Tulsa Transition When I completed an associate degree and a certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages at a ministry school in Pensacola, Florida, I returned to northwest Arkansas at age 20 to find work. I secured employment taking room reservations and working in the Guest Services department at a popular chain hotel. Although the local economy had experienced a sharp downturn, I expected that a better job would become available. However, I gained favor with leaders of the hotel’s parent corporation, and they suggested that I had a secure future with the business. I did not feel peace about staying with their organization and I prayed for God’s direction for the future. Oral Roberts University (ORU) had recruited me two years earlier, and they said my acceptance would stay active until I finished classes in Florida. I called the Tulsa-based school in January and requested to enroll in August courses. They agreed, and I looked forward to a new academic journey. However, my father did not support my decision to attend ORU, and in July, he asked me to consider his alma mater, the University of Arkansas in its place. I contacted his preferred school’s admissions department, and they assured me I could start Fall classes in Fayetteville. Around this time, my employer asked me to abandon college plans to continue working for his …show more content…
On the day I left, I attended a childhood friend's wedding. In the church I watched my childhood friends move forward with their lives. I heard individuals my age discussing marriages and children, and I felt like I had arrived at a defining fork in the road. I knew my decision to move meant that I would no longer share many commonalities with my friends. On the drive to Tulsa, I felt conflicting emotions of joy and sorrow. However, the decision to follow the Spirit's leading produced great fruit, and I had a wonderful time at