Maybe my story to this point hasn't been a story at all. Girl awakes with calling, girl pursues calling. Girl goes to school for calling, girls passes her classes with flying colors. So maybe it should come as no surprise that this story needed some sort of problem.
Girls goes after dream job, doesn't get it.
What comes next is a few days of girl wallowing in self-pity about not being able to live out her calling, frustration about not hearing the call earlier in life, worry about ever being able to pursue this calling, doubt about whether the calling is real. It's called a "crisis" in story terms.
Here's the thing - out of crisis comes growth. And possibility. And amazing friends and mentors who remind our girl that this is not the end. There is work to do. And an endless number of ways to develop and still live out this calling.
And so, I've been able to reflect on the positive parts of this experience. I now have a resume, a development plan, and a vision for my music ministry. I'm registered for more music classes this Fall. I'm headed out to General Assembly in a few weeks to make music with UUs from across the country. I'm working with mentors to identify development opportunities close to home.
The next step for me is to find a church willing to give me a chance in a professional music role. This might be a Music Director in a smaller congregation or an Assistant Music Director in a larger one. The important part is gaining professional experience, applying what I'm learning in school, and living out this calling to the best of my ability. If you know of an opportunity, please pass it along. I'm ready to put myself out there. In story terms, I'm at the "turning point" and ready to move forward along a different path than I originally envisioned.
The rest, my friends, is still unwritten. This story is far from over.
