I started thinking out loud as I made a list of my top 3 dream jobs. I found myself listing “marketing for a rodeo circuit, marketing for a Christian rap label… and exactly what I’m doing right now for PTM “

I’m still trying to digest this thought.

(Rewind to April when I was just 5 feet (and half an inch) of pure stress and emotion as graduation approached and it seemed like I was the only one who didn’t have post graduation plans (not true) while struggling with thinking I needed a job in advertising (also not true) when I just really wanted to hang out with kids. This is when I came across the listing for the LEAP year position.)

How humbling is it to stress about something for so long, only to show up to a job where people prayed for you before you even stepped foot in the door? How ridiculous do I feel that I was in worst case scenario mode all summer, while now I get to go work every day to do things I enjoy doing, live with girls who love the same things as me, and work with people who have the same goals as me AND laugh at my lame jokes? (SUPER ridiculous)

How good is the Lord that he would put someone, who didn’t trust that he would put them where they needed to be (aka ME), in their dream job?!

I know that this year isn’t going to be easy. I’ve begun to realize that already. (Any tips for how to make friends post college graduation?) I know that this year is going to be exhausting. (I’ve fallen asleep before 9:00 pm several times already.) I know that sometimes working with kids is one of the toughest jobs out there. (Can I get an amen?) I know that this year is going to be emotionally draining. I know this year has a lot of growth on the way.

But, I also know that I only get to do this year once, and I have found my motto and my prayer in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole heart, working for the Lord and not for men.”

I can’t find the words to appropriately express how pumped I am for this year. I don’t know what all it will bring, but I think that’s okay. To quote one of my favorite rappers, Propaganda,

“Apparently I don’t know that much. I just know the Gospel and good hip hop.”

Amen.

Bethany, born and raised in Oklahoma, is a self-declared honorary Texan after spending 4 years at Abilene Christian University, where she studied advertising, international studies, missions, Tex-Mex food, and hanging out with kids. During her LEAP year, she is serving as Assistant Volunteer & Communications Coordinator and Assistant Site Director at PTM’s Mt. Nebo Site. Bethany is most famous for her squirrel hand joke, Thunder Shirt Thursday and her #posingwithwalls series on Instagram.