I mused when I saw this photo yesterday on Facebook of incoming DTS students
That was me four years ago. What enthusiasm I had. I was so thrilled to be here. I couldn’t believe that I was embarking on such a journey. Little did I know what I’d be stepping into that would begin to chip away at that naive enthusiasm. No need to rehash since I’ve written about here and here and touched on it here.
Well, that’s been just my journey. The one thing I’ve discovered is that the Lord carves out a unique seminary experience…good, bad and/or the ugly for each one. From what I’ve experienced?
- Some will find love and marriage
- Some will encounter marital difficulty
- Some will find unexpected ministry opportunities
- Some will lose loved ones
- Some will encounter health issues
- Some will have great financial difficulty
- Some will have their ministry focus shifted
- Some will be confronted with deep rooted issues
- Some will have cherished doctrines deeply challenged
- Some will change church affiliations
- Some will withdraw for various reasons
- Some will encounter a crisis of faith
- Many will develop life-long friendships
- And many will get weary in the process
….And the list goes on
Whatever the case may be for these smiling faces, they are embarking on a journey with twists and turns that will probably surprise most if not all of them. But it too is all part of the ministry training process, too. They’re on the road to somewhere. And even if it may not be what they expected, the Lord will see that they get there. And he will do the same for those of us who have lost that initial enthusiasm.
TheoThoughts 