Saying Goodbye to Rivendell

Looking back on my experience at Rivendell Sanctuary, I thank God with a grateful heart for giving me the privilege of being there for an incredible four months. When I began my journey at Rivendell in January, I had no idea what God held in store for me. Coming straight from Semester, I imagined it to be quite similar. Although it was fairly similar, for example the importance of thinking critically and deeply and the emphasis on living in community, in a way it was completely different. For the first few weeks, it was a complete shock and very hard for me to get used to. God had a plan for me through it all, though. Even when I thought I couldn't handle living in a dorm or reading page after page of homework, He gave me the strength to pull through. He shaped and molded my character by testing and trying me. I know that at the beginning, I didn't want to stay longer than one semester because of how "hard" everything was. By the end though, I had such a great longing to stay there. Which leads into the point of this blog....

Deciding whether to stay or go was a difficult decision. The deciding factor came down to finances, of course. I think the hardest part was knowing that if I chose to stay or leave, either way I would not be acting in sin towards God. I knew that if I stayed I would learn so much, and that was and is my greatest desire. But I also knew that if I stayed, in the end I would probably regret it because of the debt. I knew that if I went home that I could continue to learn by being disciplined and motivated, and would also have the freedom of no debt. In the end, that's what I chose.

The greatest part in making that decision(and I hate making decisions) was that my focus was completely on God. I prayed often, fasted, sought wise counsel, and read the Word. God's presence every day as I thought and prayed was incredibly evident. I think this was the first decision making process in which stress and worry were at a very low point. I felt complete peace knowing that in the end, whatever path I chose, God would be with me, would provide for me, would teach me, and would love me unconditionally. That gave me such hope and thanksgiving in my heart for Him. When it finally came to decision time, I knew that I was making the right decision even though I so longed to stay at Rivendell. The peace that surpasses all understanding flooded me, and still is flooding me.

Saying goodbye to Rivendell, the education and the people, proved to be difficult. I will miss the friends I made, the method of learning, my professors, and the lessons that could have been learned. But, I will not forget the friends-what they taught me and the laughter, fun, and tears I enjoyed with them. I will not forget the method of learning, but will continue to use what I was taught in my own studies and also hopefully pass it own to others. I will not forget my professors, but will hear their voices in my head and remember and be grateful for the wisdom and practical tools they handed down to me. I know that even more lessons could have been learned, but I will not forget the ones I did learn, nor will I avoid new lessons.

All in all, God gave me an amazing, unforgettable gift by allowing me to attend Rivendell the past four months. It was an awesome journey that started with a leap of faith, continued in faith,  and ended with a leap of faith.





PS All photos were taken by Alexandra Petree.