The Finish Line

It seems surreal that my second to last semester of pre-reqs is coming to an end next week. After next Wednesday I will only need one more class ( slight chance of two ) and all my pre-reqs will be completed. This entire application process has been ridiculously stressful but has taught me that I need to continue to lift EVERYTHING into God's hands. I realized this after I submitted my applications because up until then I felt I had some control over my situation. I thought after submitting my apps I would be less stressed but actually became more stressed because I could not longer control any aspect of the process. It's gotten better recently and its something I continue to lift up to God. I'm extremely blessed to have a group of guys in my bible study who continue to pray for me. I ended up applying to a whopping 18 schools all over the United States because I didn't want to limit my options. I'm hopeful to get in somewhere and know that God will get me to where he wants me to be.

On another note, the last two weekends have been amazing as I've been privileged enough to coach the championship team for the men's REM football team at the turkeybowl and play in the championship of a local basketball league. It was truly amazing to see all the hard work the football team had put into weeks of practices and I was blessed to be a part of it. Many members of our team came from long distances to make our weekly practices, showing true dedication to the team. Caleb Lui showed the most dedication as he bussed down from New York every weekend to show up to our practices. He played like a champion leading our offense up and down the field (throwing zero picks the entire tournament too). The icing on the cake came was the women's team taking home the women's championship just 20 minutes before we finished. I felt the group of guys we had this year were so in sync with one another and constantly fed off of each others energy. We had no incidences of fighting/arguing which makes everything all that much better. The following weekend CBC was able to win the championship in a league we play in. Although it may not have been a SUPER competitive league, I'll miss playing in organized games with those guys.

Cruise to the Bahamas January 15th, say whatttttt?



Song of the moment:

Step by Step

It's been 3 months since I've written on this thing and it seems like time is flying by. It's been over a year since I started my path and the pressure is building each and everyday. My applications are due in about a week and at this time last year I was thinking to myelf that there was plenty of time before applications are due. It's weird to think about everything I've gone through these past 18 months. 18 months ago I had my "dream" job and thought I was set for life but God had other intentions for me. Although I sometimes forget about why I made the decision in the first place, I remind myself that this decision was not done so on a wimb but rather by faith. I'm scared to death by whats to come in the next few months, my applications will be submitted, i'll surely be rejected by many schools and just hopeful that God will place me somewhere. I've realized that I should use each situation I go through as a learning experience and look at the positive rather than the negative, as cliche as that sounds, it's benefited me for the better.

I've learned a lot these past 18 months and have grown to realize the plan I often set for myself isn't necessarily the plan God has in store for me. This lesson will surely be with me as I continue on this path. Looking back, how often have my plans not gone "according to plan" but always work out for the best in the end. I'm often focused on the short-term and thinking why something didn't happen the way I had planned. In the long run, how often have I been wrong by my desire for something short-term? It's difficult to think about the long term especially when we're so fixed on wanting immediate results but it's all in His timing.

For the past month I've been fortunate enough to observe at Shady Grove Hospital in the inpatient care. Many patients are recovering from serious injuries such as strokes, spinal surgery, hip replacements, and many others. For the most part, the patients always seem to have a good attitude and don't seem too negative by their situation. It's made me think about all the times I let the little things bother me and how I get so frustrated in certain situations. These people have gone through traumatic injuries, are in a hospital but remain joyful in their everyday lives. I'm hoping that I will be able to forget the small things and live joyfully.

Pressure

I talked to a friend recently who started working immediately after she graduated. She explained to me the pressures she feels at work and the need to meet a certain standard just to feel a sense of adequacy. She explained she doesn't feel she can openly speak her mind and show her creativity at work because she's worried about what the experienced/older employees might say. She is without a doubt one of the hardest workers I know and often motivates me to want to do better in school.

Our talk made me realize all the pressure I'm feeling now with summer school moving so fast and GREs less than week away. Many people say the GRE for PT school isn't THAT big of a deal and the score you get isn't nearly as important as the score you get on the SATs. Just the thought of taking a huge standardized test that will be sent to schools is nerve wracking. I think the worst part is the GREs are done on computers now so you find out your score immediately after the test is completed. This will either be a huge burden lifted off my shoulders or another weight pushing me down. I find myself constantly seeking after God in this time because I know I can't pull this off myself. My prayer request is that God watches over me through this whole process and that I lift up my worries/struggles/blessings all to him because in all honesty I wouldn't even be given this opportunity to pursue my dreams if it wasn't for Him.

I know I talk about school a lot in these posts but in all honesty its whats taking up most of my time and what I think about constantly. I honestly appreciate everyone's prayers and thoughts as people continue to urge me to stay focused and continue to work hard.



"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. "

Psalm 32:8

Determination

So it's been a while since I've updated this thing and I've had this entry thought out in my head for some time now. I just finished my second semester of pre-reqs and it definitely feels good to be done with physics. I ended up getting a B in physics which I'm thankful for. Overall these past 2 semesters have gone by so fast and really this entire move I'm making is going by so fast. I made my decision almost exactly one year ago and here I am finished with 4 of the major science courses 9 classes I need. I think everything clicked in my head once I made a PTCAS account which is where you apply to all the schools and submit your information, school records, references, etc. I'm going to be taking my GREs in a month or so and I need to buckle down and study for that. It's crazy how fast it's going and I'm thankful that I have friends who are open to answering my questions. Also through this whole process I've come to realize that God has been teaching me a lot through this whole process, specifically about patience, trust and perseverance. Several times through these past two semesters I've found myself thinking I can do it all by myself which usually lead to doubting whether or not I made the right decision to leave Accenture in the first place. I know that it's absolutely impossible for me to do this on my own and that I will undoubtedly need God's presence through all of this. I still worry about whether I'll even get into a school next school year but that's in God's hands. He's already blessed with even the opportunity to pursue PT with the support of my family and friends, people around me who are so willing to answer questions and even classmates who are my age who are also seeking physical therapy. I've been fortunate enough to meet a couple friends who are also pursuing PT. There are plenty of things that I need to improve on this upcoming semester and I know that I won't be able to make these changes alone.