Breakthrough

They say that patience is a virtue. It is one that I have certainly spent many years learning and practicing. Today I finally see the meaning behind the need for patience. Almost 10 months after hearing (and listening to) God's call for me to begin this journey, my patience has yielded fruit.

I received an e-mail this morning informing me that someone had given someone else my name as an interested applicant for the Younger Vocations Discernment Program. She said that if I was still interested all I had to do was fill out the attached application and mail it in.

In that moment of opening the application I could hear God saying to me "See. I told you it was really meant to be. I told you I hadn't left you hanging on a cliff you couldn't climb back up from. I told you your patience would be rewarded." As I read through the application I began to laugh. The sheer joy of finally seeing in words exactly what I was trying to find made me a little giddy!

And then I read the end of the application. It asks that you submit a sort of spiritual autobiography. "The first part should include some history of your spiritual journey-where you went to church, significant experiences of God either in church or out, and ways that you participated in the life of the community as you were learning about God. The second part should talk about where you are right now-where do you worship? What kind of studies/activities are you participating in that nurture your relationship with God? In the final part of the autobiography we would like to hear about where are you going.  This section is about articulating a call to next steps for you.  It isn’t about a complete outline of what you want to do, more about the way in which you feel God calling you to explore your vocation."

And as I read I began to cry. Here it was. My feelings vindicated. It was the last sentence that really spoke to me. It personified for me my entire experience and how I had come to begin this seemingly endless journey. "We often begin to experience a call to vocation when we notice how life giving or enjoyable certain activities are, or when we feel an ache for something more and can’t quite name it."

And on that note I will conclude this post. I have to compile my spiritual autobiography so I can continue moving forward on my journey with God.