Better

I'm feeling better today. I connected with some people that I didn't get to connect with yesterday at the orientation. God has given me more hope and joy. Those two things are so powerful are'nt they? Hope and Joy? Can't you just see it on my face?

PS. I read Psalm 40 outloud this morning and with the passion I imagine the writer had when he wrote it and it simply moved me. Try it. It expressed my hearts cry this morning.

A New Chapter

Imagine a book where nothing really changed from chapter to chapter. The main characters are living in the same place, they are experiencing the same emotions, they are interacting with the same people about the same things, things are just always "good" and never change. Would you buy that book? Would it be a good story? No!

God asked me that today as I sat in fear at the Seminary orientation. I was really scared and asking questions.
"God, do I have what it takes to succeed in this?"
"God, do I have the support I need to make it through this?"
"God, do I really connect with these people in this room?"
"God, did you really call me to this, or was this just one of my good ideas?"

Relationships are so huge for me. If I have a group of trusted voices encouraging me in something I know I can do it. But, I am majorly separated from those up here. Jen is strapped to the call schedule and doesn't always have much to give. I feel vulnerable, scared.

In the midst of those feelings God reminded me of the story he's writing. There will be certain threads throughout the story but many things will change. Location, emotions, jobs, friends, some times will be climactic and some will be low and building times. Its these ebbs and flows that make a good story. And God is authoring a good story.

I still need those encouraging words and prayers for my fears are not gone. I still greive my friends back in Indy. To every season turn, turn, turn,

holy smokes, it's been a year minus a day!

As you can see I haven't been blogging at all for the last 364 days. I guess I didn't have a reason too. I lived in proximity to all my friends and family. I didn't need to have an online "jounal" cuase I already have an "offline" one. But now my bride and I have moved to Muncie and have a much harder time keeping in touch with everyone. So I'd say that's a great reason for a blog. My goal is to write about what is going on in our lives, hearts, and minds during our time in here in Muncie. Please feel free to check this often and even use it as a discussion board for whatever may come up.

Just a short update to get started. I just finished a Greek intensive class at Anderson University. It was the first class in a plethora of classes I'll be taking for the Mdiv program. It was crazy hard but rewarding. I studied way more in the past three week than in a whole year of undergrad! (undergrad was more of a social education for me...) So I have a few days off then will begin the fall Semester with 4 classes: Spiritual Formation, Constructive Theology, Life and Thought of the Christian Church (NT), and Formation of the People of God (OT). This will be more up my alley. Lot's of reading, thinking, discussing, writing and living.

Shalom,

Ps. Here's my friend Steve who came up this weekend. He's a handsome chap!