I have a really good story to tell...

I have a really good story to tell of God's call, His faithfulness, and His provision...
About 17 years ago our associate pastor who was leaving told me, "You should go to seminary!" At the time I didn't even know what seminary was, and was very young in my faith.
Fast-forward 5-6 years when another person told me, "You should go to seminary, Sally." I tucked it away and went on with life raising kids, going to college on and off, and volunteering at church.
Fast-forward another 5-6 years when I was attending the graduation of one of my youth group kids from seminary and her parents said, "Sally, when are you ever going to go to seminary? You really need to go!"
So that summer I prepared to go back to college to finish the last two years I had to complete. In the spring of 2002 I graduated and was ready for a break from school, knowing I still wanted seminary, but waiting for the right time - for God to "give the word."
I was hired at our church where I've worked for the last seven years, learning more than a person ought to in one sitting, watching my good friend and co-worker leave for seminary, wondering when my time would come.
Then Kim had a heart attack last year (May, 08) and it was Kim who brought up the idea that maybe it was time to consider going...
I corresponded with people both in and just out of seminary and made some plans.
So off we went last fall touring seminaries in Pittsburgh and Atlanta. After "just a little" wrestling with God, we decided Pittsburgh was the place to go. We put our former house (then a rental) on the market, and I applied in November and found out I was accepted the week before Christmas. I applied for federal financial aide (and thankfully, being "poor farmers and all," we qualified for much). We closed on the rental house in January.
In the meantime we started sprucing up the Palisade house to get it ready to sell and put it on the market in early March. Later that month I received a call from the seminary that I had been awarded a merit scholarship for $8000/year, renewable for all three years if I keep my grade point average up!
Our church is also going to be contributing to my seminary costs as well as another grant from a very generous person whom I don't even know...
We had two garage sales and sold all sorts of stuff - including most of our furniture - and here it is July 20, 2009, and we just signed a contract with a very generous offer, and will close on August 12th. (God is SO much bigger than the economy.)
Kim and I are flying to Pittsburgh on Thursday (plans made before we had a contract) to go look for a place to live...and despite the butterflies in my stomach, I know God will have prepared the perfect place for us to live there.
I have been blessed by many people. People who I have loved and have loved me enough to be able to "speak into my life" and help guide and grow me in my walk with Christ and my walk with others. For that I am truly thankful.
I am unsure where God will be leading us next beyond just getting to Pittsburgh, but I have no doubt that He will guide and direct us whenever we need to make a turn or slow down/speed up a bit, and He will bless us and help us be a blessing in the process.
Thank you to all those near and far who have been a part of my (our) journey thus far... I am certain that the best is yet to come!!!