Parenting Funnels

This past week in our Family and Leadership Ministries class we had a mini parenting class. We looked at the Scriptures and discussed and dialogued about different parenting strategies. I want to share some of the things I learned, not because there's someone out there who I think needs to hear this, not because I am starting some sort of parenting crusade. I just wanted to quickly share some of the things I learned this week that Courtney and I both found helpful and interesting in thinking about how we would want to parent one day.

There are an infinite number of parenting strategies, philosophies, styles, and ideas out there. And I don't really know much about most of them. Part of what we discussed this week was related to parenting and freedom for children. We learned about two different models when it comes to the way parents tend to parent their children:

The Inverted Funnel:

In this model, parents give children a great deal of freedom and choice in the early years. When the child is young, parents in this model give the child a number of choices: What do you want to eat? Do you want to go to bed? What do you want to wear? Do you want to finish your food? The same parents are also accustomed to providing a lot of feedback and end up negotiating frequently: "No, we can't eat ice cream this time. It's not good to have ice cream for breakfast." "I think maybe it is time to go to bed, you seem really tired and it's getting late." "How about you just eat three more spoon-fulls." It is all done with the best of intentions and with the thinking that the child needs more information to help them make decisions. One of the things missed with this approach is the sinful nature of the child and their inability to make proper decisions most of the time. "If they could only understand, if I just talked to them a little and helped them understand." That doesn't help most of the time, the reality is that children are not meant to decide what they eat, what they wear, or when they go to sleep. They shouldn't really be the final authority on when they have to sit at the table and when they can get up.

Another problem that often arises in these cases is that children begin to feel entitled to an explanation. Suddenly the explanation for why they have to put on a coat is necessary before obeying. Everything requires the parents to give an answer, and not just any answer, a good answer. This answer needs to be satisfactory to the child, who is growing intellectually and requires more sophisticated explanations for why they are being told what to do. All of a sudden, kids find themselves feeling restricted and unsatisfactorily instructed to do things. Mom and dad are more strict about bed times and when they need to stay sitting down and when they can move around. What tends to happen in this model is that the freedom/explanation/feedback begins to squeeze as children grow up. By the time the child is a teenager, parents (still with the best of intentions) if things are not going well, will restrict freedom, but it's the wrong time to do that. At this point in time, children are supposed to get ready to leave, but parents reactively squeeze in the authority and freedom.

The Funnel:

The idea behind the second model is essentially to reverse everything. This (I think) is the on that seems the most unnatural model or the one that we are least used to. It is definitely the one that takes the most intentionality. The idea here is to parent with the right priorities for the children. This model assumes that the most important thing for a 1-3 year old to learn is first time obedience. They don't need an explanation for what you are asking them to do. They don't need to know why they need to clean up the toys. What they need (primarily) is to understand that when mom and dad ask you to do something, you need to do it. They need to understand that they need to trust mom and dad even if they don't understand everything. Children who are accustomed to explanations and answers for everything often begin to develop a sense of anxiety and burden. They have grown accustomed to making decisions based on the level of satisfaction of the explanation and information they receive. It ends up not being based on obedience and trust on the parents.

"Because I said so" doesn't really cut it for a 15 year old or even a 10 year old. But a 2 or 3 or even 4 year old really shouldn't need much more than that. "You put your shoes on because dad told you to." The reason you start so tight is so that you have somewhere to go. Once the children have learned about the authority of their parents and that ultimately their obedience does not depend on "well that's not a good reason," then the parents can begin to loosen up. As children grow, their choices naturally grow. It's supposed to be like that. You begin to choose what you want for breakfast. You can decide how you're going to do your hair. You can more or less decide when you go to sleep. That is the natural way of maturity and adulthood. By the time children reach the teenage level, they have been well taught about respect and obedience and parents have slowly "loosened" up, and the children know that. They are given the freedom they want and expect (little by little) and are ready to be sent out in the world!

I am not a parent. Therefore, in a sense I really don't know anything about parenting. Anything. Yet in an other equally true sense, I've been learning quite a bit. Like a swimmer learning technique, the water is the real test. God-willing one day I'll be a parent too. Until then, I will continue to be amazed with parents and how they manage their homes and their lives with their children. But let's not forget to continue to study and to learn, even about our parenting!    

My Great Commission Resurgence

The Great Commission and I go way back.

I was starting my undergrad and as I was learning about biochemistry, I also began to learn about the Great Commission. Jesus' famous last words in Matthew 28:18-20 were the core of what the "Cru" was about on campus. Campus for Christ (C4C) existed to fulfill the Great Commission beginning on our campus and going to all the nations. It was our mission, it was what we were about, and in my mind, it was what set us apart from other Christian groups I had been a part of. The idea of relying on the authority of Jesus as the strength to risk everything to go to all the nations and make disciples was radical. But this mission was one that I was willing to try - at least for those four years.

This former thinking of mine reveals my complete ignorance about the nature of the Christian life and the Great Commission. The call to risk it all and to "go outside the camp" (Hebrews 13) is not something that is or should be unique to any Christian group. It is not something that is meant to characterize any one particular church, para-church organization, or denomination. It is the one purpose and duty of the Christian - of all Christians. As my understanding of the Great Commission grew, my passion for missions increased and I was blessed to be a part of a few missionary trips in the summers. Slowly, my thinking adjusted and I began to see the broadness of the call. The call was not just for McMaster University and a certain group of Christians there. It was not one of the good options we had for four years before we all graduated and moved on to "real" life. The Great Commission is the real life, the real abundant life of the Christian.

Today, however, marked another significant milestone in my life and my role in the Christian Commission. It started with a great time of prayer and study of Romans 2. My heart was stirred deeply and distinctively as I was reminded of the pending judgment for all people. Later in the morning, I was blessed to hear Dr. Greenway, the new Dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism, speak on "A Full Gospel Ministry". This, my friends, was an unbelievable sermon. My heart was deeply moved as I felt a resurgence of the Great Commission in my own heart. As I heard the words in 2 Cor 5:17-21, I once again considered the option of doing ministry overseas, of simply leaving everything behind and of realigning my life agenda with the agenda of a missionary that the Lord Jesus has already assigned to me. I left today's chapel service for the first time considering changing my concentration in seminary. Graduating from the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism would be an invaluable experience and undoubtedly a life-changing one. I left chapel knowing at least one thing - no student graduating from Southern Seminary (even from the school of Theology!) will graduate without being drenched with exhortation and encouragement on their role in the Great Commission and the reconciling of all peoples.

After chapel, I also spent some time reading Russell Moore's essay, "Theology Bleeds" and David Platt's "Outside the Camp". My heart continued to be enlightened to the glory of the Christian call:

"One purpose: the glory of God. He has created us, He has commissioned us, and He has commanded us to devote our lives and our churches to His glory in all the world. This is our purpose." - D. Platt

Platt's essay pointed to the next missing piece in my understanding of the Great Commission. The mission is not just for all Christians, it is for me! It had become incredibly easy for me to see how everyone ELSE had to strap their boots on and get going on the Great Commission, while at the same time keeping my "future plans" of local church ministry untouched.

The people of God have always been tempted to retreat from the mission they were given. The Israelites were not confident in the conquering of Canaan, the persecuted Hebrews in the New Testament were holding back from their mission as well. We must realize that distractions, physical dangers, temptations to remain comfortable, and hesitancy to leave family have always been there. And they will never go away. It is so easy to be willing to obey a Jesus who does not call us to go to the hard places. It is so easy to be willing to obey a Jesus who looks like us, who values comfort like us, who is okay with us staying where we want. The problem with that god is that it is us and not the real Creator of the universe who's heart is for ALL people.

Today I recommitted my life the Great Commission. I have reprioritized the needs of the world and the calling given to me by God over my own comforts. Today I needed to repent. The spiritual noise and glitz in North America is unbelievably sedative to the Christian who is not waging war on the principalities of this world by intentionally living missionally and evangelistically.

Let us not be lulled, not any more. Let us join the Spirit birthed resurgence for the Great Commission. No spirit-dwelled husband, wife, student, office worker, lawyer, musician, or pastor will ever know what it means to abide in the one Who's heart has always been for all nations until they surrender their lives to that same heart and mission. No Christian will completely understand the gospel until they understand their duty in gospel ministry for all nations. It is only us who have been given the ministry of reconciliation. So let us go forth as ambassadors. May we live lives and die deaths of Christ commanded Great Commission.

The First Two Weeks of Classes and Syllabus Shock

Once again I find myself writing a lot later than I would have wanted to, although the title of this post probably gives a good hint as to why. We have now finished our second week of studies at Southern and I think I can finally say I am getting over Syllabus Shock.

 

I was in denial until the end of my first week, but I was finally able to admit it and self-diagnosed myself with a mild case of Syllabus Shock. Apparently it's pretty common around here, although I kind of chuckled and raised an eyebrow at the concept the first time I heard about it. 

 

Apparently there's something in that first week of classes that "infects" you as you look at your reading lists, papers and tests that are on their way to you faster than you can get ready for them, not to mention adjusting to a new neighbourhood and way of doing (and writing...) things, together with family, church, work, and ministry responsibilities and maintaining a solid foundation for what you're doing by prioritizing your time with the Lord, without failing to maintain communication with friends and family back home and...

 

It was a little overwhelming.

 

It really doesn't have THAT much to do with the syllabus, but those syllabi seem to jump-start the whole "condition".

 

With that said, these two weeks have been great. We're pretty well adjusted to our schedules and routines, but nothing is as set and clean and straightforward as the nice 8-4 jobs we were used to. We've done quite a bit of exploring although there's always more to do. There's so much that has happened that it's hard for me to really know what to say here to try and summarize things, but I decided to answer a few questions we've been getting a lot and some that I'm making up myself because they're relevant to our first weeks here in Louisville.

 

What's the weather like down there?

Hot. Just... hot. Every day it's over 30ᴼC from the time we leave our house (7:45AM) to the time we get home, whether that's at 1:00PM, 4:00PM, or 6:00PM. The humidity almost always makes it feel like its over 40ᴼC so things often feel very sticky. I don't really mind it too much, but Courtney is really looking forward to the fall.

 

What do you miss the most about Canada?

Family and church hands down. But also my puppy Champ and some Nestea-powder, which we haven't found here. We also haven't found good popcorn salt... I kind of miss being able to read the French side of the cereal labels. A Tim Hortons around here would also be nice...

 

What do you like the most about Louisville?

Lots of things. We both love the country feel in the city. It's probably well known that Courtney is a small-town girl and I'm more of a city guy and that's why Louisville is so great. There's lots of old neighbourhoods and houses with big trees and big yards, away from lots of traffic, but the downtown is only a few minutes away. It really is a beautiful city with some really amazing people. 

 

What's your apartment like?

I'll work on a post and dedicate a whole post to that :).

 

When are you coming/going back to Canada?

Keeping Proverbs 19:21 in mind, we really don't know. We are hoping to drive up for Christmas but at this point we're not sure of a trip before that.

 

What classes are you taking?

- Intro to Church History (this one is probably the most interesting)

- Greek (Μου αρέσει εκμάθηση της ελληνικής γλώσσας)

- Theology of the New Testament (I get to see Schreiner twice a week)

- Theology and Practice of Personal Evangelism (this one is probably impacting my life the most)

- Family and Leadership Ministry (I'm very glad Courtney and I are taking this one together)

 

How about that sohthern accent?

What accent? No, sometimes it doesn't even feel like we're living in the south (probably because we are in the northern-most part of the south). You do hear it a little, but not enough to get me to drop my "eh's". (And for the record, "you guys" is still better than "y'all")

 

Feel free to post any questions or thoughts or if you're curious about any aspect of our lives right now! I'll be working on something about our apartment and neighbourhood soon!

 

Recounting the Story of Our Move

Well, we are here, we made it!

 

It's been a very busy week and I would have really liked to post something earlier on, but I guess one week is not too bad. The whole experience of packing, moving, and getting here was an adventure in and of itself, and it deserves it's own post. I will write something, hopefully tomorrow, about our first few days here.

 

It all started with the pickup of the truck. We had booked our 17' foot truck (we went for the bigger of the two options we were considering: the 14' and the 17') well in advance over a month ago. We had heard and read stories about people not getting what they had asked for or not getting what they wanted in time so we called and confirmed our order early in the week to make sure we were going to be able to get our 17' truck at 8:30AM so we could start loading ASAP. The lady was very kind and assured us that everything was okay and sent an e-mail confirmation about our order, the pickup location, and the pickup time.

 

Courtney and I went to pick up the truck at 8:20AM on Thursday morning (this was last week...) and after waiting about half an hour in line (I don't mind having to wait in lines too much) we finally got to talk to the rental rep who informed us that they did not have a truck for us. Again, he was also very polite and told us that they only had the 14' if we wanted to switch to that one instead. The customer that had the truck we booked was supposed to return it by 11:30AM that morning. The thing was that we didn't know for sure if they were going to return it in time. He tried calling the customer but no one picked up, he checked all the locations in the area to see if there was a 17' truck in the area that we could borrow - nothing. They only had ONE 20' truck at a different location and that was it. I was already not feeling super excited about having to drive what seemed to me like a HUGE 17-foot truck for 9 hours on the interstate, the idea of having to get a bigger one and having to pay more for gas wasn't too appealing. He did say that we would get a deal on the gas though. We decided that we were going to wait until 11:30 and see whether our truck came in or not. By the time we left, my mom and brothers were already at our place waiting for us so we could start loading. Courtney's parents were on their way.

 

The morning came and went and we got a call at around noon saying that the truck never came but that they did have a 20' that had arrived at their facility that we could take. We needed a truck so we decided to go for it. After another 45 minutes in line and a bit of a stressful morning, we had a truck, got a discount, and we were ready to start loading! It took a couple of hours but we JUST managed to fit all of our stuff into the bigger truck and had everything piled pretty much to the top - it would not have fit on the 17-footer!

 

We spent that night in New Hamburg and got up early the next morning to start driving. My parents and brother met us in the morning and we started the caravan to Kentucky. Departure time - 3:30AM.

 

The truck ended up being quite fun and easy to drive and we made it to the border with no problems. It was the shortest crossing time we'd had so we were just hoping that the inspection and the actual crossing was going to go well. And it did... except for the fact that I wasn't able to open the lock we decided to put in the truck that morning. I didn't have the code for it and even after frantically texting Courtney's dad for it, we still weren't able to open. We as in myself and the other 3 border-patrol officers. In the end they ended up cutting the lock, were very polite and kind, and let us go through no problem!

 

After a few stops to get gas, some coffees, and a quick lunch stop, we finally got to what would be our new apartment at around 3:30PM (12 hours later - a record long drive!). By then, we are all quite tired and the idea of unloading things was not too appealing. However, we knew that it wouldn't be as nice not to have a bed to sleep in, and we would have to go buy another lock for the truck if we didn't unload before it got dark. We ended up giving the unloading a go and with the help of our neighbors (about 5 of them) we were completely unloaded in an hour!

 

Our next-door neighbours are a married couple from Indiana and they were moving in when we got here. He is starting his M.Div. as well at Southern and they had one little guy who is turning 1 this month. It was great to see and meet our neighbours the first day and get a sense of how nice the community around here was going to be.

 

After talking to our neighbours about their move too, we found out that they had the exact same problem with the truck as us. They ordered a certain size for a certain time, and when they got there it wasn't available. They ended up going with the bigger truck, and much like us, they wouldn't have been able to fit their stuff if they had gotten the truck they wanted, when they wanted it. The way the trucks ended up working out reminded us again of the Lord's sovereignty and favour in our move. Also the fact that although both Thursday and Friday were supposed to be rain-days in Mississauga and Louisville, and we didn't get rained on at all, really encouraged us and gave more reason to thank God for a safe and smooth trip :).

We're Moving Next Week! - Update

We are now starting our last weekend in Mississauga before the big move. These past couple of weeks have been wonderful - wonderfully relaxing and wonderfully busy. We've been able to enjoy one week of relaxation at the cottage with Courtney's family and one week of rest and relaxation at Blue Mountain with my family. Also, now that we are both done work, there's been a lot of "TO DO's" that need to be checked off and of course some packing that needs to get started.

We've been able to enjoy great times with our families and friends and have been very, very encouraged and blessed by all the support and help we have received from so many of our friends. A lot of people have been wondering where we are at with the moving process and if we are "all set for the move". I thought it might be fun to write a little post with some updates with how we are doing, where we are at with our "TO DO's" and what still needs to get done. So, if you're interested, enjoy!

 

THINGS IN LOUISVILLE:

Most of the things that need to be set up in Louisville are set up. We have our courses picked, everything school related is on track, we only need to buy our books - 24 books for me and 16 for Courtney (we'll be sharing 13 of them though so it's really only 27 we need to get...) *gulp*. Once we get to Louisville we'll be importing our car, getting a Kentucky license plate, applying for a Kentucky Driver's License (which requires a written and a road test...) and Kentucky Driver's Insurance. We also need to get our renter's insurance and our internet set up. Finally, we'll be looking to get new cell phone numbers as soon as possible.

 

TRAVELING THINGS:

Most of our traveling documents are also ready. I had to apply for an urgent passport renewal earlier this week since it expires next year. Because we are applying for a 3-year visa, our passports cannot expire prior to the expected date of our return to Canada (Spring 2016). We will be going and having our visa interview on Monday (you can be praying for that...) which will make the actual trip down next Thursday a lot smoother when we have our truck full and don't have to stop at the border for the interview. We also have our moving truck booked and will have some help for our loading day (next Thursday).

 

FINANCIAL THINGS:

It is actually unbelievable to me what God has chosen to provide for us financially. I would have NEVER thought that we would be leaving for Louisville in the financial situation we are in. We by no means have extra money that we don't know what do with, but instead the Lord has chosen to provide for our daily and short-term needs financially and with the faith that we need to continue to look to Him for what will need tomorrow. For example, we were very happy when we received notice that we had both received a scholarship for $1600 for our first year of studies! I also received an offer of employment for a job on campus that I'll be starting in 2 weeks! Things like these have kept our spirits up and our eyes on the Lord. Our family and friends have also been a huge, huge blessing in this area by offering meals, giving gifts, and just encouraging us in trusting and looking to the Lord for our needs.

SPIRITUAL THINGS:
Spiritually, these past couple of weeks have been great because of all the "time" we have. I haven't had this much time to spend in the Word in and prayer in a long time and although there have been many hours that could have been better spent lately, I've really been enjoying spending time in the Psalms and in prayer every morning. Whether it is packing, running errands, or spending time with friends and family, our eyes and minds have been on the leading of the Lord. These past couple of weeks have been very exciting and busy, but there has also been significant times of sadness and tears as the date of the move gets closer and closer.

Aside from this, we have began our packing (as you can see in the picture) and we're making good progress on it. I'm feeling very, very excited about the move, about starting school and about starting this new chapter in our lives. I am going to miss our family so much, our friends, our church, our small group, our city, our ministry here, and everything that is so familiar. At the same time the Lord has so much more refining to do in us and for the next couple of years this work will be done in unfamiliar territory away from our church, family, and friends - and it will be AWESOME.  

One Year Later - The Seminary Impossibilities Seem Bigger, But Our God Seems Greater Still

This weekend, Courtney and I had the opportunity to drive back to Louisville on our second trip to the city and the seminary to take a second look at what our life might look like in just a few months.

 

So many things have changed since we came down for the first time last year. A year ago, we were only beginning to think about going to seminary at all, Courtney had no desire to do more studying, we had not applied, everything - absolutely EVERYTHING was new and almost overwhelming to think about.
 

Over the past couple of months since getting accepted, there has been little break from googling apartments in the area, selecting courses, figuring out finances, thinking about moving trucks, praying for guidance, applying for visas, looking at health insurance, organizing paperwork, praying for faith, looking for jobs and applying for jobs, applying for scholarships. There always seems to be something we need to work on, have to submit, or should start looking at. It's amazing to think that although we have almost none of the same questions we had last year (Are we called to seminary? Is it feasable to move to Kentucky? Would we get accepted?) the impossibility of this journey is so much more evident - the impossibility of this journey without the Lord.

 

Our thinking from the beginning has always been the same - this is crazy, and unless the Lord guides and directs every one of the ten thousand steps required for this, it will never happen. All it takes is 1 door to close and we would have no choice but to stay in Canada. What we see one year later is that our God has been with us and has done a massive work of faith in our hearts. Looking back at how far we have come fills us with faith in an unfathomably strong and loving God who cares deeply for us. This faith strengthens us to carry forward to honour the Lord through the thousands of questions and uncertainties.

 

The Lord has also done a massive work of humility in our hearts. This humility keeps us from letting go of the Lord's hand as we get closer and closer to the end of the beginning of this journey. His mercy in humbling our hearts keeps us from thinking that we can fill out paperwork without the Holy Spirit, that we will have the finances needed outside of the generous hand of the Lord, that we will have the sanity and holiness to continue to strengthen our marriage without the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

In some ways the question marks in our life have only gotten bigger and multiplied. And yet, Jesus has revealed Himself able and willing to carry His weak and immature children through the purifying fires of trials and uncertainties to open our eyes to see His glory more fully and more clearly.

 

The irony of it all that the more the Lord walks us on this path, and opens doors for us in this life, the more that we love Him and the less we care about this life and this path. The more the Lord is providing and blessing our lives right now, the more I long to be with Him in glory. The more the Gospel becomes my life, the more I want to run on greener pastures, the more we want to drink from sweeter waters. My soul is getting restless for the place where we belong, I can't wait to join the angels and sing to Jesus - forever.  

 

 

Course Selection Day!

I already mentioned how much I had been waiting to receive that phone call from Southern to see whether Courtney and I were going to be accepted as students for the Fall semester (yes, part of me always thought that there were many, many reasons why they would not accept us...). Since that call, the next day that I have been looking forward to in this seminary journey - that is today, Course Selection Day!

Nothing special about today, really. After all, I had already spent hours looking into the course requirements for my degree and already had my entire degree planned out. I already knew which cores and which professors I wanted to pick and the order in which I wanted to take my courses. After I was finished with mine, since there were still a few days until course selection day, I decided to do the same thing for Courtney's program and try to help her out with her courses. (How kind of me!) Once I was done that, I decided to do that for one of the programs that Courtney is still considering (not very strongly... but still a possibility) as well.

Then finally today came, and I got to log in and spend all of 60 seconds clicking and dragging the courses I wanted to take for the fall semester. Now I'm all registered! (it was a little anticlimactic really...). Again, it reminded me very much of my course selection for my undergrad, except a lot less stressful, and there was no need to click "sign in" right at 12:00AM to try to reduce the chances that you were going to be locked out of the system for 20 minutes until someone else logged out. So here is the product of the 60 seconds of excitement right after breakfast this morning:

MDiv. (Biblical and Theological Studies)

(Fall 2013)

• Elementary Greek (Dr. Plummer) --> (yes I'll do some Greek again...)
• Leadership and Family Ministry (Dr. Stinson)
• Introduction to Church History I (Dr. Haykin)
• Theology of the New Testament (Dr. Schreiner)
• Introduction to Missiology (Rev. Pratt)

I get to take Leadership and Family Ministry as well as Introduction to Missiology with Courtney, so I am really looking forward to that! Doing school together sure will be interesting, and very different from what we're used to now!

The Southern (Wake Up) Call

There are very few phone calls that I remember receiving that were as eagerly awaited and as exciting as the call I got on the evening of February 12th, 2012 from Louisville, Kentucky. That was the call I had dreamed of receiving for years, when I would finally hear "we are happy to inform you that you have been accepted to study at Southern Seminary". I had already started dreaming and thinking about what life in seminary would be like, what it would be like to meet and study under great professors and scholars such as Dr. Albert Mohler Jr., Dr. Russell Moore and Dr. Thomas Schreiner. August couldn't come fast enough! I was on my way to teach some violin lessons and, needless to say, my mind was not really focused on music or my students very well. 



The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

In a sense, this call made me feel a lot like how receiving an acceptance letter from McMaster University made me feel just a few years ago - that feeling of relief, and dreams coming true, and something so great finally being so close, is probably something we can all relate to. Maybe it wasn't a phone call or a letter that has made you feel unusually and uniquely overjoyed, but chances are that you can relate to the feeling I'm trying to explain. For you, likely, it wasn't seminary and you might be thinking that this excitement about seminary sounds  a little obsessive. If you are, you are not too far off from the truth.

I think part of me has been obsessed with seminary for a few years. I've always enjoyed school and reminisce about studyig and learning at least once a week (even though I really enjoy the working life). People I know who feel called to go to ministry and decide to go to seminary are some of my present-day spiritual heros. The combination of going back to school and being prepared and equipped by the Holy Spirit through pastors and professors to serve the Lord in full time ministry is that one season of life I often can't wait for.

My wife often says to me, "don't wish away your present" - often in a very 'be careful', wise, and gentle way. God has really used her in my life to help me see this very temptation in my life with regards to school in seminary. Throughout the past year I have gotten a few wake-up calls and warnings in this area of my life. I have realized more and more and been able to apply to my life more and more the idea that ministry preparation does not begin nor end with seminary. The purpose of the seminary is the glory of God through preparation for the service of God. Seminary will only be as beneficial as I can see past the seminary to the call of the Lord in my life. It would be foolish and downright pathetic if one of the tools God wanted to use to refine me became an idol in my life. Let us not wish we had what we don't and were where we aren't. Let us not wish away, in discontentment and envy, our present blessing from God for the hope and assumed joy in something future the Lord doesn't have for us (yet, and might never). .