A Couple of Surprises

Mike and I had attended Rutgers together; he went on to complete a PhD while I stopped at a masters. We stayed in touch over the years, so I wasn't surprised when he called me in early 2005. But I was surprised with what he asked me: He wanted to know if I was interested in becoming a professor at Regent University, a Christian institution in Virginia Beach, VA. Mike was dean of the School of Business and he needed someone to teach in management and leadership. We talked for awhile. When we hung up, my mind was still reeling.

When I was in college I had an English professor, Dr. McDonald, who was an inspiration to me. He was a great teacher and a nice man. Since that freshman year class with Professor McDonald, I had thought of becoming a college professor. There was something about sharing knowledge and helping students that appealed to me. I also liked the ebb and flow of college life: a season of teaching, rest in the summer, and then a new start in the fall. When I was in graduate school, I taught in the computer lab and liked it. Later, I taught Sunday School in my church and enjoyed that as well. Admittedly, I was nervous thinking about the prospect of leaving my current job and moving 400 miles away to Virginia, but part of me thought that this could be the opportunity of a lifetime. I asked my friends, parents, and people I trusted, and they all told me to take the risk and take the job. One man in particular - a good friend of my parents and my former Sunday School teacher from 9th grade - gave me some prescient advice; he said, "You may be going there to teach, but don't be surprised if God has other plans for you." Let's just put a pin in that statement for now.

Long story short, despite having to leave family and friends and taking a substantial pay cut, I took the job, and my young family and I headed for Virginia Beach. The house search turned out to be a bit of nightmare and, since I had never taught college students before, the learning curve was steep. But I guess I figured it out and completed my first year without traumatizing too many students. I also learned that I liked online teaching and was able to connect with distance students in ways I could never have imagined.

With my first year behind me, I was ready to take the summer off, do some writing, and prepare for the fall.

Not so fast...time to check the pin I mentioned above. God did indeed have other plans.