A Developing Story

I am attending Liberty University online for my M. Div. Part of my program are six intensive classes that have to be taken at the Liberty campus in Virginia. So in May – June I went to Virginia to take two of these classes. While there I realized how much I missed in class room education. I have also been advised, not by Liberty, that a person with a resident degree will be looked more favorably upon than an online degree. So it was with a heavy heart that I decided I needed to move to Virginia to complete my degree in resident. Six days after getting back from Virginia, a team from my local church went to Imuris Kid’s Kingdom in Mexico. This was my third trip to this orphanage and the whole time I was there I kept thinking how sad it was that I would probably never be returning. At the end of the trip they told us about how through an amazing act of God they were going to be able to start building a second facility that will be larger in a nearby town. They requested help. I was torn, on the one hand I really wanted to but I just didn’t see how it was possible with moving to Virginia.

            God has a way of orchestrating things in ways that we do not expect. I was surprised to find out that Kent was also thinking about going down to Mexico to help. After much prayer we both decided to go down and help in any way we can.

            I was still wrestling with this decision for two reasons. The first being I didn’t want to leave the young lady I have been working with. We have been together since she was in the 4^th grade and this is her 8^th grade year. The second reason was it was not the financially wise choice. God assured me that the finances would work out and then the young lady I worked with chose to switch to homeschooling. Basically God closed the door on the job I loved which took away all reservations about going to help in Mexico.

            So for those trying to keep track of all this, here is the breakdown of what God has been lining up for my life right now.

January 27^th 2017 – I am heading to Mexico to help build a second orphanage. I will continue taking online classes as I am in Mexico.

May 2017 – I should be heading, from Mexico, to trainings with the Chaplain Candidacy Program for the summer.

August 2017 – Moving to Virginia to complete my degree in residence.

Please be praying for me as I do my best to follow God’s leading.

Clarity of Purpose

Clarity of Purpose

            As a lot of people are aware I have decided to pursue the Air Force Chaplaincy. This was a dream I had many years ago and had given up. But the Lord kept bringing the desire to serve in this way back to mind throughout the years. In 2015 I had decided to become a teacher so that I could go teach internationally. Everything seemed to be lining up for this to become a reality when at the end of 2015 George Fox denied my application. At that point I had missed the deadlines for all other programs, but I started asking around for the next cycle. I had about run out of options for teaching programs, everywhere kept saying they couldn’t accept my BA that the college’s accreditation was inefficient. I knew this wasn’t true because I know people who graduated from my college and went on to get their MAT. I decided to contact the state directly and see if the state agreed that my BA was inefficient or if I was just being given the run around. I reached out to the state and was told my inquiry would be answered as soon as they could. Over the winter break, I work at a public school, God kept bringing the chaplaincy back to mind. I wasn’t hearing back from the state and decided to look into what I would need to do to become a chaplain. I found a M. Div program that was perfect and decided to just give it a shot, fully expecting to be turned down. I was accepted into the program. I reached out to my denomination to see if they would endorse me for the chaplaincy, they said they would. Everything was coming together and I finally had peace about my future. (I had MANY conversations with Dad and Mom throughout this process) The funny thing to me is that after I had settled to pursue the chaplaincy the state finally got back to me, over a month later, and I was right the accreditation of my BA was fine. (Doesn’t God have a sense of humor!)

            One of the requirements for becoming a chaplain is being ordained. I spoke with the Pacific Region Director and he helped me start the process for ordination. Open Bible has been amazing to work with throughout this whole process. On September 18^th 2016 I was ordained with Open Bible.

            The Reserves offer a program called the Chaplain Candidacy Program, this program is meant for potential chaplains as they pursue their M. Div. After a lengthy application process I was accepted into the program and on December 13^th 2016 was sworn into the reserves as Chaplain Candidate Kristina Gerken 2^nd LT. I am excited for this opportunity to go and work with Chaplains in the Air Force during the summers as I continue working to complete my education.