to my dear friends and family

For those of you who are near and dear to us -- and my guess is that if you're still keeping up with this blog, you are!! -- you know the ups and downs of the last 10 years of Kendel's and my journey.  Ten years ago in August of 2003, I began classes at Asbury Seminary.  In 2006, I began my PhD at Baylor.  And in 2012, I graduated from Baylor's religion department with high hopes of getting an ever-allusive faculty position at a higher-ed institution.  In reality, I have been looking for a job for three years now.  Each year, there were only a handful of jobs across the nation to which I could apply.  There were probably less than five jobs (in the entire nation!) each year where I was a legitimate candidate.  This year, however, felt different.  I had my PhD in hand.  I have a book that is coming out in June(!).  And I have been teaching for four years as an adjunct at Baylor.  Certainly I should be able to find a job.  Right?

Well, rejection letters began to pour in, and I began to face the real possibility that I might have to find a  job outside of my field come this fall.  The window for fall faculty hires is quickly closing, and the journey of 10 years that was supposed to lead to a full-time faculty position was appearing to lead me down a dead-end road.  I could speak at length about the darkness that I encountered over these last months . . . but that is not where this post is heading.

Many of you know now that I received a phone call two weeks ago from a small school in Alabama, Judson College.  And they offered me a job as their professor of religion!  I cannot express the joy, relief, and excitement I have felt since.  For the last three years, my son has prayed nightly that his daddy would get a good job near his family.  Every night for three years.  And though the answer to this prayer has been a long time coming, it has come!  And I can tell you that it is a good job, and I am thrilled about the prospect of working there.

I know that there are many of you out there who have been praying for us along the way.  And though this journey has been hard, it has been good.  Thank you all for your support and love through it all.

So it looks like we'll be moving to Alabama in July.  Who would've guessed?!  And as part of the good news, the position pays well enough for Kendel to be able to stay at home for the time being without the need to rush off and immediately get a job.  And as part of my benefits, Judson will subsidize a house rental for dirt cheap.  For those of you who know the apartments that we've been living in for the past 10 years, you know that the idea of living in a house is somewhat overwhelming -- in a good way.  A good home, a livable income, and a job that I will love doing -- who could ask for more?

Thank you, Lord, for your provision.  Both in dark days and joyous ones. You are good!