Counseling for a Counselor

This week I had my first session with my new career counselor! I'm very excited to be working with her; it went very well, and I now have a solid to-do list regarding my resume and steps to take in order to get the ball rolling on the job search. I am incredibly grateful to my friend, Mazi, for the referral as well as to my parents for allowing me to pursue this avenue. It feels awesome to be taking such a concrete step towards the next stage of life, whatever that may be. Like I've told a few people, even if I do return home without any prospects, no one will be able to say that I didn't try.

It is really difficult for me to be staring into the unknown and to trust that the Lord has something prepared. But I try to remember all the ways He has provided for me in the past as well as to be thankful that my family and friends are so supportive and that my worth does not depend upon how quickly I find employment.

On a related note, I am seeking the help/guidance of an IJM-recommended counselor via email for some interpersonal struggles I've been having. I've found myself short on patience and with a lot of anger. I very much want to take the high road, but of course, doing so is not easy; also, I want to handle this situation in the best way possible and to not just grin and bare it. Thank you to IJM's Interns and Fellows staff for the referral.

In other news...

• My parents arrive in 5 days!
• I went to a baseball game last night- USA vs Guatemala (little league, that is). 
• Yesterday, I got my passport back with my new visa; it expires October 9th. Stay tuned for my official departure date.
• This afternoon I'm going to a baby shower, and this evening I'm going to a soccer game. (You didn't know I was so social and cool, did you?) 

That's all for now. Exley. Out. 

Books, Bracelets, and (Computer) Bugs

Here's what's up these days:

• I am currently without access to Internet or IJM's network at the office. Some glitch at HQ kicked me off of the network, so I am unable to do about 2/3 of my work. So that's cool.
• I was working on a research project regarding CSA and the potential link to women's issues, but Friday as I was digging into an article I found, I couldn't stop visualizing the abuse. I went straight to my boss and asked if I could take a reprieve from the project, calling my difficulty "not a logistical problem, but an emotional one." PTL, he completely understood and said that it was more than ok for me to give it a rest for a while. I would not say that I am experiencing full-on "compassion fatigue," but I think that I have reached a sort of saturation point in reading and hearing about abuse as well as walking alongside victims in the legal and recovery process. I'm very thankful for my boss's understanding and in general, for how IJM places great emphasis on staff care.
• Last night I saw "The Fault in Our Stars" with a few folks, and I was a total wreck afterwards. What a beautiful story that is. The film adaptation was very well done, and the casting was on-point. Gosh! I'm so happy that we are able to go the movies and just enjoy "first world pleasures" here.
• The aforementioned job search is on, but for now there's nothing of consequence to report. I am, however, seeking long-distance career counseling to get my resume in tip-top shape. 
• Friday, while waiting with clients at court*, I finished book 3 of the "Maze Runner" series. Thank you to Casey for recommending it to me. The story line is very compelling, and the character development is solid.
• *We waited at court for 3.5 hours only to see the hearing get suspended. Ugh! But our client's little sister made me a bracelet while we waited, and I am now wearing it with pride! 
• Last night at Cayala, I bought a pair of Crocs. I know, I know. Crocs?!? How dare I? But with all of the rain, I felt it was a justifiable purchase. 
• Jack comes tomorrow! 
• Mom and Dad get here in 17 days!

That's all I know for now. 'Gotta go update my resume and read the Maze Runner prequel. 

Eating the elephant

The job search is on.

Oh, how I have been dreading this. As anyone acquainted with me knows, I want everything done yesterday, and I'm a perfectionist. I have some general ideas of what I would like to do, (I would prefer to work with adults rather than children, and I would rather not work in a substance abuse facility. And as far as geography, I will go as far north as D.C. and as far west as Texas.) but staring into the great unknown is not fun for me.

I have gotten the ball rolling by working on my resume, and I am trying to make contact with everyone I know who works in the counseling field. Basically, I'm trying to eat the elephant "one bite at a time." Even though I know that these are good steps to take, I am still teetering on the edge of paralyzing anxiety. Just being "on the right track" is not enough for me. I desperately want to see what's at the end, and I want someone to give me full assurance that I will not return to the U.S. jobless, carless, and homeless. But maybe I will. At this point, only the Lord knows.

In other news, we're looking at about 36 hours of non-stop rain here in Guate.

Requests:
- Please pray for provision and guidance as I wade into the water of job searching and networking.
- Pray for protection for our clients in this deluge; not surprisingly, most of them live in precarious situations and are at great risk when we get too much rain in a short period of time.