The Problem With Seminary Is...

...that I am learning so much and have so much I feel the Lord calling me to, but have no outlet to carry it out. It just stays in my head until it gets forgotten and dust-covered like so many other things.  

Never Been So Bored In My LIFE!

Reading about ministry management is just about as boring as getting your teeth cleaned. Listening to smooth jazz. Living in Delaware. (Sorry Delawarians.)

I would much rather be DOING ministry than reading about how to write a vision statement, how to find your actual vs aspirational mission. Blah blah blah. 

I so hope my Ministry Management prof doesn't read this site. Cause I would feel bad. And because this boring book, the bane of my weekend, is his favorite. Poor guy... 

Is there something that bores you to literal or figurative tears? Reading this book bores me to both literal AND figurative tears. Wah wah wah. =)

Off to School, Mom!

My first day of graduate school. I was ready!

Backpack....check!

Notebooks....check!

Water of smartness...check!

The ability to read...check!

What eluded me was the ability to find single men at seminary. THIS IS WHY I CHOSE A NON-DENOMINATIONAL SEMINARY PEOPLE!

 

Jason Segel or Justin Timberlake, I know you're both single. If you just happen to be studying at Multnomah Biblical Seminary, I would gladly let you buy my dinner. Gladly. 

Ahhh...the life of an SBU grad who didn't get her ring by spring; she was forced to go to seminary. I freaking want my $$ back....

=)

A New Phase

If you know me, you know I'm scared to death of making decisions. Even the smallest of decisions are fraught with worry and dismay - where to eat for dinner, what to wear to church, what to do for the next five minutes. It's ridiculous, I tell ya.

But I've made a big decision. And God has been so good to continue guarding my heart and mind in this.

I will be attending Multnomah Seminary in Portland, OR starting this coming January.

(If you're able, imagine a jumping up and down/dancing like a fool Sarah right about now...cause that's how I feel.)

Seminary has been a long process, but I'm so excited to start something new, to be working for something, to have a goal, a purpose. And I get to do it close to home.

Thanks God. For keeping my spirit in tune with Yours. For guarding my heart and mind in Christ. For opening new doors. For closing doors that didn't line up with what You wanted for me. For putting people in my life to support and encourage. For opportunities. For growth. For Your unfailing faithfulness. Thanks.

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a Paragraph

So I'm working on my application for seminary (yes...it's true...grad school), and in the midst of the "general biography" section, there was a question.

Describe your salvation experience and your relationship to Jesus Christ.

Then they proceed to give me three lines in which to explain all this. My first thought: how in the wizzle do I put all that into three lines?! You can't write really, really tiny or else the old people who read the applications can't read it. And they don't give you the opportunity to attach another piece of paper (and believe me, in other places, they give PLENTY of opportunities!). This application has to look classy, refined, mature, academic. Which leaves me with one choice: to reveal all that is my spiritual experience (i.e. my whole life) in a paragraph.

What are they thinking?!

At any rate, I attempted it. Trying to verbalize an entire lifetime with the Almighty is like trying to....do...something....really, really...difficult. (Sorry, my metaphorical outlet is on vacay today.)

How would YOU answer that question in a paragraph? What are your stories?


My feeble attempt (and I still may have to write small):

I was baptized at age 6. My mother says it was because I claimed Jesus was my best friend and I was at a Billy Graham crusade, but I honestly cannot remember. I grew up attending church and all church-related functions, assuming that because I did this, God and I were alright. It was not until late into high school that I realized "church Sarah" and "not-church Sarah" were not the same person. It was then that I remember truly surrendering my life to the Lord and knowing He was the Lord of my heart. Since then my relationship with Christ has waxed and waned. There are moments when His presence is palpable; other moments I feel almost like I've never experienced Him. In spite of my feelings, however, He has remained faithful. I am ever-learning more about Him, His nature, His work in the world and He is ever-guiding me to live in the Spirit. Sometimes I listen, but more often than not, I don't. But He, as always, remains by me, shaping me to be a person who desires His heart.