The voice of truth. . .

I went to the University of Central Florida for a very long time.

I mean that. Not that the years seemed long, or that my degree felt like it was never ending. 

No, I mean that I went to UCF for a long time. I graduated from high school in 2000. I went from there to Valencia Community College and acquired my AA degree within the usual two year time period.

And then, I went on to UCF. With the idea being that I would get a degree in teaching art. Seemed simple enough. I loved art. I loved teaching art. However, I did not love teaching art in what can only be called the crazy institution that is Florida Public Schools. I’m not calling out any particular county. They’ve all got their different ways of doing things. But. . .when I began my years in college working towards my teaching degree, I began in the midst of the state figuring out FCAT (the standardized test for all students in Florida). That in particular turned me right off wanting to go any further with teaching on a professional basis. 

However, I stayed in the program for about two years before I finally made the decision to switch my major. You say, how is this possible. By the end of two years you should have graduated. Yup. . .I should have. Let this be a lesson to anyone who is on their way into a big college institution. Find out who your guidance counselor is and keep in contact with them. Let them help you each semester. Do not assume you know what you are doing. I can’t say that more plainly. 

Because I didn’t know what I was doing…lol

So, I switched majors, going from teaching art to just . . .art. Why? 

I knew God was calling me to something else and it was not teaching. 

I know that sounds convenient. That it seems more likely that the idea of teaching art based on FCAT was actually too scary to me and so I switched majors so I didn’t have to deal with it.

Think what you want. I knew God was calling me elsewhere, and I had gotten to the point where I couldn’t fight him anymore. This was in September 2005. 

The evening of the day when I dropped my classes and switched my major, I found myself at a Casting Crowns concert (this was during Rock the Universe). I was feeling all kinds of emotions, terrified that I had made the wrong decision. I knew that I couldn’t continue on the way I had been going, but I had no idea where I was going now. What lay ahead of me on this new path that God had directed me to?

Then they started playing this song.

 

And though I knew that it didn’t solve anything, it did tell me one thing. God is with me. No matter what. No matter where I go, or what I do, He is with me.

I have to live my life for Him. The core of my being is for Him. If I don’t live my life for Him, through Him, in Him, then I am nothing.