The Puzzle Was BIG NEWS

Hello, friends! Who's still wondering about the puzzle from Friday? Wonder no more, because I have the answer for you! But first, a shout-out to the people who figured it out: Melissa Leon, Lindsey Monfre, Michael Wolfram, and my dad. Good work!

The key to the puzzle was this: "Most of what I'm typing has nothing to do with anything." You see, all that mattered was the first letter in each paragraph, which, when put together, spelled out the words "Enid, Oklahoma." And why did I give you a puzzle about Enid, Oklahoma, you ask? Well...

There's this cool place in Enid, Oklahoma called Redeemer Lutheran Church. They happen to be in need of a Director of Christian Education. They issued me a call to serve as their DCE, and yesterday afternoon, I officially accepted that call.

That's right -- after over two years of waiting, I have a call!!

I'll primarily be doing parish education for all ages, with a particular focus on the youth. I'll also be helping out at Camp Lutherhaven for two weeks every summer. I'll be heading down to Enid on September 27th and my commissioning and installation will be in October (possibly the 18th).

I'm extremely excited. I can't wait to get down to Oklahoma and start the work God has for me there!! Before I go off to pack intensely for the rest of the day, I just want to say THANK YOU to all the people who have been praying for me. During this period of waiting, it's meant so much to know that I'm in your thoughts and prayers. I've always known that I am not alone.

This was my face when I received my call papers on Friday!

Solve the Puzzle! :)

Everyone reading this might notice that I didn't start off with my typical "Hello, friends!" There's a reason for that, and you can figure it out if you're very, very clever.

Never assume you've figured it out, though. You'll have to read through the entire post, and even then, you might still be confused.

I may have planned it that way. You probably know me well enough to already know that.

Don't despair! I believe in you. You can decipher my hidden message.

Own up to it. I know you're dying of curiosity now. Or you're just getting annoyed with me; both are equally possible!

Key to your understanding will be your attention to small details. Most of what I'm typing has nothing to do with anything. But if you pick up on the pattern, it'll be easy!

Let yourself have fun figuring it out. There's no need to drive yourself crazy.

And keep in mind that I'll reveal the mystery sometime next week. So if you can't solve the puzzle today, you'll hear the solution soon anyway.

Have fun, though, seriously. I'm all about having fun, as you know.

Oh, right. Some of you might have a feeling what this is about, even if you haven't figured out the puzzle. Don't ruin it for everyone else!

Make a guess if you've got one. If you don't have a guess, feel free to ask for clues that I may or may not give. (Have I mentioned that I'm having too much fun with this?)

As always, I hope you're all having a stellar week. You can expect another post next week! :)