I remember the first moment I solemnly voiced my desire to become a religious sister – I was 12 years old and sitting on our living room couch. I had laid out for my dad and older sister my ideas about becoming a nun and living in a monastery hidden deep in the woods, living a simple life and giving myself entirely to God.

Despite my desire for the life of a cloistered religious, I became intrigued by the School Sisters of Christ the King (CK’s), whose mailings my parents received. I began collecting the periodicals produced by the Sisters, which were full of thought-provoking reflections.  During my senior year of high school, I decided to visit their community. Their joy and way of life made me feel at home.  I found myself either already practicing or desiring to practice many of their devotions, yet was hesitant to fully embrace the possibility of joining them, as I thought that life as a cloistered nun was the only way I could be closest to God and live for Him alone.

I attended Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas for two years, and then took a gap semester after my second year to take more time to discern my major. With religious life still on my heart, I decided to use the time to discern that instead. I lived at a retreat house on the grounds of the School Sisters of Christ the King, participating in a program they host for young women who desire to live in community while discerning God’s will for their life – not necessarily with the CKs, but with any community or vocation, deepening one’s relationship with God via formation and spiritual accompaniment.

After two years of considering various religious communities, my regular spiritual director saw that I needed someone else to visit with about discernment. I went on a silent retreat during Holy Week, and the Lord helped me sort through my fears and see that I need not be afraid of being far from Him if I did not enter a cloistered community. Jesus reinforced within me that He desires that I be close to Him. I learned that I just needed to take a next step. I was able to embrace God’s invitation to discern with the School Sisters of Christ the King, and soon after, I asked to enter with them.

The Schools Sisters of Christ the King are a religious community in the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln whose charism is “joyful fidelity to Christ the King”. Their sole apostolate is Catholic education and they do a variety of work in the diocese in the education field.

I am excited to begin my next steps and believe the charism of the CK’s has been growing in my heart as I live simply to be close to the King of Heaven and Earth. Letting Christ reign over all the facets of my life, letting Him be my sole center, is all I have ever wanted. Flowing from this belonging to Him is the education apostolate. I want everyone to experience the joy of belonging to God as we all do through our baptism, and to enjoy the light of truth, beauty, and goodness found in Him! I look forward to bringing souls to this fountain of endless mercy and goodness