A year ago Josh and I were at the ACM's Campus Ministers Retreat in southern Indiana. We look forward to it following the end of every school year. A chance to be with others in campus ministry and just unwind as a family. Anyways, during this retreat Josh met another pastor and found his ministry was looking to hire someone in the same type of position he was in. During this conversation they talked about the way the ministry is run, how the staff works very well together as a team, and how they were specifically wanting to hire a family for the job. Basically, anything Josh and I had ever talked about or hoped for in ministry this guy was saying it. That night, Josh told me the entire conversation, then we got on their website and dreamed. I honestly pushed Josh to ask more questions and think about applying, but we had just decided to stay at least one more year in Muncie, so he was unwilling to begin looking for something that would obviously be filled by the time we were ready. Through the summer we talked a lot about this new and exciting ministry and envied the person who got the position.
Fast forward six months and we are officially without a job. We have a mortgage, no paycheck and no direction. After several weeks applying at various ministries, Josh got an interview with a church plant... which obviously didn't pan out! Really confused and frustrated, we decided to look back into campus ministry. I have no idea what Josh was thinking, but I was a little scared. Campus ministers are a relatively tight-knit bunch – everyone knows everyone. We weren't completely sure what had been said and if other ministries would want us after hearing our story. But when Josh realized this ministry was still looking, he sent his resume in... all the way to the Christian Campus House at the University of Central Missouri.
The ministry's director, Brad, replied back with lots of questions and out came our story. There was no point in hiding it, I mean some of the bitterness and anger had gone away, but at times it was still hard to hide. I remember Josh answering these questions and telling me that he had to tell Brad the whole story from the very beginning. After all, what was one more person judging us? Yet there was NO judging!!! Instead we got several phone calls and Skype meetings and got asked to go on their Spring Break retreat with them in March.
So... is it weird to fall in love with another couple?? Well we did. Brad and Cailyn have been wonderful through this long (4+ month) process of getting hired. They have kept us going when we thought it just wouldn't happen. They made raising part of our salary sound like an adventure and very possible. They have loved us from the beginning... including and honestly, because of the baggage (not in spite-of). Brad and Josh are like two peas in a pod, brothers separated at birth. Cailyn and I just laugh at the way they get along. It's refreshing to see that Josh is going to have a co-worker who respects him and his opinion and experience... sees him as an equal.
As of Tuesday, May 7 around 5pm we were officially asked to come on staff and start June1st (yes that is two weeks away!) To see the relief and joy in my husbands eyes took my breath away.
We are getting a second chance. We get to stay in ministry with college students. This is what we are good at, what we're called for! So, University of Central Missouri here we come and we are sooooooo excited!
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