Monday, October 8, 2018

Light of the World by Darkness Slain


Emotions

Emotions. It's a part of life I actively try to avoid. Emotions get in the way of productivity, emotions result in confusion and subjectivity, emotions don't benefit anyone in any way, shape, or form. At least that's what I've convinced myself over the past few years. We have become a culture so infatuated with love as an emotion, or being true to my emotions/feelings, that it's hit a sour note within myself to not be a person ruled by my heart. And that has swung the pendulum the other way. Like most typical American males there are only two emotions: happiness and anger. Any emotion that is not happiness is expressed in anger. But over the past few years, there haven't been many emotions beyond happiness or the occasional frustration, so I didn't realize how big a problem it was until I was confused as all get-out as to what I was feeling this week. Due to a situation in my life, I was overwhelmed with emotion. What emotion? Hard to tell. But that's what made me realize my weakness in this area of life. And especially as we enter the fall season and October Blues, emotions become a big deal in the way we act and relate and our moods overall. Which is why it has been a good (if frustrating) reminder from God that this is one area in my life I need to grow and be transformed in. Emotions do have a purpose. Jesus felt deeply about things, and that affected him. But he used those effects to achieve greater things, they didn't hinder him. How do I help students master their emotions rather than just squash them? 


Fall Camp

In other news, we had our fall camp recently and had a great turn-out! It was slightly showering most of the time, but we still had fun outside and inside. This is typically the time of the year where the students who will stay, stay, and the ones who are flaky, disappear. So please pray as God continues to reveal to all of us the students he wants us to invest in and the ones who will show up as leaders.

Seminary

I'm now in week three of Seminary and it is a beatdown! So much to read and learn, and so many things to keep track of when enrolled online. There's no professor to tell you exactly what is due the next time you meet up, it's just reading and rereading the syllabus to ensure that you aren't missing anything major. I'm enrolled in a New Testament class and a Vocation and Formation class and I can already tell that the VF class is teaching me so much for my own personal disciplines and growth and providing things for me to teach my students as well. Please pray as I continue to balance working and being a student again!

Thank You!

Thank you all so much for your continued support! Without your generosity, this couldn't happen. Because of you I get to do what I love, and be a part of God's kingdom vision here in DFW. Love you all so much and thanks for your constant prayers!