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“Why did you want to do Interyear?” 

This is a question I have been asked MANY times, and I have given many different answers. All of the answers I’ve had can boil down to one sentence: “I chose to do Interyear because when I graduated undergrad I still didn’t know what I wanted to do, and Interyear provided the structure I needed to begin to understand what I wanted for the future.” While this statement is sincere, there’s more to the story than just needing to find a vocation to pursue. 

I went through a lot of difficult experiences in college. I spent those four years in different pastoral positions, constantly looking to help others and be who they needed me to be, say what they needed to hear. By the time I reached my senior year, I felt completely lost - I had no idea who I was or wanted to be, what kind of job I wanted or what I wanted to do next, what kind of life I wanted… The only thing I was certain of was I needed more time. I felt like I wasn’t “done cooking”. 

And then there was Interyear Fellowship. 

In all of the anxiety and wondering about the future, Interyear kept coming into the picture. I had watched the growth my friends Ellie (2019-2020 fellowship) and Ashlyn (2020-2021 fellowship) had experienced during their time at Interyear, I had driven by the house a million times, seen random posts on Instagram... It just kept re-entering the picture for my future. At one point, I firmly closed the door to Interyear and said an official “no” to the program – and even still, I couldn’t get the opportunity out of my head. My gut was just leading me to Interyear, and I had never been one to trust my gut. 

But this time I did. I took the leap, trusted my gut, and joined the program. I had spent months debating if I would and decided “yes" at the last minute (5 days before it started, sorry for the delay, Tim). The program had a lot of pieces that stood out to me - placement in a non-profit or ministry to serve and learn, practicing spiritual disciplines, and vocational discernment. But the main thing that really helped me to finally say “yes” was the focus on rhythms of rest and renewal. I was burned out beyond belief and I knew I definitely needed to rest. I needed the time and space to explore what would be next for my life, who I wanted to be, and what I actually cared about. I didn’t know exactly what I’d get out of the program, but I knew I wanted to try and lean into the process of what Interyear could be. 

During my time at Interyear I learned the importance of asking big questions and being honest with myself about what I want and what I need. But really, what I found at Interyear was a home. 

I was incredibly anxious about moving in with strangers and spending time with people I’d never met before. But, I remember the day I moved into the Interyear House. Tim met me on the side porch, handed me a key to the house, and said “Welcome Home”. And I remember feeling confused - to me it felt overly confident on his part to already refer to Interyear Fellowship as MY home, given as I was only just moving in. But I can say, and did say after that first week, the Interyear House felt like home. It was safe, calm, cozy… It was like a breath of fresh air, full of permission to rest and heal and be where I was at, no matter how messy that was. Whether consciously or not, I had been searching for a space to collapse and let out all of the tension I have carried with me my entire life. And I found that safe place at Interyear. I found a home I’d always needed. 

Sometimes your gut is right.