radical change

When we first met, Kevin was unemployed and substitute teaching to help make ends meet.  (hmmm, help bring ends less than a mile apart is more accurate.)  His unemployment did not last long and he's been very gainfully employed with the same Fortune 500 company ever since. 

We were still only dating hanging out (remember ends were a mile apart so we didn't actually get to "date" much in the traditional sense) when he first wistfully made mention of the fact that he could never make teaching work as a career because of the low pay.  Another person may not have even noticed this passing comment, but for some reason it was one that stuck with me.

So when he mentioned the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship to me last November, I did not automatically collapse in a frantic heap of sobbing worrying mess.  I knew back then that I would eventually be married to a teacher($) and NOT a senior systems analyst($$$$).  I just figured it would be more of a retirement pursuit for him and not a midlife course correction.

I did have a lot of trepidation.  We have SEVEN living children.  Only the first of which is starting college this fall.  But God had prepared my heart with David Platt's Radical and the Adventure of Greatness our life group had just completed.  This was a 7 week study on using our gifts and talents to serve others.  That is where you find greatness...  when your life's work is serving other people.

The fellowship seeks midlife career professionals in science and technology fields to retrain as high school teachers.  Applicants must commit to teach at least 3 years in high need urban schools.  It is the aim of the program for these teachers to bring knowledge and hope where it is needed most.  John Carroll's mission statement, vision and core values make it the perfect partner school for the fellowship.

Through my anxiety, I encouraged him to apply.  A few days later a good friend told me she had just read an article that said there were already over 700 applications for only 20 spots and that was only the beginning.  I won't lie.  I breathed a small sigh of relief.  Maybe this really wasn't something that God was calling him to now.  That much change with the loss of our daughter so recent seemed almost insurmountable to me. 

Then we received news he made it through the first round and was selected for the interview process.  He spent a vacation day down at John Carroll interviewing with the committee members and teaching a sample lesson.  After that, it was just a waiting game.  He was told he would have an answer sometime in April.

Saturday morning the envelope came.  In his words it was, "too big to be a rejection letter." 

John Carroll here we come.  Go Blue Streaks!

I have no idea how we will make it through the next year without his income.  But my husband is an awesome hardworking resourceful guy and we serve a BIG HUGE GOD.  Pray for us as we begin this new chapter of our lives.

Pray for wisdom, discernment and clarity as we decide how to best manage our household during this time of transition.