Thankful for Seminary

I just finished my four year seminary career and man was it amazing. I have learned so much these past four years about the grace that God has given in sending His one and only Son. If someone were to ask me what the number one thing I learned in seminary is, I would have to say that I learned more about God's love for sinners in Christ than anything else. Before going to seminary I talked with one person who had just graduated and I asked them what they thought. They told me it should be called cemetery because this particular person's experience was not very good. I have to say that I don't understand how someone's experience could have been so negative because mine seemed so great. The professors at Southern Seminary are some of the most gifted Bible scholars in the world and yet they are very down to earth and friendly. I have had the privilege to learn the original languages of the Scripture along with courses on Church History and Systematic Theology. I have taken courses on books of the Bible from my own pastor and have been privileged to grow in my knowledge of Scripture.


 Seminary has taught me a lot, but so has marriage. Emily and I got married on June 6, 2009 and had our daughter Annie Ruth October 16, 2011 (my birthday). I have learned through marriage what it means to be a good husband who leads the family well and provides for them. I have learned the importance of not being overly busy and having quality family time. I have also learned that I am a huge sinner. Before marriage, its fairly easy to think of oneself as pretty holy, but marriage helps to bring out your true nature and allow God to really get to working on your sanctification. I am so grateful now to have a little sinner to lead in raising unto the Lord so that I can best explain this big and wonderful God I've come to know.


 Now that my seminary career is over I am sending out resumes all over the country and am passionate about serving the Lord in the local church. The local church is where God's heart is and I want to be there to serve Him. Its so great being done with seminary because now I have all the more time to devote to serving His body. I have to say that the most important thing I've learned about myself in seminary is the importance to have godly friends who will help you live for the Lord. The friends who have been there during my seminary career have truly helped me to fall more in love with Jesus when this old stubborn heart of mine wants its own ways pretty bad. I am so excited to see where God takes us next and I pray he helps me fan into flame His gift for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry.