One summer during high school, I attended a Catholic camp. Throughout the week I found myself very restless because the thought of being a “sister” would not seem to leave my mind. I remember telling God, “I will do whatever you want with my life…..except be a nun.” While talking to my youth minister, she told me something that helped me more peacefully discern God’s will. My youth minister told me that “if I was so focused on trying to figure out my vocation at this moment, I’d be missing out on all of the wonderful blessings Jesus had planned for me for during this time in my life.” She encouraged me to grow in a deeper relationship with Christ because the more I fell in love with him, the clearer His will would become and I would want what He desired for me.
After high school I attended Franciscan University of Steubenville where some of our sisters are also students! My freshman year was more difficult than I was expecting and, needing community, I decided to sign up for a retreat with our sisters in the spring semester. That retreat I was simply looking for friends, but the Lord had much greater things planned for me. During the weekend I found myself filled with a joy unlike anything I had experienced. I was struck by how fulfilled these sisters were with their seemingly simple lives. Throughout the next three years of college I continued to get to know the sisters who were studying at Franciscan and visited the Motherhouse to see what normal life was like. The Lord patiently invited me deeper in relationship with him and as my senior year approached I felt him asking me to join after graduation. I am thankful for the Lord’s patient pursuit and the opportunity to be a Sister of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration!