Classes

Six weeks of getting settled, seeing family, and learning 0ur way around Grand Rapids will end tomorrow.  Tomorrow is my first official day of classes.  I start off with a two-week course called “Gateway to Seminary” which combines some classroom instruction with orientation type activities.  Most mornings are spent in class learning about hermeneutics, analyzing sermons, and learning some basics about sermon preparation.  The afternoons are filled with orientation type things (tours, ID cards, meeting with mentor groups, placement testing, etc.).

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little nervous about it all.  It’s kind of scary going back to school -- studying, reading, writing, papers, tests – at the same time, I have a real peace about it all as well.  One the one hand I’m scared that I’ll come home tomorrow night and have hated it and on the other hand I just really don’t think I will (hate it, that is).  So I’ll let you all know tomorrow how that goes. Wow…that makes me sound just a wee bit crazy.  If I don’t think I’ll hate it, why do I worry that I might?  As my kids remind me often, “You’re weird, Dad.”

We’ve been extremely blessed to have this time here to be able to get settled and established before we jump in to this next phase.  But now it’s time to get started and we’re excited for this next step too.   The Lord has been faithful and we’re confident that he will continue to be.