From Misfortunes To Blessings

Back in November I decided to apply for NET ministries in between my A.A. and my Bachelor Degree not knowing what major to pick. (what better way to take off a year to discern then spreading the gospel to the future generation of the church?) Not even expecting a call back because of the long waiting list for women. I shut my laptop and forgot about it. The next day I saw I had a missed call and immediately called back expecting for them to tell me thanks for applying and try again next year. to my surprise it was the head recruiter asking me to come to an interview in Saint Paul, MN! As soon as I hung up I called my brother who was the one really pushing me to apply. I made the trip to the my parent's farm and told my them that I had been asked to fly up for an interview. I expected them to push me to finish college then revisit the idea, but they were beyond supportive and loving, An awesome gift. It had all been planned out, I was going to MN, check out the HQ for NET and it was that easy. Riiiight.

Then I got Mono. Ah... the most painful and tiring month and a half of my life. Laying on a mattress on the floor of the living room crying from the pain in my throat was not how I planned to spend my Christmas vacation. With the mono came a enlarged spleen which takes a lot longer to heal then the pain in my throat, and you have to be very careful not to even sneeze too hard or you will end up taking the long 45 minute drive to the ER. After three or four blood tests and me not healing as soon as the doctor wanted me to, I figured NET was out of the question for this upcoming year.

But even after I healed and went back to work, I wasn't ready to accept that. It was still on the back burner in my mind. My brother kept calling and urging me to just call NET and see if there was any way that I could do a phone interview and he would put it in a good word for me. But I had read the rules and all the FAQ's, I knew that you had to actually come for the interview.

About two weeks later I went the Catholic Student Union's Spirit Nite on discernment. Michael Williams, a former NETer came to speak about discernment and how he ended up joining NET. I felt like he was talking directly to me, though we had never met he was describing my situation almost exactly. I couldn't listen anymore and went to the Chapel to pray and ask the Lord why this has been brought back up in my heart if it wasn't a possibility. I prayed for guidance and clarity.

The next day I had a meeting with my spiritual advisor and she lovingly pushed and shoved me to call and just see if it was still a possibility to even come for a interview. As soon as I pulled out of the parking lot of Bruegger's I called and explained my situation to the recruiting team, they only had one interview weekend left. One. In Ohio.The same weekend I was supposed to visit my brother in New Jersey. I went home and signed up. I didn't know where I was going to come up with the money for both trips but I signed up.

My prayer was that if I really was called to just go to the interview the money would come. It did. I worked for the busy season making rosaries for a CSU alum. And when the time came for the trip I had enough money to go Ohio and New Jersey! My boss said "You can thank Mama Mary for that one!" Absolutely.

I drove up to Ohio through the night (probably should have planned that better by getting some sleep and not drinking too much caffeine) I made it to the interview with an hour to spare. The weekend went great, I met awesome people and I really, really loved the charism of NET and how the retreat flowed. As soon as the retreat/interview was over I drove to NJ and got some awesome quality time with my bro. Two days later I got the call from NET inviting me to join them on the 2013-2014 team! (WOOT WOOT!)

It wasn't a simple journey but I am grateful that it wasn't because I really appreciate how I can see God working in every person involved and every thing through the entire journey that isn't over yet. It's really awesome to 100% know that this is what I'm called to do this next year and I am overjoyed that it is becoming a reality.

I want to ask you for your prayers for me and my team this upcoming year and for the youth that we reach out to and I will keep you all in my prayers.

Peace and God Bless,

Amanda

Counting Down, 51 Days, 16 Hours and 59 Minutes

Counting Down, 51 Days, 16 Hours and 59 Minutes

      Now 58 minutes. Needless to say, I'm a little excited for this new journey in my life to begin. I am elated to have the opportunity to join NET ministries this upcoming year. NET ministries (National Evangelization Team) travels across the country spreading the Gospel to youth. I feel called to NET because I have always had a heart for mission work and always pictured myself someday outside the country spreading the gospel in a third world country, but I have heard this quote from a very holy woman and it inspired me to spread God's word within the country: “Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely right there where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in your workplaces and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have the eyes to see. Everywhere, wherever you go, you find people who are unwanted, unloved, uncared for, just rejected by society — completely forgotten, completely left alone.” -Mother Teresa 

Now I won't exactly be staying in my hometown, but I will be staying in the country reaching out and meeting youth where they are at in their spiritual life. We get out of our comfy lives with families and jobs and school to staying with host families we haven't met and sleeping on floors (or beds if we are lucky!) that aren't our own to make the youth more at ease in their own comfort zones. 

I am also just a little excited to be traveling all across the United States in a van with 11 other people that I will inevitably get to know very, very well. But I am also pretty nervous and a little scared if I can be honest, it is such a radical change from my current life. I won't have my family and friends right next to me, I can't even imagine how much I will miss my Parents, siblings and all the adopted family I have in Tallahassee (and Perry). I will be leaving my jobs and school. Lastly, my time won't be my own. I'm not used to that I only have a minimal time to talk with people back home and every hour of my day already planned out for me. 

On the other hand, I will have the opportunity to grow very very close to The Lord, which is something that every soul truly desires. I will have prayer time every morning and night, the chance to go to confession and mass on the retreats.  My prayer life will grow immensely and I will be able to meet people all across the country that are following the Lord in our Catholic faith. I have already met quite a few awesome people from NET and I don't even officially start until August. That's pretty awesome if I do say so myself. 

For all the readers, I ask you to please pray for me on my journey and all the youth that we will be reaching out to this upcoming year! 

P.S. 51 days, 16 hours and 20 minutes now :) 

God Bless, 

Amanda