On Being Accepted to Oxford

            As many of you know, over the last year or so I have been contemplating applying to the Summit Oxford Program, preparing to apply for the Summit Oxford Program academically, and in time applying to the Summit Oxford Program. The decision to apply was made with the belief that if God wanted me to attend, I would be accepted.  While applying, various concerns rose in my mind. Some of these include: "As an 18 year-old fresh out of high school, will I be able to live away from family for four plus months across a vast ocean and survive?", "Am I ready academically for the rigorous program?", and "If I do end up going, how will it affect the rest of my schooling(from a scheduling standpoint)?"  Although I have an idea about how these questions can be answered now, I trust that God has the entire situation and experience, should it happen, in his hands.

            Last Sunday, September 30th, I had the opportunity to be part of an interview with the director of the Summit Oxford Program, Kevin Bywater. After talking, I was informed that I had been accepted to the program. Instantly, I thought "Had God spoke by allowing my admission?", or did I "put God to the test" by asking him to show me his will through a choice that was made by humans for human gain? I was torn. I knew it was something that I wanted to be do, something my parents wanted me to do, and my brother wanted me to do, but how could I be sure that it was something that God wanted me to do?

            For me, it has always been a great struggle to make the big decisions in life, often due to being overly reliant upon myself. Often enough, I will make decisions in a flippant manner that shows no regard for what God's will is and purpose may be for me in my current state.  In the current situation,  I am hesitant to pass over the process of making this huge decision about attending the program with the understanding of the apparent "approval" of God. How can I make sure that this is what I, an insignificant recent high-school graduate,  am to do with the next semester of my short life? I know God wants us to push ourselves and put ourselves out of our comfort zones in order that he may be more fully glorified, but often, in my life, I know that "projections" of what I want God to want me to do can become what God wants me to do incorrectly in my own mind. With that said, I am going to take the next week or two to petition God and those who he has put in my life at the current time to more fully understand how we, as Christians, can more fully know the will of God. Please pray for me, should you be reminded of me.

            Dear Lord, Please help and guide the conversations and discussions that I have on this issue within the next weeks to be a help on deciding whether or not I should attend Summit Oxford, You know that it is something that I want to do, but please make your will known. Do so not as a matter of answering my plea, but as a testament of who you are in character. Your will be done. Amen.