Open

Exactly a month ago - on December 20th - I said my good byes to my Harlem home and started my drive back to parents' lake house.

My Harlem Home - Fall 2013

One of the gals who had joined my small group in NYC, joined me for the trip back to Michigan.  She's originally from Novi - a city not too far from Detroit that got it's name because it was the number 6 train stop, or as the Romans who like special numerals write, No VI. 

On our drive she advised me not to date men who are too old (i.e. over 40), because I'm young-spirited, she explained, and she wouldn't want to see me with any men who might slow me down. 
She then asked, "Do any advice for me?  Knowing what you know now, what advice would give a 22 year old?"

I felt the weight of her question, and just like the guy on the A train, and the guy from Plenty of Fish, I knew whatever answer I gave, would be less than what I might say given days to reflect and pages of paper to write my response. 

But rather than requesting think time, I answered off-the-cuff, telling her, most importantly in life, be open.  Don't get set into thinking there's a certain linear path for your future.  But rather, be open for what God might have for you, and the unexpected opportunities He might throw your way as you continue to follow Him.  The more open you are, the more possibilities He can set before you.

Okay, so that's not verbatim, but close enough.   

Last week, as I chatted on the phone with a guy old enough to "slow me down," I shared with him some job possibilities I was exploring.  In response he stated, "You just seem to be really open.  That's great." 

Yes, it's true.  I am open - very open.  But great?  Hmmm...  I'm not so sure about great...

The reality is, I have no choice, but to not be open.  I need a job, and a place to call home.  And that could take me anywhere in the world, really.  Although, Southern California and New York - where I already have established community - are my top two choices.  But even earlier this month, I Skype interviewed for 2 1/2 hours for a position in Texas.  And today, I even went as far as thinking, perhaps I should go back to China and teach English - not that I really want to back to China, but I do have some friends there in the northern part, and well, why not?

Camel Ride in Northern China (my camel is the 1st in the chain)

For now, I'm right back where I was exactly 10 years ago, substitute teaching for the same pay rate of $75 a day, praying that as I'm open, God will open the doors to something that will utilize my strengths, and pay off my Masters degree from Fuller Seminary. 

* All the while, the BIG dream is to launch my first book and perhaps tour to college campuses this fall, speaking in women's residence halls at Christian Colleges, and Cru and IV at state universities. But that dream is on hold until I can figure out how to finance the project without losing the rights to my material by going through a traditional publisher.  In the meantime, I've started working on a sequel...