A Story Re-Told: The Pivotal Decision

Lean Into Curiosity – Part 1

I was recently challenged to think about –
“What decision has most shaped your life?”

When I heard this question, 
My mind immediately returned to the scene as it played out again.
I was seventeen.
I had stopped at the concrete basketball court where I had spent many summer nights the previous year playing in a non-high school-sanctioned basketball league. 
I played my best basketball there. 

It was just a group of girls from school- 
No coaches, no fans, and no parents to watch. Just me, the ball, and my favorite teammates. 
It was there that I became my best version of a basketball player. I played with my heart, for the love of the game. 
It was on this upward trajectory that I entered my senior season. 

It wasn’t long before the letters began arriving at the house. At first, they seemed special so I kept the first few. Then they arrived at a more rapid pace. I deemed them ordinary and just tossed them. 
I thought everyone got them…
I didn’t know or understand any level of their significance until a college coach followed her letter with a phone call. 

Coach called every week for the rest of my senior basketball season. 
We talked about basketball and life. I looked forward to her calls. I felt seen, heard,and chosen.
She asked me to come play for her. 
Other offers were at more prestigious universities with better programs and larger fan bases. But I felt connected to her.  I agreed to come to play ball for her at a small college community in the remote mountains of Pennsylvania.

A few months later, on a typical chilly spring Sunday morning, I was at church with my family. After class, I was invited into a room where my parents, teachers, and clergy expressed concern about my college decision. 
I left that meeting angry- very angry- and drove straight to that same concrete basketball court. 
I was alone that Sunday afternoon. 
I talked with God, boldly. 
I told Him I didn’t need the support of my parents or anyone from church. I told God I knew I could play ball and that all I needed was His vote and His blessing on my decision. 

I waited.

In time, I received a clear message.
I needed to pivot. 

And I needed to do so well I still had the God-given courage I received at that concrete basketball court.

With complete peace, surety, and sadness, I called Coach when I got home. 

I don’t understand all of the reasons or perhaps any of them as to why playing basketball for Allegheny College wasn’t the best course for me. 
I simply had exact knowledge from God himself that it wasn’t. 
I didn’t have a strong testimony of Christ, modern-day prophets or their revelations. 

I only had God. 
And it was enough. 

That experience completely, changed my path and shaped my life. I knew of God. But I had more to learn about Him and His Son.
Since then- I’ve searched for a greater understanding of my Savior, Jesus Christ, His personal role, and the accompanying blessings He can bring to my life. I’ve searched for understanding with faith in scriptures and prophets and their place in religion. My initial curiosities became building blocks of faith. I put lessons I learned of Christ to the test, searching for truth.
Testimonies of such have been deepened and I’ve received enlightenment as I prayed to God, whom I trusted, for answers. 

The defining moment to pivot-
To trust God-
And then to lean into the knowledge of Him proved to be important. 

My next few years were not filled with statistics of glory or championships, but instead- hard days, hungry days, and more questions than answers. 
It was then, and continues to be today, the decisions that followed shaped the resulting trajectory of my life.
I had the ability, belief, and knowledge of how to talk with God. 

To tell Him.
To ask Him.
To listen to Him.

Peace and joy now accompany me as I journey. Peace, I’ve learned, is available through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 
As I work to receive the invitation to come unto Him. I then better understand God, the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and Their constant, uncompromising love for me. 

Now, as I replay the scene at the concrete basketball court, I do so with gratitude. I carry no regrets in a life that became one of searching to better understand God, the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, their purposes, and my purpose in them.
It began with leaning into curiosity for truth. 

Did God talk to me?
Did He re-route me?
Why then did life have hard days as I took steps to listen to Him?
What was I supposed to learn of Christ that would aid me on my journey?
What did it mean to become a woman of faith?
What encompasses Christ invitation to “Come unto me”?
Is He talking to me?

I had questions, but steadied myself on the one truth I had gained from God, about God…

-JC

Browned Butter Pretzel Toffee Dark Chocolate Krispy Treats

6 tablespoons butter, browned. 
10 ½ cups (16 oz.) mini marshmallows
½ teaspoon salt
7 oz. marshmallow creme
6 cups krispy rice cereal 
4 cups mini pretzels, broken into pieces. (break, then measure.)
1 cup toffee pieces
1 ½ cups dark chocolate chunks
2 cups (additional) mini marshmallows

• Brown butter by melting butter on medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts, then foams, and toasted brown bits appear.
• Heat mini marshmallows and salt in the microwave for 1 minute.  
• Stir in marshmallow creme and browned butter until smooth. 
• Add krispy rice cereal and pretzel pieces.
• Fold in toffee pieces, chocolate chunks, and additional mini marshmallows.  
• Spoon into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Spray hands with non-stick cooking/baking spray. Use your hands to gently flatten and even out treats.
• Let set. Share!