Why So Busy?

Well, as promised in my last post the Halls have been really busy the last few weeks and now, the why. First, some background and a little vulnerability on my part. When we moved to the Valley, we knew God wanted us here for a reason, but my first month or two in the Valley was extremely difficult. I missed my family, my old job with Campus Crusade for Christ, College Station and my many friends in the College Station and Houston area. Moving so far away was incredibly challenging for me. In the Valley, I was honestly disappointed that God had brought us here, that I had no job and that my husband was working all the time. Ryan works from 7:30-5:30 M-Th and 7:30-11:30 0n Fridays, but he was working a lot of extra hours when we first moved here. One weekend he worked 30+ hours (again, the weekend). So, my new life was definitely not what I expected or had hoped. I struggled with the Lord and asked Him often why He brought us here and what He was doing. Why did I not have a job? Why was I not able to see Ryan, the only person I knew in this town, very often? Why was life just so disappointing? I look back and see how God wanted to meet with me in new ways in the midst of this wilderness season. I began to do a Bible study (check it out here) with the church we started going to down here and it was about how out of 2 million Israelites, only two entered the promised land (Joshua and Caleb). Not only was it a study on how to enter Promised Land living in our own lives, but it was about God bringing us through wilderness seasons in our lives to meet with Him in deeper ways. God could have brought the Israelites straight to the Promised Land, but instead they were redirected through the wilderness because He wanted to teach them to trust and obey Him. I know that the Lord brought me to my own wilderness season to teach me to trust Him and depend on Him in ways I would not have if I had lived in a place that was comfortable to me, like College Station. In the Lord's kindness towards me, He began to teach me to depend on Him alone; not Ryan, not a job, not friends, but Him for my satisfaction. I don't believe that this is a lesson that I can say I have learned and just check off the list, because I am sure at another point in my life I will revisit it, but I can say that in God's kindness He has brought me to a deeper relationship with Him and a peace in knowing that He is in control in the midst of all circumstances, whether they are circumstances I like or don't like.

So, about the time I really began to experience God in this new way, Ryan and I reconnected with a student who had gone to A&M for a year that we had known while we were there. She now attends UTPA (University of Texas Pan American), which is right here where we live. When she transferred from A&M to UTPA to be closer to her family, she began to help the Campus Crusade for Christ movement at UTPA. Well, as soon as we met with her, we knew we needed to begin to volunteer our time to help these students and their ministry (they are without staff and have been for a while). So, it is so evident why the Lord would have me wait on a job so that we would really be able to help these UTPA students. We are enjoying the time we spend with these students, investing in their lives, teaching them how to share their faith and how to know God more. Just last week, we had a student pray to place their faith in Christ! We are honored and privileged to be able to be a part of their lives, for however short or long it may be. So, this has really taken up a good part of our time. We have been helping with weekly meetings, Bible studies, and I have gone on campus almost every day for the past couple of weeks to help girls grow in their faith. Last weekend, we had the opportunity to take 10 students to Fall Retreat. Fall Retreat is a weekend to help students grow in their faith with a speaker, worship band and fun getting to know other students across the state. We had a blast with them!!! Us with the 10 students from UTPA (Top from Left: Albert, Arnold, Faith, John Michael, Jessica, Christina, Lisa, Me and Ryan; Bottom from Left: Vero, Yadi and Jocelyn)

The camp was in Palacios, TX and was right on the water (the ocean)! Ryan and I sporting our Cru at UTPA shirts.We also got to see some old friends from A&M. This is Claudia, one of the girls I discipled while I was at A&M. I loved making smores with her!

So, working with students again has kept us extremely busy. But, there is a second reason why we've been so busy. In Septmeber, after much prayer and talking it over with Ryan, I have decided to get my teaching certificate! I have had an extremely difficult time finding a job down here in the Valley, especially because I don't speak Spanish. Most places (banks, doctors offices, etc.) want you to speak Spanish. That doesn't mean that no one has openings for someone that doesn't speak Spanish, but they have been very hard for me to find. So, I began to investigate teaching- I mean, they want you to speak English, right? Not to mention, Ryan and I have talked about moving overseas in the future and being able to teach would give me a great avenue wherever we are. So I am now enrolled in an alternative certification program that will last 9 weeks in order to get my certificate. The classes actually begin tonight! What has kept me so busy is the studying. In order to teach, I have to pass the Content test for the grade levels I will teach (which is a Generalist certification for 4th-8th grades). This test covers English, Math, Social Studies and Science, but the material is either from High School or my first year in college! Well, that was at least 6 years ago and I do not remember as much as I had hoped. So, I have been really trying to study to prepare for the test. My sweet husband has even been helping me, especially with the math and science part. So, that has also kept me really busy. I have to observe at least 30 hours in a classroom, so I have also been trying to begin to substitute, but that process takes so long! Maybe it is just that everything runs slower down here, but all that to say, our life is busy, but good. Please pray for us as we begin this new transition in our life. My classes are M-Th from 6-9pm and Sat. from 9 am- 4pm. That means I will hardly see Ryan at all, but I know that the Lord will give us everything we need to make it through this season. So, here we are at the start of a new chapter. We are excited to see what the future may hold!