One whole year

February 16th marked my one full year as a new director of development at the University Catholic Center.    I cannot believe it's already a year and at the same time, I can't believe it's only been a year.  I have learned so much about myself, my spirituality, and my career in this year.

I left a job that was both emotionally and physically draining.  I left b/c I could go no further in my organization, it was not a good working situation, and it was time.  When you know that you are hurting your project instead of helping, it's time to go.  When you don't believe in the direction of where the agency is going, you gotta go.  When you cry at work b/c of stupidity, you gotta go.

Though I may question it from time to time, I made a good choice.  I have learned and experienced so much and I know it will continue.  And guess what, it turns out I'm pretty good at this stuff.

I don't know why I thought to write this week, but I just felt it in me.  I had one of the most challenging weeks at my job to date.  I wish I could go into more detail, but let's just leave it at that.  I was tested in all ways and thought for sure that I wouldn't make it to the time I had committed to a fellow co-worker.  When I have these days, the question I am always asked is: When is the bad going to start outweighing the good? I always tell them that no matter how much I complain about this particular problem, I know deep in my heart of hearts that this is where I am called to be.  How do I know this?  God.

Though my spirituality has been tested to the greatest degree at my current job, it has also grown in a much deeper way.  At the beginning of my job I was struggling.  I was struggling with working in a church that had only been my place of worship.  I struggled with understanding what my job entailed.  I struggled with starting over.  I struggled balancing working for the church and worshipping weekly.  Every single step of the way, I knew I was being taken care of.  I remember vividly sitting in Eucharistic Adoration with students and just pleading with God, "Help me.  I can't do this without you.  Please, God, help me."  And He did and continues to do so.

Monday was a day that bounced b/t being amazingly great and dramatically bad.  God sent me an honor from the Diocese.  Tuesday was a long day after a long night and He sent me an ally that I didn't ask for.  Wednesday was confronting injustice and I was met with a good friend in the parking lot and a great workout.  Today, God sent me flowers through an angel.  That was just this week!

If I had to sum up the past year it would be that change is hard, but not impossible.  I would say that there are always learning experiences and ways to grow.  I would also say that we never walk alone and prayer is a powerful thing.

I am grateful and blessed for this experience.  God will tell me when it's time to go, so for now I keep on moving forward and doing my small part to build up the kingdom and ensure that Catholic students at the University of Texas have a spiritual home.

Coach Mack Brown and me! A dream come true.  

Would not have happened without working at the UCC.