me to a Christian University where I will have Bible classes. I believe in order to see someone set free you must address the whole person, the mind, the body and the soul. So this is my new beginning, I will be moving sometime soon out of Arkansas to pursue the calling/challenge God has placed on my heart. I am ready!!
What comes next? What will I do with my degree? Good question, my hope is to work in a project like the Hope Center, to help those who are wanting to turn their lives around. I also have a God given vision to help young adults, girls/boys and others who have eating disorders (I have been healed and set free from one...that's a whole new blog). But in all my future is up to God, I have a willingness to follow His lead and direction.
I am excited about the new journey of life that I am embarking on, it is an awesome feeling to be in the complete will of God.
I want to leave you with this scripture that God showed me the night that the resident left the program that spoke volumes to me that showed me what a christian counseling psychologist can do if walking with Gods lead. The bolded is emphasis I added where it hit me right at home!
Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV) - (1)The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, (2)to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, (3) and provide those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Verse 3 helped me with my healing from my eating disorder God has bestowed on us a crown of beauty, I use this verse when I speak to groups and through christian counseling I hope that many lives will be changed, not because I can speak well but because I serve a God who specializes in deliverance and healing!!
Check back for more updates, may God bless each of you!
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