My first week of seminary is over. I am taking four courses:

• Greek Exegesis I • Hermeneutics • The Biblical Theology of Emotion • Discipleship Lab

Three of them will be easy and one of them will cause me to question my calling. Well, not really. It will just require a lot of time to study. I am the only M.Div student in the class. The rest of them are Th.M students. But I am excited because it is a subject that I’m interested in and I wrote a paper on it last fall. We will look at how God in the OT and Christ in the NT exhibit four core emotions: love, joy, sorrow, anger. Ultimately, we are going to look at what application it all has on the Christian life.

I know that seminary will challenge me in many different ways and may possibly threaten some important things, if I am not careful. I intend to compose a list of seminary resolutions – commitments that I will make to God and to myself for the purpose of keeping my priorities in line and coming out the other side with a deeper knowledge of God, a greater love for Christ, and a greater dependence on the Spirit. We’ll see how soon I get to those.

This story is a bit out of the ordinary here at Affectional Writ, but it’s worth passing on.

Man uses Barbie fishing rod to make record catch

Friday, August 22, 2008 2:51 AM EDT
The Associated Press

ELKIN, N.C. (AP) — David Hayes’ granddaughter just asked him to hold her Barbie rod and reel while she went to the bathroom. He did. And seconds later he landed the state record channel catfish at 21 pounds, 1 ounce.

Alyssa’s father had bought the pink Barbie fishing rod for Christmas and she had caught a few bluegill before her grandfather hauled in the catfish.

The Winston-Salem Journal reported the catch Aug. 5 in eastern Wilkes County has been certified as a record by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Hayes and his granddaughter have been fishing in the pond behind his house since she was big enough to hold a pole.

Hayes said his granddaughter worried he would break her rod. He landed the 21-pound fish on a 6-pound test line. It was 32 inches long, 2 inches longer than the rod.

So today marks the first week since arriving in the Inland Empire. It has been an eventful week as I have began a new job, moved into new home, joined a new church, and attended a new school. But in the face of all the change, I am thankful for the steadfast love the Lord and that He faithfully watches my every step. He continues shower blessings upon me.

Foothill Bible Church is wonderful body of believers who have kindly welcomed me. I was met my numerous families on Sunday and already have Thursday through Saturday night booked with meals at various homes. I was able to meet many of the students in the youth ministry here during the youth retreat last Thursday through Saturday. We had a great time studying from the Word on the nature of God and how we can know Him better.

Here are two pictures from the weekend. One of us being serious and the other one of us being crazy.

I have been hit with some unexpected “emotional outbusts.” They do not occur really from homesickness. I’ve been away from home plenty of times. But this is a little bigger than that. I’m not calling home “home” any longer. I’m coming out from my father’s support to live on my own. I’m moving on in ministry. I think the happiness of how blessed I am mixes with the sadness that things are not going to be the way “it’s always been” and creates a kind of depressing joy.

I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss regular contact with people I’ve known for a long time and I don’t have to explain anything, we just understand each other. I miss Sean and the mulling over ministry that we would do at the third place (I have yet to find someone here who has a common Starbucks love). All of these things are good things, but none of things that I’ve experienced down here so far are bad. I have left many good things, only to be a part more good things in Upland, but they are not familiar to me yet.

I also sit with an increasing sense of weightiness as I pray over the ministry that the Lord has called me to at FBC. The pressure sits heavy within my own soul to lead and shepherd with wisdom and to be an example all for the name of Christ. I know that it will take a lifetime to work on, but I want to lay a foundation that I will not need to be torn up later.

I am no longer bumping around with bachelor degrees, for I have officially began my seminary saga. Classes do not start until next week, but I had orientation this week and appropriately have the fear of God before my eyes as I look at the course work ahead. The danger that I see before me is the tendency to study the word out of obligatory duty rather than willing worship. I know this is a danger because I have already spent four years at a Bible college and I know the slowness and evil of my own heart.

So I am heading into my this first semester, not questioning my call, but questioning my commitment. Am I ready to devote myself to the discipline of studying the word of God. Am I willing to make the sacrifices necessary to work for the glory of God?

TMS is where I want to be and I am thankful that the Lord brought me here. I look forward to how he will shape me through it, but the task seems daunting. I praise my God that His mercy is new every morning and His faithfulness is so great.

For those following on the blog, I haven’t updated in a long while. I think that happens every summer, but I’m okay with that because I know that my summer was not as empty as the blog ended up being.

July was as hectic as ever, but I loved every minute of it. The first several weeks I spent planning and organizing World’s For Sale. I was encouraged by the seniors who stepped up and led the rest of the students in their service. The Lord allowed it go off well and for that I am thankful.

Ian and I had the chance to go to a Mariner game, courtesy of our uncle, Ross.

Then I had a week break before I went camping with about 50 Jr. High and High School students. Apart from the rain the first night, the Lord gave us great weather. He used the teaching of the Word to challenge both the students and the staff as we looked at how ‘Jesus Is Better’ in the book of Hebrews.

The end of the summer came quickly as I found out that I would be moving to Upland, CA to take the Director of Student Ministries position at Foothill Bible Church. I received a king’s farewell as I was given the privilege to preach one last time in the GBC pulpit for the first time. The one28 staff along with my parents graciously gave me a workhorse for my continuing studies. And there was a reception after church that night.

God has blessed me tremendously. Not only by regenerating my dead heart, but by giving me people who love me. Words cannot describe how I have been ministered by the prayers of the saints and encouragement of the faithful. Thank you Grace Bible Church for your unconditional love, ceaseless prayers, and Spirit-filled ministry.