While I never felt like I had a "crazy redemption story", I do have a great heritage story. I grew up in a Christian home to loving parents who sent me to Christian K-12 school and then supported my way through Christian College (Calvin). I also had grandparents and others in various churches along the way who prayed for me daily. I can't imagine who I would or where I would be without their prayers and guidance. I had a bit of a shock leaving Christian education for graduate school and later academic jobs. I had a solid upbringing, but had never truly been confronted by the vastness of other world views. I also quickly found myself in the rat race of trying to be the best academic I could be. Grants, articles, tenure, promotion...all the things we find so important in higher education. I am embarrassed to say that it took me longer than I needed to realize that God had a higher purpose and calling for me. It finally clicked that He put me at various schools around the world for Him, not me. He also helped me realized the need for being sanctified and made more like Jesus. Being a Christian academic isn't any easier with these realizations. But I now find peace in knowing that I am where I am because He wants me here. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:8-10