Social Work & God

I went to Rollins College for undergrad.  When most people in Florida, or the south, hear the words Rollins College it conjures up visions of tan 20 year olds, sunning themselves on the shores of Lake Virginia or by the pool, checking their emails no less, carrying their Louis Vuitton tote.  And yes, there were a LOT of people at Rollins like that, but there were also some real people, too.  I would say I met most of my Rollins friends when I joined Kappa Delta and the only people I keep in touch with from college are my sorority sisters.  To be fair to Rollins it is an amazingly tough school academically and is always rated #1 in the southeast.

Anyways, I majored in psychology without much thought as to what I would do once I graduated.  I had always worked at the YMCA and expected to find a job as a membership director or program director at a Y.  And I did.  And I hated it.  I didn't hate the job.  I didn't like my executive director.  So, after 6 months I quit and now was back to square one with no idea what I wanted to do with my life. 

A KD emailed me and told me the state of KY was hiring social workers and so I applied with zero expectations as to what I'd actually be doing.  And as hard as the work was, and as far removed from my life at Rollins as a job could be, I loved it.  I loved helping people and feeling I was making a positive change in other's lives.  If I stayed in Cincinnati I'd probably still be working there. 

This random job has shaped the rest of my career.  I got a Master of Social Work from the University of South Florida where I met my friend Breun who introduced me to my husband.  I got my LCSW in Florida and my LICSW in Mass.  I've met amazing people, both coworkers and clients, and my life has been touched by the hand of God in the work I've done by the people whose lives I've had the privilege of being a small part of. 

So, now I am a full time mommy and while I don't miss working full time I do miss being a social worker.  I have been thinking that when Paul gets home I'll probably need to get a per diem job at night/weekends, either running substance abuse groups or writing adoption home studies or providing counseling for Tricare. 

In the mean time this missing is what has me advocating for adoption on my FB and my blog.  It's such a small thing, but it feels like something I can do, something that will hopefully lead someone to finding their child, in being a forever family to a child in need.  I pray every night for my future children and for God to lead us to our chilren that are out there waiting for us to find them.  I pray for God to open our hearts to whatever child needs us. 

My relationship with God has not always been strong.  I've done things I'm not proud of, but I feel like I am learning and growing and becoming more content and at peace with my life with every passing day thanks to God.  I believe in the power of prayer and I am the first to ask for prayers for myself or for others.  And I'll pray for you whether you ask me to or not.  I love being around people who have a strong faith.  I think our friends from Valdosta are the best examples of God's love that I could ever hope to meet because they truly embody what it means to be Christian...they lead a life of devotion to God and yet they are not judgmental of those who don't.  They speak of their love of Christ, but they don't come across as fanatical.  Their friendship has really helped to draw me closer in my relationship with God because they are such good people and amazing friends.  Shout out to Emily, Brittney, Anne-Marie, Beth-Anne, and Erika (and their spouses, too) as well as all the others who touched our lives in the short amount of time I lived there.  And this is why I post prayer requests or links to blogs for people that have amazing relationships with God. 

Last night after crying for Tripp I was thinking about how I would give anything of myself to spare Emma any kind of pain and I suddenly got it...I understood how God feels for us and how Jesus feels for us, how God gave us his Son to save us, how Jesus loves us much like a mother loves their child.  If you haven't yet read The Shack I encourage you to read it.  It's a beautiful story about a man's relationship with God.  It is a life changing read.