It’s been a really emotional day for me. Today, I got the email that I have been praying and waiting for. It’s been a long year for me. I have had a season of God taking me out of the working world and make me literally sit, and give Him my full attention. It’s been a time of testing and trials, but also of growth, learned obedience and surrender. I remember getting to the end of my rope and literally crying out to God saying “fine, have your way, I surrender it all, completely”. “I’m not going back to O.K. and what ever your going to do, you better just make that really clear, b/c I sure don’t know what I’m trying to achieve in my own strength”. That cry began to take me to new levels in my faith, a deeper relationship with God where His Holy Spirit would fall on me in such a way that I have never been the same since. Talk about sanctification, and a driving desire to attain holiness! That is how I was starting to feel. After I settled down my soul a bit, and got my bearing back on the ground, I continued to be stretched and learn more about who I was in Christ and who I am desiring to become more like every day with a burning, intimate passion. I don’t know exactly when it happened, but at one point I remember God specifically nudging me with the idea of attending seminary. “Surely not I Lord” I thought, “I have no Biblical training, and look at all the ministries that I can’t even get off the ground, what good am I? I don’t know enough to do this.” But as soon as I said this, it seemed as though He brought peace and said to me “Robin, Go, I am sending you to prepare you, I have seen your continued surrender and obedience, and I know that your haert desires after me alone; I’ll equip you with strength and meet every need, I have a plan and purpose for you and will show more that to you as you walk with me; continue to obey in this because I am with you.” O.K., maybe that’s not word for word, but it’s pretty darn close. Long story short, I started looking into seminaries, and visited some during my Easter break. I studied their websites, statements of faith, and accessibility to my needs. After choosing 3 different seminaries with 3 completely different backgrounds, I knew that I needed to dig deeper and really understand what I believed. Although my theological base is still being formed, I truly feel that I align the most with Asbury Theological Seminary, which is based in the Wesleyan-Armenian tradition. Perhaps it is b/c my current and previous pastors have attended and it has shaped their teaching and my learning, or perhaps it is also part of my own experiences of faith. All I know, is that even before I started to truly understand the diffenreces in these 3 institutions, God had always given me a sense of peace about attending Asbury. With their virtual program and campuses in Orlando and KY, I know that I am going to be getting a top notch education. So I just had to share the joy because it is a new beginning, and who knows what God is up to, but I’ll be sure to keep you posted as I continue to live surrendered and learn to worship Him with my life of obedience. God Bless, and see you on the Adventure!
I am so happy for you!
cool… and i listened to an interview of eugene peterson this morning, and in it he had something interesting to say about seminary education, kind of funny.
http://intheclearing.blogspot.com/2009/06/eugene-peterson-interview.html
That is VERY exciting news! I will pray for you as you begin this new adventure with God holding you by the hand.
How exciting! I am so thrilled for you! Thank you so much for your prayer on my blog. It touched me so much. I thought it was so sweet, and I think God has been answering it already. 🙂 Blessings, Jenny
Happy to hear this wonderful piece of News sis, God is so good!
God bless
Congratulations Robin and may God bless you while on your seminary journey 🙂