State Of The Andrew Address 2006

State Of The Andrew Address 2006

To my family and friends,

I hope this letter finds you well. First, before I get to new business I feel I should get us all on the same page. This past April I graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in religion. I knew this summer was going to be very different compared to those since I began college. In past years I had participated in training programs, mission trips, and study abroad programs, but I felt it prudent to devote this summer to finding a job. That has been my mission since the first of May.

Those of you who have received these updates in past years may notice that this one is coming later in the summer than usual. I had intended to write once I secured a job and knew where I would be living next. Here we are in August and, despite my best efforts, I am still unemployed. However, I have made the decision to remain in Tallahassee for at least one more year. After much prayer I feel that the ministry God has given me on the campus of Florida State is not complete. I know it is financially risky to make this decision, but I believe that it is what God wants me to do.

My near future holds many things which you could pray for.

1) I am currently in Connecticut with my family. I will begin my journey back to Tallahassee on August 4, but I’m hardly taking the direct route. From here I will fly to St. Louis to pick up my car, then I’ll spend the next two days driving to Tallahassee. It’s about fourteen hours of driving and I’ll be making the trip alone. Please pray for my safety during this trip.

2) Once I arrive in Tallahassee I have three primary tasks. I will continue to apply and interview for the types of jobs I have been looking at since May (most of those jobs have been with the state of Florida, some with the university). Second, I will find a temporary job to pay the bills until something better comes along. Lastly I will find a place to live. It does not look like I will be living in any of the Navigator houses since they’ve all filled up. Please pray that I’d have patience during each process, and that I would be wise about my decisions.

3) Please pray for the dormitory ministry at FSU. The largest concentration of Navigators will be in Kellum Hall, with others in Smith, Cawthon and Dorman. I will be helping out in Dorman Hall. My good friend Jacob Meyers, who has stated that I am the most intimidating person he has ever met, will be the R/A for the first and second floors of that dorm. While there are two Nav girls moving in to Dorman, there will be no other guys. My goal is to labor with him and encourage him throughout the year.

4) My sister Alison is beginning her freshman year at UT-Austin later this month. Please pray that she would thrive in her new environment and that she would meet believers that will help her grow in her faith.

5) Finally, please pray for my adjustment to post-student life. This is a strange feeling for me. So much will be the same this fall, but so much will be different. Pray that I would trust the Lord’s leading through this time of transition.

I will now begin using this new Gmail email address. And of course I will continue to update my blog (jaledwith.com/blog) with what I am doing on a day-to-day basis. Email me back if you’d like to be updated when I land a job and have a new snail mail address. You could also write me back, you know, just because. I am grateful to you for your thoughts and prayers. Those of you in Connecticut, I will see you in December. Those of you in Tallahassee, I will see you on Sunday. To the rest of you, the sooner I see you the better. God bless!