Figuring it all out.

Coming out here to the prairies has caused me to think a lot...

I believe we all are given choices. We (well, some of us) spend time praying about where we want God to direct us next. It's hard because often times, several doors are open at once and you have to choose which door you want to go through. Going through that one door can give you so many different experiences that will continue to shape you as a person. But you often wonder about the other doors. What if I went through those doors instead? What would my life be like then?

I used to think God had only one plan that He wanted me to follow, but now, as I'm getting older, I'm figuring out that sometimes God opens multiple doors. What is on the other side of those doors a lot of the time isn't bad or good. It's all a matter of what we choose. I like to think of my life as a "Choose your own adventure" book. God knows what I am capable of and knows which choices are possible for me, but it's entirely up to me which road I go down. I think so long as you make an attempt to live a good life and keep faith in God, it doesn't really matter what road you take. There will be pros and cons with every decision you decide to make.

I say that, but at the same time, I believe in Godly intervention. I believe sometimes you are brought to certain places and meet certain people, all for a reason.

If I were to ask myself a year ago, where do you see yourself on October 20, 2012, I would have never in a million years guessed in a small town in Northern Saskatchewan. I know God wanted me to be here, that is for sure, but why that is, I'm slowly beginning to discover...

I've been praying a lot. I know some crazy things are about to happen. My life is going to become very different soon, but I'm ready for it. I don't think I've ever been more prepared.. :)

She needed wide open spaces, room to make her big mistakes...

Who doesn't know what I'm talking about 

Who's never left home, who's never struck out 

To find a dream and a life of their own 

A place in the clouds, a foundation of stone 

Many precede and many will follow 

A young girl's dream no longer hollow 

It takes the shape of a place out west 

But what it holds for her, she hasn't yet guessed... 

Long time, no see!

Yeah, I've been slack on the bloggin', I know, but please forgive me, I've had ALOT going on in my life. I've been waiting for a perfect moment to update you guys on what's been happening. 

I had been praying ALL summer long for God to provide me with a job as a nurse. Everything was looking so bleak and I was starting to give up. I received so many prayers from friends and family that I would find work. I'd always imagined myself working in a big city once I started my career. But apparently, God had different plans for me...

One afternoon, I get a phone call from my friend Heather - a close nursing school friend of mine, also unemployed for most of the summer. She had called to announce that she had accepted a nursing position at a hospital in a small rural town in northern Saskatchewan. Before I could even congratulate her, all she could say was, "Eve! They are looking for more nurses and I gave the manager your name! Please, please consider it!" Now, the first thought in my head was, NO. Not a chance! Here I am, born and bred city girl. I love my shopping malls, movie theatres, night clubs, fancy purses, high heeled shoes, cocktails and fancy restaurants. How on earth could I ever move to somewhere that doesn't even have a Wal-Mart?!?!

I was called by the manager to see if I wanted an interview. I decided, why not? I would do it for the heck of it. I also had an interview an hour after for another job, a city job that I wanted way more. I prepared a lot for the job in the city and was planning to put in as little effort as possible for the rural Saskatchewan job.

The morning of the interview came and I decided to be so nonchalent about it. I did not get up to shower, dress, or even make notes on what I was going to elaborate on to make me look good for the interview. In fact, I'm pretty sure I was in bed during the interview. I did not want to make a fool of myself but at the same time, I could have cared less if they thought I was qualified for the job or not. In a sense, I tried to do the interview badly.

A day later, I received a call to say I had gotten the job in rural Saskatchewan. But I was still anxiously awaiting the news to hear if I had gotten the job in Edmonton or not. I decided it was wise for me to get the paperwork together I need for the job in Saskatchewan just in case the Edmonton job fell through. But I was oh so confident I would get the job in Edmonton.

A week passed by and still no word from the Edmonton job. I was beginning to get depressed. I wanted to have that Edmonton job so bad. I prayed more and more. For some reason, in the bottom of my heart I felt that it was Saskatchewan that I was supposed to go. But I chose to ignore it just because it was not what I wanted. I had gotten a lot of people to pray for me that week, that maybe somehow, the answer would become clear. Did I get a clear answer? Well, no.. I did get a call back a week later from Edmonton. I had gotten that job. It was a part-time position, but it was a nursing job in the city for a position is desperately wanted. I prayed more and more and the feeling in the bottom of my stomach would not go away. My best friend at the same time was also praying for me. She began to get the same feeling as I did. "Eve, I think you should just take the job in Saskatchewan. The worst thing that can happen is that if you don't like it, just apply for a job somewhere else!"

So I decided to take a leap of faith, just to go with my gut instinct. But before I decided I was going to go, I needed to make sure I would have a sensible place to live in. Initially, i was going to live with Heather. But when I was undecisive about if I was going or not, Heather just decided to get her own spot. I went on Kijiji and found a girl who was looking to rent out the upstairs of a house.  We spoke on the phone a couple of times. She was a law student from BC and seemed friendly and cool. I decided to move in with her and a week later, I was on my way.

Before I left, I wanted to make sure that I would have a solid church community for when I got there. I googled a church online and got in touch with the youth and young adults pastor. He was pretty friendly and invited me to come to bible study for the first Monday I was in town.

Everything was set. To make it better, my mom had decided to fly up with me to help me settle into my new place.

So much has happened since being here. I'll have to update you all on that with another blog. Time goes by so fast. It's hard to believe I up and left the place I called home for 24 years to go to a very random town in the middle of rural Saskatchewan.

Until then, I'll leave you all in suspense... :)

XOXO
E