A Real-Life Game of Twister

Boy, the things God has to do to slow us down and get our attention!

We sail along full-speed, caught up in daily urgencies, sacrificing the important, and paying little attention to God's voice along the way.

By "we," of course, I mean "us," not "you" - you may be on top of this whole "urgent trumps important" issue (and if so, I applaude you)!

"We" flew along with this "ship-Flutterbug-off-to-school-because-that-must-be-the-next-thing" idea and didn't slow down long enough to ask some key questions, or explore alternatives.

So here we were, getting everything settled at school, and discovering important things like:


  • their counseling philosophy is not "nouthetic" (Biblical counseling) like Flutterbug expected and wanted.

  • there are only five counseling classes in the entire four years. (We never did receive a course catalog - hmm, would have been a good idea to make sure we got our hands on one).

  • we never discussed any other options with Flutterbug - mainly because we were trying so hard not to be controlling.

  • we learned that Flutterbug's main desire was to become a certified credentialed Christian counselor (that girl is one of the most focused and purpose-driven people I've ever known and has known for quite some time what she wants to do. Me…I floundered between archaeologist (without wanting to learn that boring history stuff) and stewardess).

Well.

All three of us wanted to be certain that she was doing the right thing. While Flutterbug attended orientation classes and ice-breaker activities, Mike and I hunkered down in the motel room and prayed and talked and then talked and prayed with Flutterbug and stayed an extra day and prayed and talked and talked and prayed. All things we should have done a while back, but God brought us all the way here to force the issue - He knew what it'd take!

We sorted out the emotions from the facts - a huge and necessary step, since we know that decisions should never be made based on fear or emotions!

We also considered the general "college experience" - the dorm life and social aspect of school. Was it important enough to warrant attending (and paying thousands of dollars) for only that reason?

We talked about how important it was for this to be a new phase of Flutterbug's life, whether she went this direction or another, and that Mike and I would need to make sure that if she opted for a local or online education we'd keep her from being swallowed up in the urgency of Victory Home life and sucked back into the old routine.

And then we surrendered the whole messy caboodle to God and waited for His direction.

We're firm believers in God's personal involvement in our lives, and the fact that He is Good. He's not going to bring things to a head and then leave us hanging, confused and dazed. (Whew.)

So.....(drum roll, please),

Flutterbug has opted to enroll in the Institute for Nouthetic Studies, based in Greenville but available as correspondence, and at the same time will attend classes at a local Bible college. She'll be able to become a certified Nouthetic Counselor in just over a year – and be able to join the National Association of Christian Counselors even sooner. Then she will be able to fill in remaining requirements for a bachelor's degree after that, if God so leads, in whatever major God directs.

All three of us are confident that this is the right thing. (Take our word for it - we're the ones who struggled through that agonizing process!) And we're excited for Flutterbug as she plunges into this new and exciting phase of her life.

The moral of the story, that God ever-so-lovingly clunked us over the head with: seek first His kingdom, keep everything fully surrendered to Him, don’t get caught up in the urgencies of life at the expense of the most important things, and , lastly...

…be flexible! You NEVER know what changes may lurk right around the corner!

4 comments:

Brenda Covert said...

WOWSERS! I'm stunned!!!

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you wanted to be a stewardess?

LOL

Talk about a last minute change of plans! There's nothing like discovering that what you wanted is not to be had where you are; sure glad you found it in Greenville! Have you got Flutterbug tucked safely in at home again?

healthy@last said...

This new and exciting phase in Flutterbug's life is exactly that...new and exciting!
Its great to hear that all three of you still have that "teachable spirit" God tells us to have.
Paul and I have put Flutterbug on our prayer list.

Timber said...

Thanks, you guys - it's great to have such funny and supportive friends (two very important qualities!). Flutterbug's getting started today on her classes, just as soon as she unpacks her many, many bags...

Paul and Vicki Young said...

Hi Melanie, I laughed so hard at you and Wendy in the granny clothes. In spite of the kid in the hospital, the sick husband, the relentless schedule--I laughed for so long. Did me good. And I put your blog on my homeschool eloop group, cuz I think it will do others good to read about that. Did me good! We're leaning toward a similar choice, but we've got 5 years or so to decide. I'm thinking working at a summer camp might actually be more appropriate for the socialization thing.