So the story of how God directed me to SBI:
I believe that God has given me much confirmation about this trip because of the way I found out about SBI and the way that everything has fallen into place. One night, I felt prompted, for no apparent reason, to go to the Eagle’s Nest (a café-type hang out on campus). I went all the while trying to figure out why I felt that I should be there, and trying to convince myself to turn around and go do homework. The meeting for SBI was in there. I sat down not understanding what the program was, and was in no way expecting to actually apply, never mind go. However, while I was sitting there I felt like I was in the right place. As the meeting went on, I had a strong feeling, almost like a drum beat, reverberate through me and I knew it was God saying “you are going to this.” I fought this idea with every argument in my arsenal, telling myself that these thoughts were illogical and/or impossible. After the first fifteen minutes of the meeting, however, those arguments still did nothing to squelch the ever loudening drumbeat. After a while, I gave in and asked every question I thought someone who wanted to go through this program should ask; all the while the drumbeat, and my heartbeat, increased in intensity.
By the end of the meeting, I was overflowing with an overwhelming confidence and joy because I knew that this was where God wanted me. There were only two doubts in my mind about actually going to Italy with SBI: money and my mother. I called my mom immediately after the meeting, expecting a complete shutdown of operations from her and received, instead, an extremely excited and receptive flood of encouragement and support; I was baffled. Since then I have been taking every measure I can to prepare for this trip; all the while praying for guidance and asking for God to shut the door if this is not where He would have me grow and serve next semester. So far, every door headed toward Italy has swung wide open. For example, new signs were put on the wall that directed me to the office of the one person I did not know how to find, and financial support has been offered from unbelieving family members despite the evangelistic focus of the program. Everyone we have talked to, who has had personal experience/interaction with SBI, has had nothing but praise and thankfulness for this program and its founder. I was officially accepted into the SBI program a few weeks ago. And financial support seems to be the last door that God would have to close if He so chooses.
