What about the Coast Guard?

Before I heard if I was accepted into the Coast Guard or not I became really excited about the life the CG would provide for me. I would make a  fairly decent salary, have a housing allowance to afford a nice apartment, make enough to buy or lease a nice, new, Xterra. I would have enough money to pay off my student loan in a couple years. The GI bill would provide me the opportunity to go back to school and get my Masters compliments of the US Government. I could also use money from the GI bill or my AmeriCorps Ed. Award to buy a cutting edge, state of the art Mac to replace my 5 year old slowly dying pc. With military discounts and 30 vacation days a year I would be able to travel all over the world at a lower cost. I would have health insurance, life insurance and dental coverage. I would make a good pension. And I would have the ability to continue to move my way up in the CG thus making more money and if choosing to stay in long term I would have a really good retirement plan to fall back on when I retired after 25 years of service at age 50. Those are just the benefits that came along with the job. The job itself, though I didn't know what exactly I would be doing, seemed pretty exciting as well. Putting my life in danger to protect my fellow Americans. Not being stuck in a daily routine leaving room for boredom and discontent. Plus I would be doing a job where I could put others first and make a difference in the world...sounded wonderful!

Finding out I didn't make the August class was like a knife going through my heart. "Come on God, I've been so patient this year, waiting on where I thought you were leading me. I really thought this was your plan for my life. It doesn't make sense. I want to move on- now you're asking me to put my life on hold another 6 months to see if I can make it into the January class as the #22 alternate..." were the thoughts going through my head. I'm not going to lie, it hurt when I first found out I was wait listed as #22 for the January class, a class made up of 20 people. But God knows what He's doing, and who am I to question? I mean after all, throughout the whole process my prayers were "let Your will be done" and "if this is what You want for my life." After half a day of wallowing in self-pity and trying to come to terms with the decision that was made I tried to suck up my pride and praise God that I didn't get in even though it's what I wanted. 

I love the fact that God knows me better than myself. Seriously. It is quite humbling and really puts your life into perspective... God knows me so well and knows how much I love to travel, and how it's been on my heart to go overseas and do mission work that He closed the door on the CG to give me the opportunity to do that. To go overseas now, before I have a career, a home, a family, etc. the timing is perfect. Thank you Jesus!