Condensed non-exhaustive version of my thoughts

(The following is why I haven't written a blog in a while, and another will come out soon chronicling the recent visit of some friends)

Sometimes it’s not so much a matter of getting accepted into something as whether or not it’s what you feel you should be doing. I’ve had no clue for the longest time.

I’ve been thinking about starting my Masters at Whitworth for a while now. Rob asked me to go to a meeting at the University in the spring of last year to “show support,” but if that was really his goal in pushing me to go I’d be surprised. Regardless he did say that he thought it would be good for me, and it did sound intriguing at the time.

I like to learn, and there are few things in life I’m more passionate about in regard to learning than God and His Church. So in some ways it seemed the perfect fit, start a Masters and have a blast. To top things off my dad will be doing the program and I really miss spending time in the Word with him. He’s to thank for most of my early life as a Christian; without his guiding hand in my life I’d be nowhere near where I am now.

Which, the more I get to know God, isn’t nearly as close to where I should be; but we do what we can and we are where we are by the grace of God. And God’s grace was displayed effectively in my dad.

I’ve been wrestling with the idea of going to Whitworth for months now, starting back in March when I applied and continuing until today. I’m not sure why I struggled with it so much, largely due to the amount of debt I’ve accrued already while in school I think.

Ultimately I came to the realization that I wasn’t trusting God to provide for me. Kind of waiting for Him to say He would when He already has (Proverbs 10:3, Matthew 6:28-30, or Luke 12:28). And although yes, I should be working, I’m going to have to work either way so why not take advantage of the opportunity in front of me while I can?

Granted it will be tough doing both; however when have school, work, and ministry been an easy combination? Rarely - if ever - in my experience, so what’s to make me think that I should be able to find an easy path now? And if it does prove too hard hopefully I can scale back a bit on my course load.

This is a chance to grow personally, to find new opportunities to serve, and to feed the community that has given me so much in new and hopefully profound ways. It’s a chance to spend time with older wiser men, to learn more about the Lord and his Bride than I ever have before, and to be challenged and hopefully pushed beyond where I would have gone on my own.

Speaking of challenges, my first paper is due on May 2^nd; I’d better get to work.