providence
one of the questions i'm asked most frequently is "why a&m?" my answer generally begins with, "well, long story...but the jist of it is..." and it has become rather scripted - tailored to my audience. unfortunately, i don't think that attributes the deserved glory to God. so here are the reasons in their entirety and a glimpse of the grace that i have experienced in a year's journey.
if you go to hcc, being an aggie is almost unheard of. we grew up with longhorn counselors and i bled burnt orange before seeing the campus. to this day, i own more longhorn paraphernalia than a&m. so, if you can imagine, being an aggie was the last thing i expected...it was probably the last thing i wanted. this being the reason why i get the look of surprise (occassionally followed by a look of disgust), then "you? an aggie? what happened?"
by may, i had my acceptance letters - ut education and a&m business. obviously, i chose ut education - housing application had been in since early september and now an additional $200 deposit. i was excited...ready to be part of acc/evfree and cbs, ready to room with irene, ready to experience what i had already heard so much of.
a week or so later, i was talking to steph online as she was deciding between ut engineering and a&m business. she had prayed to be accepted into one thing and it seemed like God had answered with a&m business. she was hesitant to chose a&m but perhaps more hesitant to consciously walk away from an answered prayer. regardless, she asked me if i had decided, and after telling her ut, she said something along the lines of, "oh, because i was going to ask you to room with me."
steph and i were best friends through middle school until the latter half of sophomore year. when we pretty much stopped talking, i used to pray for the friendship, hoping for things like serving with her; but after a while, i suppose i gave up and told God that whatever happened would happen. by grace, something did happen and God, in His faithful character, answered. i remember feeling almost regretful, thinking that it would've been an interesting experience, an answered prayer, but surely near impossible. who changes schools for a roommate?
and i was probably right in thinking that. i brought it up to my parents (in a semi-joking manner) and it was not received warmly ;) God humorously took care of it and that friday, i was notified of my acceptance into the business honors program. with that, my parents gave me the choice to change schools.
i prayed and thought about it. why did i want to go to ut so badly? 1. family - aunts, uncles, cousins in austin; 2. friends, community, everything i had heard about; 3. football. mack brown football and IM football. :D He made it evident that my reasons were trivial - not that these things in themselves are bad reasons for going to a school, but they weren't really "sacrifices" or things i'd lose if i went to a&m. i would still have my family, friends and community, and i could watch football on tv (i know it's not the same). i wasn't "giving up anything" if God was really leading me to a&m.
on the other hand, in going to a&m, i'd be rooming with steph, having the opportunity to live the answered prayer, to rebuild a friendship and to see how God would grow us. i'd be stretched in having to find a church and fellowship community - knowing no one there and knowing nothing about the school. with business, i'd have the opportunity to see if it's what i'd enjoy instead of working hard to get into ut business and finding out it's not for me. i'd be able to continue many of my closer high school girl friendships - ones that might've been neglected over time. i'd be able to spend time with my cousin angie who's in med school at a&m. also, my parents were more supportive of a&m from the beginning and i think they were pleased. and lastly, i had this inexplicable peace...one that can only be explained by the Spirit. longhorns that bleed burnt orange do not easily accept aggies, let alone becoming one. He was gracious in easing my heart and gave me peace.
nancy lintakoon is an aggie.
there were times where i doubted or wondered if i was missing out and seemingly, i only received more grace. first semester, i wasn't very involved in fellowship or any other organization. the foundation, however, was laid. the week before school started, patty's brother, andrew, randomly called out my name in Underground (food place) and invited us to hang out, etc. God provided people that took initiative in plugging us into a church and a fellowship.
steph and i spent a lot of time in our dorm room, and the majority of our weekends in houston or austin. most of our new friendships were made in austin and college station was "good" in that it kept us from unnecessary drama (or what potentially could've been a fair amount of drama). it was a semester of rebuilding for our friendship and looking back, i see the intricate details of the Artist. how beautiful. the late night talks, cbs retreat (thanks andy wong :D), the way God humbled me and used steph to encourage me and pray over me when i had expected to be the encourager, the mistakes and lessons learned. good memories were shared in the small space of davis gary 124.
second semester. i had the privilege of being discipled by our staff worker, amy drennan, i progressively got more involved with fellowship and business events, and we decided not to go to austin as much...heh.
...then steph starts dating lee - out of no where. just as i thought we were safe from being involved in relationships and drama. hah. to say the least, it was hard and stretching...and the more i got to know lee, the more i liked him as a person; but knowing that she didn't need to be dating, and shouldn't have been after making the commitment not to, it was hard to be the one to confront her. ironically enough, it's steph's personality to learn on her own and not take the advice of others - so my words did little until she learned for herself. more prayers answered, more grace shown. i would have to say my greatest joy this past year has been in the privilege of seeing God work in steph's life. we're coleading freshmen girls next year :)
this semester, i have seen Him grow our fellowship. i have seen the exec team dream and dare to dream more. i have seen strong relationships built. i have seen people step up to serve. i have seen a growth in number. and now a passion and focus of prayer. i see excitement and the reflection of His own glory.
being a witness of the Potter's molding is humbling. i have done little to deserve witnessing this fruit and much more - it's all His working, His grace, His glory...and i love it.
and my cup, it overflows. to the praise of His glory.
