365 days. So much happens in that amount of time. I remember events, special occasions, time with family and friends, but rarely do I remember the thoughts I was having or the struggles I was going through to an exact day. However, when you write them down and date them, you can remember. A year ago today, I wrote a blog post. It was the first post I wrote in 2013 and it was the first post about Korea.
One year ago, I sat at a computer and wrote about how I was struggling to apply for a position teaching English in Korea. I remember a lot leading up to that blog post. I was excited to have the possibility of moving overseas again, especially to Asia. I had missed it and desired to go back. I was sad and heartbroken at the thought of moving so far away from family and friends. I was avoiding the thought of leaving my job in Wake Forest and my friends there as well. I was nervous about getting through all the required paperwork needed for this job. One day I would be eager to finish the application process for the English teaching job and the next day, I would be eager to stay in Wake Forest and not have to deal with the application. I was scared. I was scared of what my applying for the job would mean: moving, missing Christmas with family, starting friendships all over, and leaving behind great friends, a job, and family. The application had implications. They were not small ones either. My life was not going to be the only life impacted by my decision to apply and to ultimately choose move to Korea. I was wavering.
So I sat at my computer and I thought about how God had put me in similar situations in my life. I thought about each of those examples and how God proved that he was with me. He never left me. My life did not fall apart when I took large steps of faith and followed God into unknown situations far from family and friends. As I reflected, I began to hold onto those truths. I began to pull strength from them and from God's promises. I began to trust God once again to be there for me as I took a large step of faith. Now, I didn't finish the application process that night. I finally submitted my application towards the end of the month. But that blog post was a significant time for me, as I officially began my journey to Korea.
There is no way that I could have predicted or imagined what would happen over the next 365 days after that blog post. I knew that I would apply for a job in Korea and most likely would accept a job offer and move. I knew that I would graduate from seminary and most likely be leaving my job at the Tumble Gym. I knew that most likely I would at some point be starting a new life in Korea and making new friends. I knew that I would most likely miss Christmas with my family for the first time. But I could not have imagined, how I would have felt comfortable and at home in a place I had never been before so quickly. I could not have imagine how God provided great friendships so quickly. I could not have imagined how much I would enjoy hiking here. I could not have imagined how well my first semester of teaching English would have gone. I could not have imagined how much fun it would be to teach Saturday classes or that I would even be teaching Saturday classes during the fall. I could not have imagined that one year after I sat and wrote that post that I would be starting a new school year in Korea.
Today was the first day of the 2014-2015 school year for my students here in Korea. What a difference a year makes. Last year I was considering applying. This year, I'm starting a new school year and teaching some great students English. God has once again proven to me that He keeps his promises; "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."(Deuteronomy 31:6) He is with me through all the good days and all the bad days. He never leaves, even when I take large steps of faith away from my comfort zone and no matter what happens. And honestly, a lot really can happen in 365 days.
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