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We would move again, just in time for my Junior year in high school. Dad had a new job and once again I said goodbye to all that had become familiar. Everything was smaller at my second high school and reminded me of the country pace I had loved about Virginia. I tried out for show choir, the school musical, and something called FFA. I was told it stood for ‘Future Farmers of America’. After one meeting I realized I knew nothing about a farmer’s way of life; I only admired it from a distance. Little did I know that I would marry a farm boy, called from his tractor one day to be a Pastor in the Sandhills of Nebraska.
I became active in a student-led Bible study and found new courage at every bend. My math teacher (and others) thought I was crazy for wanting to attend a Bible College – in Chicago to boot! I had seen the Moody Bible Institute (MBI) Choir perform at the mega-church we attended in Akron, Ohio. I knew with surety God was calling me there to study music and Bible. ‘Moody Bridal Institute’ would ring true as well.
My husband first felt the Lord’s nudge to be a pastor after he gave the speech for his 8th grade graduation. Someone came up afterwards and said, “You should be a pastor like your Grandpa.” His Grandpa Burkholder pastored many years and helped found Grace University in Omaha, Nebraska. Kurt wrestled with the Lord; he wanted to be a farmer like his dad! While driving tractor as a high schooler one day, he knew the Lord was calling him to be a pastor. Would he be obedient to this call to preach the Word? He wrestled mentally with the Lord on that tractor, then said “Yes, Lord!”, half wondering if he would be miserable in this sure calling. God gives JOY as we say YES to Him.
Kurt and I ended up in the same 8:00 AM Bible class on the first day of school at MBI in downtown Chicago. I was the girl flying in as the bell rang, bagel in hand for breakfast. Kurt had been sitting there (after a hot breakfast) waiting for class to start. He remembers me as the girl who always raised her hand when the Professor asked for prayer requests. I was always eager to have others join me in praying for others! I told my closest girlfriends I wanted to be a single missionary,and IF I married, I didn’t want to marry a pastor, and IF I married a pastor, I wanted to go overseas. What would I do with my music degree after graduation? The Lord gave me a specific vision. I saw myself running barefoot, full of joy, across hills of sand. Surely my call was to Africa!
The worm farm detour. I had no idea Kurt had written his sister about me our freshman year. We went separate ways for spring break our Sophomore year – I went on band tour and he went home to the farm. Ironically, our band was scheduled to give a concert near his home in Kansas and I found out he would be there. Our bus from Chicago arrived in rural Kansas on that fateful day. Earlier in the day, my secret band pal had gifted me a Styrofoam cooler full of dirt and crawling worms – a worm farm! Hilarious . . . until it hit me. I had to get rid of it before I got to my host home that night after the concert. Surely, there was only one thing to do!
I found Kurt after the concert and asked if he would wait while I went to get something for him. I had rarely talked to him and he was now excited that I wanted to give him a gift. I returned with my Styrofoam cooler casually explaining my worm farm dilemma and asked if he would please take it for me. He said yes and accepted my worm farm. Kurt joined the Moody Symphonic Band our next (Junior) year “so at least I would be in her range of vision”.
First date…As a music major, I needed to go to a music concert to fulfill an assignment and had waited until last minute. The band sat together in the cafeteria every Thursday night and so it was that I announced to the entire table my need to attend a concert TONIGHT and asked if anyone wanted to join me? I secretly hoped Kurt Busenitz would offer, but as soon as I asked, another young man said, “I’ll go with you!” I got up to dump my tray. Kurt got up and dumped his tray. He told me he would like to go to the concert with me. I said, “Great! We can all three go!” and went to tell the other young man. His face fell and he said, “No, you two go.” Kurt waltzed his way into my heart that night with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He learned as much as he could about my music world and I determined to learn about his world and make it my own by God’s grace.
We married two years after our first date; saying our vows in my parents’ backyard in Ohio. We were Pastor Mark’s (mentor and good friend) first wedding; he traveled in from the Sandhills of Nebraska. This sure calling to learn the unfamiliarities of farming, ranching, and ministry as a church-planting pastor’s wife has become a source of joy; surely joy comes softly.
