Today we’d like to introduce you to Deacon Ryan Sales
Hi Deacon Ryan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
How did I get here? I ask myself that question on a regular basis! But in a good way! in 2021 I was wrapping up a career in public safety that spanned 25 years. I had served as in the Canadian military, worked as a paramedic, and did three stints as a police officer, including working in homicide. I didn’t have a pension, was only in mid 40s, and we lived in a very rural area of northern Canada, so my job prospects were limited. I had no idea what I was going to do for my “next chapter”. By complete chance, a job in Campus Ministry at the University of Dallas came across my desk and my wife told me I should apply. Nothing in our life pointed to this being a logical or natural course of action, where we can act almost on a whim. We may be lucky enough to appreciate it at the time, or it might be one of those inspired moments where it is only through hindsight that we realize God was calling us and that even though that call seemed to make absolutely no sense, He wants what is best for us. Even though there was so many reasons why it shouldn’t have happened, I was offered the job! The moral of the story: be careful what you do on a whim, as it may end up being the best decision of your life!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was unbelievably challenging. I had just been diagnosed with PTSD and had just entered into a place of mental stability. My wife had a great job. We lived on my grandparents original homestead, land which as been in our family for nearly a century. We had family and friends nearby. I was serving as a part of the chaplaincy team in an amazing parish. Moving 2000 miles away meant leaving all that behind. And if we are talking about smooth roads, as soon as we crossed the border both of our vehicles died, the cost of living ended up being much higher than we anticipated, and we quickly learned that you need to careful when navigating the US medical system. It was rough.
However, while we experienced challenge after challenge and were frequently frustrated, underlying those surface level emotions was an abiding peace. Our Lord had called us, he had invited us to make this sacrifice and we received so much consolation for giving our “yes”. Most of that consolation came in the form of amazing people. So many amazing people. Our 16 year old daughter found her “tribe”, a group of friends who we have come to know share the same values, who challenge her to be better, to love better, to worship better. We have made friends who have supported us as we responded to each curve ball, have loved us, have really adopted us. And we are surrounded by a faith community that keeps us focused on what matters most, Him!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work in the University of Dallas as the Director of Campus Ministry. I work primarily with our undergraduate student body, helping them in both spirtual and human formation. I graduated with a Master of Divinity degree and thought that I would be principally helping our students with their faith. However, I spend most of my time being a friend, an older brother, a father figure as our students navigate the myriad of issues that new adults experience. Coming from a career where I spent the bulk of my time exposed to the darker side of humanity, the students here are a breath of fresh air! They challenge me in my own faith and inspire me to be a better man, a better husband, a better father. If I’m being prideful, I slip into thinking that I’m here to bring Christ to them. The reality is that I constantly see Christ in them. All I really do is help them to see that!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Who else deserves credit in my life? So many great people and while I want to provide an exhaustive list, my fear is that for every person I add to this list, I’ll be missing so many more. My wife deserves the lions share of the credit though, hands down. She has been my rock.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dcnryan.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/dcnryan
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/dcnryan
