When I was in the 9th grade Buell Fogg came to Midland to do a week of prayer. I had never met him before. I didn't know who he was. He got up front and did his Buell thing. If you don't know what that is Buell has a ton of energy when he is speaking in front of young people. He bounces around. He is very happy. He gives off the impression that he would rather be right there then any other place in the world. Like most students that listen to a week of prayer by Buell I was very interested and it made a big impression on me.
Ever since my sister and I were in the third grade we both knew that we would be doctors. She was going to be a pathologist and I was going to be an emergency room doctor. My sister was focused. Whenever she got home she would do her homework right away. After she finished that she would practice her piano. After that she...well I don't know what she did cause I was outside. When I came home from school I made a B line to the basketball court. I would walk around the neighborhood with my ball and shoot at every single basket that I could find. I met a lot of people doing this. When I was a senior in High School I couldn't wait to get back home after school so I could play ball with all of the 7th and 8th grade kids all around my block. I wasn't 100% focused on my school work. But I was smart enough that my grades weren't bad. As time passed I realized that my heart wasn't in to being a doctor (Let's be honest your boy wasn't smart enough either). Buell's visit to my school had me asking questions.
"Whatever Buell Fogg does for a living, I want to do that."
When the time came for me to choose a major I chose communications. The reason for this was that I like to communicate so I should be a communications major (Natalie thinks that I probably should have stuck with my communication major cause my skills in this area of life are quite poor. Sorry about not telling you about Taleah's wedding boo). Because of a big mess that I might get into later I didn't graduate with a communications degree. I got my internship in the enrollment department and I was doing what Buell Fogg does for a living.
Normally the shelf life for a recruiter is two years. At the end of next week I will have been here for six years. It's incredible to think that I have now been working at Union for two years longer then I was a student here. Recruiters usually leave after two years because when they first take the job they are looking past it to something they see themselves doing in the future. They use this job as a stepping stone to another opportunity. They also get bored. The reason I have stayed as long as I have is because of two things. The opportunity to do many different things and the students that have impacted my life.
I have flown all over the United States and part of the world doing this job. I have met students that I will be friends with forever. I try my hardest to not be pushy. What I want is to get to know the students and to be able to be honest with them. I am very honest with them as you will find out later.
God has blessed me with this job that fits my personality.
Many people come up to me and ask me if I will ever leave Union. They ask me if I am going to live here forever like Buell has. It's obvious to most people that I love Union College. But that is not a reason for me to stay here. I will stay here as long as God wants me here. If he wants me to go somewhere else I will stay there until he wants me to move on. To be honest I have no idea what I would be doing if I didn't work at Union. I consider Kansas City my home but I have lived in Lincoln longer then I lived in Kansas City. It isn't only my job but it is my life. I don't know what I would do if I wasn't here. But God has a plan, and luckily for me I will let him decide what will happen with me and my family. I am not planning anything but to continue to search for God's will. As I get closer to him I will be able to see clearly what he wants for me. If that happens to be working at Union College until they bury me under the Larson Lifestyle Building then praise the Lord. If it happens to be something else then prasie the Lord.
My blessings have been to numerous to count. God has been with me my entire life and he is still with me on April 26, 2012. I'm not worried about the future. I will live for Christ today and let him direct my path.
4 comments:
I really like reading these, bro. Your testimony is inspiring. Keep doin yo thang, Richard and God will keep blessing.
"Keep your eyes straight ahead;
ignore all sideshow distractions.
Watch your step,
and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left;
leave evil in the dust." (Proverbs 4:25)
Well said.
I am proud of you.
I understand that your mother is very proud of you too.
I think the best advice I've ever heard given to a student trying to decide on a major was to look around them and see who they most want to be like. Whatever that person studied or whatever career they do, choose that. Your field determines to a large extent how you learn to think, and that shapes how you live.
It's great that you found that person early. I've come to terms that I will never be Jacque Smith or Osa Berg, but I like what I do anyway.
I understand this all too well. I am passionate about my job, WWU, my ministry, my students, and my home. People ask me if I'll be a lifer here. I say yes, unless God has a darn good reason to put me someplace else. Hooray for hanging in there for 6 years!!!
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