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10 Years Ago

10 years ago I was just beginning my second year of college; I was contemplating the change from a major in music education to religious studies with a pre-ministerial focus. On this particular day(September 11, 2011) however, I was taking my friend Juli Tilger to physical therapy for her shoulder. When we go to the center, not much therapy took place, unless you count hugging strangers as therapy...different kind of therapy than she was actually there for.
Not too many weeks later Marty CashBurless helped me make the final decision to change my major to religious studies. Without even realizing it, I think, the events of 9.11.01 influenced my final decision more than I realized at the time. More than I can even imagine now.
To serve in a vocation that calls me EVERYDAY to love my neighbor, to forgive 7 time 70, to turn the other cheek, to follow always in the footsteps of Christ...is challenging, frustrating, rewarding, and life giving. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice, for so long I wanted to be a band director, for so long people had helped me, taught me, directed me...seeing the hurt and pain the fear and sorrow caused by such hatred-I knew God had and still has something bigger in store for me.

We are all different than we were 10 years ago, we will be different 10 years from now. The only constant in life is that it never stays the same. Forgive, let hope in, show kindness to a stranger, learn to live in the ways of Christ...Remember the past, LIVE in the present, look toward the future with a hope-filled heart, leaning on the promises of God.

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