Vocations
Meet Sister Michelle Sinkhorn
"I had no intention of being a sister. I wanted to get married and have babies. I didn't know any nuns until I was in my twenties. When I was 26, I met Sister T and we became friends. I went to a dinner where she was a speaker and she said, 'If you want to know God's plan for you, pray to him and ask.' So I did. And God sent me to Ferdinand. Even after I entered, I thought that I'd stay for six months and then leave—I've had to eat crow on that! It was hard at first—everything was so new, so countercultural. But it didn't take long before I was happy here.
"It sometimes surprises me that I like it and am so happy to be part of this community. Early on, I was surprised by how much the sisters love each other, care about each other, and look out for one another. And that while we are a family, we also know each other's families well—our families are family, too.
"If you want to pray all the time and have a contemplative lifestyle, those communities exist, but they aren't us. We live together, pray together, serve God and the community together, but it's pretty normal. I love to ride roller coasters, go hiking and camping, get together with friends—normal stuff. It’s a simple lifestyle, and it’s not for everybody, but it’s a good life."
Slacklining is a sport of walking a small, flat nylon rope between two points. Some people do it for fun, some do it for athletic benefits, and some do it for meditative purposes in seeking a higher state of mind. Sister Michelle enjoys walking the slackline as a hobby, a way to get a little exercise while having fun at the same time. Sister Michelle says, “It has been a challenge to learn but also very rewarding. It is enjoyable and somewhat entertaining teaching others how to do it too and watch their progress.” Once someone achieves taking two unassisted steps on the line, they are welcomed into the Sisters Slackline Club and shown the secret handshake. Sister Michelle has been a “slacker” since 2002 but says she still feels like a beginner. Keeping focused and balanced are the keys, and while it is achievable it is also easily lost. Just like any practice, it takes persistence. “When I walk the slackline, it reminds me to keep my life balanced and in line with God’s desires for me. It’s a great way to re-center oneself.”
“I love roller coasters! It happened unknowingly, but I was thrilled to find out that I entered a monastery right down the road from Holiday World, a local amusement park. They also just happened to have the best wooden roller coaster ever, The Voyage (literally #1 coaster on the planet). One time when I went to Holiday World, I rode it eight times in one day. It was great!”