According to the Mirriam-Webster dictionary, the word “Detour” is defined as:
a deviation from a direct course or the usual procedure; especially a roundabout way, temporarily replacing part of a route
Everyone loves a good unexpected detour (sarcasm intended). Detours are inconvenient, they are often confusing, and like the definition describes, it’s a deviation from the usual procedure. The “usual” is comforting. Our society as a whole doesn’t like change or inconvenience.
All this talk about detours is leading into an analogy about life (bet you didn’t see that one coming). As many of you most likely know, the last couple of years of my life have been spent at Eastern Washington University, where I have been working towards completing my prerequisites to apply to nursing school at Washington State University. I have been lucky enough to always have known what I wanted to do, so my entire life (no joke) has literally been me working towards this goal of being a nurse. When the time to apply to nursing school rolled around, my parents advised I apply to a “Plan B” school. No other nursing schools would have accepted all of my credits, so as a last resort, I applied to World Race Gap Year. World Race is a 9-month Christian mission trip run by Adventures in Mission. You travel to 4 different countries, and dive into the culture, helping people and reaching them with the gospel. Sounds pretty cool, right? And that is exactly why I applied. It sounded cool. I love traveling, and I have a massive heart for missions, having grown up as a missionary kid. It’s what I want to do with my nursing degree! But, because it was just a back-up plan, I didn’t really think through the implications of a 9-month mission trip. As everyone was telling me, “of course you’ll get into nursing school!”
At this point, I didn’t know it yet, but the detour was rapidly approaching, and I did NOT see it coming. Through the process of talking to World Race advisors (who are the kindest people), I felt my heart shifting. I started to like the idea of World Race more and more. Logically, I started to think about how amazing it would be to have a break from school! I would get to go to so many incredible places and experience true culture and community in a way you cannot when you are just visiting a place. Besides, I’m two years ahead in because of Running Start, the timing is perfect, and when else would I be able to do something like this? So, as I waited to hear from nursing school, God was at work in my heart, and honestly, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it. I prayed, I talked to my parents, and I waited.
Soon enough, I heard back that I was accepted to World Race. That’s when I started to seriously consider maybe going on World Race no matter what, even if I did get into nursing school. I asked the World Race advisor to hold my spot until I heard about nursing school, but I had come to terms with where my heart was… and I actually started hoping that I wouldn’t get accepted to nursing school.
Just as a little reminder, my entire life had been leading up to nursing school. I had carefully planned out every year, every quarter, every day, worked my butt off to… change my plans?? I am not a person who relishes the thoughts of “what the heck am I doing next”. And when it comes to huge-important-life-changing decisions, I’m just a little indecisive (but really, who isn’t?). BUT, I could sense that God was doing some construction on my life plan, and with construction comes the infamous detour (and there’s the analogy. Told ya it was coming!).
On April 12th, I heard back from nursing school. I got in. With that news, the realization of the sacrifice that would be World Race Gap Year suddenly hit me and sunk me. No more “ooh that sounds so cool!!”, but more like, “well this is freaking terrifying! 9 months is so long… I don’t know any of those people, I would have to fundraise, how do I even pack for 9 months in a backpack?” and etc. Nursing school would be easy, and easy is comfortable. Easy isn’t terrifying!
For a week, I talked to my family and friends, I battled within myself, and I prayed. I wanted God to give me a sign, an answer, something, anything! The detour wasn’t clearly marked. I wanted to know I was making the right turn.
My plan originally was to re-apply to nursing school while I was overseas on World Race. The application is online, so all I would need is internet for a day to submit the application again. It wasn’t until I was talking to my grandparents that I suddenly realized I couldn’t reapply to nursing school while overseas because the application process entails an in-person interview in March. I was devastated, but also very grateful I had thought of it before I committed either way. I thought that maybe it was the sign I was praying for. As a very last resort, still not ready to part with the idea of World Race (even though it terrified me), I called the nursing school and spoke to a very sweet lady about my situation.
“Wow sweetie, it sounds like you have a really hard decision ahead of you! This mission trip sounds like such an amazing opportunity for you, but you would have to have an interview in person if you were going to reapply.” And here’s where she spoke the magic words that would (spoiler alert) change everything.
“I guess you could try writing a letter and asking for a deferment of your admission status for a whole year. They never grant deferments except for people being deployed, but it doesn’t hurt to try!”
I agreed, it doesn’t hurt to try. I sent the letter that Sunday, with little hope that anything would happen, and started to adjust myself to the idea of nursing school.
On Monday, I received a call from the nursing school.
“Hi Kamryn! I just wanted to know that we read your letter. Now, I want you to understand that we never grant deferment for a whole year.
We would like to make an exception and offer you deferment until Fall 2019 so that you can go on this mission trip. It sounds like an opportunity that we would like you to be able to experience.”
To which I so eloquently replied, “Oh my gosh.”
So, here I am. Fully surrendered, completely committed, taking the detour. It is definitely a roundabout way, a deviation from the normal course. However, I have a feeling that, as is often the case, this detour is going to be much more beautiful than the short path.
Maybe we all need to stop looking at these deviances as detours, but as “the scenic route”.
I am so excited for the road ahead of me! To get there, I need your help. You can donate right here on this page! If you feel called to support me in this way, I would love to have you as a financial partner for this trip. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions. I would love to talk to you! You can also subscribe to my blog to receive an email every time I post, which I will be doing at least once a week while I am on the Race.
Blessings and love,
Kamryn
