rejection.

Hi friends!

I know it has been a few days between blogs. I have not be the best at keeping my blog updated this week and Emily Rice has not let me forget that!

Anyway, I titled today's blog post "rejection" because, well, we have dealt with lots of it in the last week. I basically had a terrible week last week. I got a ticket on friday, the flu on sunday, then andrew got his rejection letter from UT Grad school on monday and his rejection from Texas Tech grad school on thursday. Bad week. For those of you that didn't know, My amazing husband-Andrew has been in a process of applying to grad school for about the past year. His undergrad is in History and he is a history lover. He has a copy of the constitution on his bed side table. He has a list of all the presidents on his bedside table. He is reading a book on Truman right now. He loves history and when he talks about it you can only imagine what an amazing teacher or professor he will be. So this led us to the path of graduate school. We knew UT was a really hard program to get into and that Andrew's undergrad grades might not be good enough. But we thought for sure he was a shoe- in at Tech. He knew many professors there, he even had a professor contact him with the same interests. So we thought that was where we were going. While I was really sad at the thought of leaving Austin, I was so excited at the thought of being much closer to my family, able to attend our church, Westminster, and able to go to Tech home games :). I don't think I fully realized how much I wanted to go to Lubbock. So when we got the rejection letter, I was devastated. Not only at the fact that my amazing husband had been rejected, but that MY plan had fallen through. I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me. I'm sure I was a very wonderful supportive wife-crying in the corner...haha. So my first response is I get kinda pissed at God. Asking him why it seemed like he was opening all these doors for Lubbock if we aren't going. Then asking him what in the world I'm supposed to do- i dont want to be a nanny forever. What is andrew supposed to do? Should he still try to go to school? Stay in his life sucking job? As I was walking through all of this, I just was reminded that ALL we can do is trust Jesus. All we can do is be reminded that He can see the entire picture and we can't. We have to trust that whatever He has for us is more glorifying to Him than our plan. Now, this doesnt make the rejection any easier. But it does set my heart at peace. Never before have I been in stage of life that I had no clue what was next. Neither of us are really on a career path, neither of us are ready for kids, neither of us know anything...but we love and serve a God who knows it all. So we can rejoice in that. Plus, we do get to stay in Austin with all of our amazing friends, we both still have jobs that pay the bills and we have a church body that we love so much. At Stone on sunday, I think we worshipped more honestly then we have in a long time. We sang "On Christ the Solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand. "-isnt that the truth? So I invite you all to pray with us for vision. I have literally prayed my whole life that I would not have an ordinary life. I have always known that "the American dream" wasn't for me. So this might just be the Lord reminding us of that. Sorry for the long blog. I am just really processing all of this!

"My Hope is Built on Nothing Less"
by Edward Mote, 1797-1874

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

3. His oath, His covenant, and blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.