Open Windows

The last few months have definitely be interesting. I have tried to do a blog here and there but never could come up with anything to say. I have been spending a lot of time trying to finally understand all that I did and learned over the last few years at UNCG, get a grasp on the reality of NOW, and try to lay out some kind of plan for tomorrow. I have had days where I figured it would be so much easier, and "more secure" to just find a job at a school and be a band director rather than trying to dig around to find ridiculous amounts of money for school and try to figure out how all of this is going to work. Needless to say, there has been a whole lot of prayer on my end. Sometimes I felt like God had created a box for me that said "Jordan's prayers- come back when she finally makes up her mind".

Even with all of this going on, I have continually seen God opening windows for me so that I could breathe again. Over the last few months I have spent many hours filling out scholarship applications to try to cover the cost of seminary that I really can't do on my own. A lot of these open windows have come in the form of responses to these applications. As of now, all of my tuition and half of my living expenses have been covered. Anyone could understand the relief that this has brought me.

I have also found these open windows in a lot of music areas. One of my biggest fears when it comes to going to seminary is the fact that I won't be able to play trumpet. While I have consciously made the decision to skip out on practicing a lot lately, I know that it is my outlet for stress and frustration a lot of the time- things that I know I will be dealing with in Richmond. In an attempt to both a) get money and b) keep playing, I emailed a bunch of churches in Richmond earlier this week. I was almost in tears when I heard back from one in particular. This church has a brass group play every week which is awesome, but even more are the professional opportunities that have opened up to me. The music director is really close with Chris Martin (Chicago Symphony Orchestra) and his brother, Michael (Boston Symphony) and is working on getting one or both of them to do masterclasses at this church, and I would be able to play for them. Not to mention the possibility of playing with them at Christmas and Easter. These are opportunities I NEVER thought I would find in seminary.

So I am getting my chops back, and really trying to remember that when I put my life in God's hands and relinquish all control, he will do marvelous things. I have done what I can do for now to pay for school- it is now up to the committees. I am doing what I can to get my chops back, but I have to remember WHY I even started playing and why I am able to continue- GOD.

When you put your faith and life in God's hands, HE WILL PROVIDE. He may not always do it as blatantly as I have been blessed with lately, but he WILL do it. You just have to open your eyes and take a deep breath. When you breathe that fresh air in and don't know where it came from, just look up and look to God- it is from him and that window he opened just for you.