God's plans ALWAYS exceed mine for myself!

I remember at the beginning of my junior year, there were SO many opportunities available for me and my future career! Speaking of which, my aspirations are to be a sports reporter and work for ESPN. So when I heard that there was an opp to volunteer for a basketball classic in Atlanta-I just KNEW this was meant for me! Not only did I apply, but I sent the info to two of my friends who I knew would want to do this as well, since we're all in the same boat career wise. The next day, we're on the way to CNN for class and I find out that they got accepted to go, while I didn't. I was happy for them, but still somewhat puzzled; why did they get chosen, and NOT me?!

Time went on and I brushed it off, especially when I learned of another opportunity that came up- a chance to not only go to, but work for the Superbowl! I heard so much about the guy who was over it and how he acted towards interviewees, so I was prepared for him. Regardless of how big of a jerk he was from what I had heard, I didn't let that stop me from going out for such a great opportunity! So a couple days later, I find out I wasn't selected for that group either. With both of those rejections happening back to back, I started to second guess myself:

Is this career meant for me? What's wrong with me to not get chosen for two things I REALLY wanted?

I continued to work hard and learned as much as I could from UT Athletics Broadcasting, who I had interned with that year, and almost every time I looked up, one of my friends [who worked the ESPN classic in Atlanta] had the chance to shadow and volunteer with ESPN every time they came to campus! I was happy for her, but in the back of my mind I thought "okay God, when is my time coming?" Even with all the networking opportunities I had and people who I knew that either worked or interned with ESPN before, I felt like it wasn't enough. I wanted to actually shadow so I could see for myself if this was what I wanted to do with my life!

SO the time comes to apply for internships. I don't know HOW many of those I applied for, I just knew I wanted to intern with them [plus the more you apply for, the better chance you have of getting one, right?]. I thought, "they'll probably NEVER see my application, so my chances are slim" regardless of how optimistic I tried to be. I felt like the two girls who worked the classic, and the people who worked the Superbowl had WAY better chances than I did anyway. But THEN, I got an email from one of my professors that told a group of us to apply for an internship with them and send our resume to the internship director. The next week, I get a phone interview, only to be followed with another one a week later, a follow-up phone call, and this...

I could NOT believe it! They wanted ME?! And all this time I'm thinking I NEEDED those opportunities in order to impress the people at ESPN with my resume AND use the people over the classic and Superbowl as references, but God proved to me that all I needed was his FAVOR! I felt so undeserving, shocked, excited and in disbelief all at the same time. The next month, I got the chance to work the NCAA women's basketball tournament [which is something else I've wanted for a WHILE] when they came to UT. Not to mention, another opportunity to work with and shadow ESPN for a baseball game came up, and I was chosen for the group that got to work for it!

I could not see what God had planned for me, looking back now-I wouldn't have it any other way! This just goes to say:
 "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him." (1 Cor. 2:9) 
"...the LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right." (Psalms 84:11)

I hope anybody reading this will stay patient, rest and not get discouraged because of how things look! :)