July has been a very full month - so much has happened!
The Student Center: where we hang out and study
The short version is that I have been studying for Greek and working.
The long version could go on for a very long time. So after not studying (much), not feeling prepared, and trusting myself much more than God and getting a 78 on the first test THEN feeling prepared, having studied, and learning to trust God for the second test and getting a 72 on the second test I was worried about getting the necessary 80%(ish) they require before allowing us to move on to the next section.
As I explained last month, God backed me into a corner and showed me what it meant to trust in Him. Trusting God does't mean that He'll give me A's (what I expect/want from Him), but what it does mean is that He'll make me fall more in love with Him and that He will give me things that will glorify Him and use me to be a light to others (which means that giving me C's, D's or even F's is just as loving of Him as giving me B's or A's - yikes! I am loved but not necessarily given what I think I want).
The long version could go on for a very long time. So after not studying (much), not feeling prepared, and trusting myself much more than God and getting a 78 on the first test THEN feeling prepared, having studied, and learning to trust God for the second test and getting a 72 on the second test I was worried about getting the necessary 80%(ish) they require before allowing us to move on to the next section.
As I explained last month, God backed me into a corner and showed me what it meant to trust in Him. Trusting God does't mean that He'll give me A's (what I expect/want from Him), but what it does mean is that He'll make me fall more in love with Him and that He will give me things that will glorify Him and use me to be a light to others (which means that giving me C's, D's or even F's is just as loving of Him as giving me B's or A's - yikes! I am loved but not necessarily given what I think I want).
Yet, God was Gracious to give me the 'B
On the Saturday before the Final on Monday I finally found a study method that seems effective for me. I had been greatly loved for in the dispensing of study advice, but it took five and a half weeks of a six week course to sort through it all and figure out what works best for me.
I got an 88% on the Final (a point above the class average!) and finished with an 85% in the course. It felt wonderful. While I am still grossly inadequate to the task of learning Greek, I have been allowed victory and found encouragement to confidently move forward.
Thanks for all who have been helping and encouraging!
That night I cooked my roommates some celebratory pork steak and I burned my hand on boiling grease. It's healing, but it looks gross.
I got an 88% on the Final (a point above the class average!) and finished with an 85% in the course. It felt wonderful. While I am still grossly inadequate to the task of learning Greek, I have been allowed victory and found encouragement to confidently move forward.
Thanks for all who have been helping and encouraging!
That night I cooked my roommates some celebratory pork steak and I burned my hand on boiling grease. It's healing, but it looks gross.
Work (washing windows) has been really wonderful.
Yet, over the last several weeks the amount available to us has been becoming sparse. In the last two weeks week in which I was scheduled for forty hours I worked for 18.
Which means I'll be continuing to look for more steady/predictable work especially as the team isn't optimistic about the amount of window washing work to increase when the weather gets cold.
For a brief while I was the leading candidate for a directors position of a developing ministry to high school students in the area. It was exciting to think that I might earn a yearly salary that would free me from taking any loans and to have a good amount of money to save and spend with out worry. I was looking to reduce my class load and extend my education a year or more so that I could have enough time to do both work and classes. Yet God closed the door as the ministry prayerfully decided, instead of hiring their first staff position and moving forwards that it would be best to no longer operate the ministry in any official capacity and close down shop. I was disappointed and then shocked to see how insecure I felt in the aftermath of it. The prospect of not needing loans, always having extra money for movies and pizza, etc, made me feel very safe, and so while I wasn't any worse off afterward I simply felt insecure in ways I hadn't prior to the potential job offer. It was kind of exciting to see exposed the ways that I was looking for security other than in God. While it's not foolish or sinful to desire a job that brings in lots of money it is both sinful and foolish to trust in those things for my well being, happiness, and security in things that are not God. The road ahead isn't safe and it may not be comfortable, but it will be the good gift of a sovereign God who loves me.
Which means I'll be continuing to look for more steady/predictable work especially as the team isn't optimistic about the amount of window washing work to increase when the weather gets cold.
For a brief while I was the leading candidate for a directors position of a developing ministry to high school students in the area. It was exciting to think that I might earn a yearly salary that would free me from taking any loans and to have a good amount of money to save and spend with out worry. I was looking to reduce my class load and extend my education a year or more so that I could have enough time to do both work and classes. Yet God closed the door as the ministry prayerfully decided, instead of hiring their first staff position and moving forwards that it would be best to no longer operate the ministry in any official capacity and close down shop. I was disappointed and then shocked to see how insecure I felt in the aftermath of it. The prospect of not needing loans, always having extra money for movies and pizza, etc, made me feel very safe, and so while I wasn't any worse off afterward I simply felt insecure in ways I hadn't prior to the potential job offer. It was kind of exciting to see exposed the ways that I was looking for security other than in God. While it's not foolish or sinful to desire a job that brings in lots of money it is both sinful and foolish to trust in those things for my well being, happiness, and security in things that are not God. The road ahead isn't safe and it may not be comfortable, but it will be the good gift of a sovereign God who loves me.
I feel settled into "now" but not necessarily a whole new life.
Since starting college I have always used my summers to do something new, exciting, and away from home. In fact, since leaving for Muhlenberg the first time I have not spent more than two consecutive weeks sleeping in King of Prussia.
So right now, I kinda feel like I'm at "Greek Camp." Life feels transitory. So, I've been focused on earning money and learning Greek. I've always tried to enjoy the company of the people I'm with. I've sought to care for them in conversation and in whatever aid I can offer. I've listened attentively to the sermons at the churches I've visited. Yet, I havn't been in a consistent weekly Bible study, I havn't focused on forming deep affirming relationships, I havn't really bought into the fact that this will be my home for a bear minimum of three years (kinda looks like it might be more anyway).
I was grocery shopping and for the second time since being here had to buy cheese (mostly for sandwiches for my packed lunches at work). The fist time I bought the cheese I did what I have done in the past, buy the cheapest quality and the smallest quantity. I grabbed for that again and realized, I'm going to be eating lunch here for weeks, months, years. I can spend MORE money and get a larger quantity of cheese for a better value. It felt like a weird commitment thing. I was buying groceries for the long haul. It feels really adult like.
This Wednesday the director of student development and I went to get lunch at the food court in the mall. It wasn't anything profound, but I realized that I was now attending a school that employs a person who'se job it was to spend time with me and to get to know me as a person: what my dreams and goals where, what's made me into the person I am. He answered questions I had, spoke truth into my life, and helped guide me. It wasn't like a professional counseling session or anything, we talked sports and food. He shared a lot about his life and we just generally had a good time. I'm so blessed to be here.
My roommates and I are getting along well. We've been watching a good amount of Harry Potter, working on Greek, and talking about girls.
The average age of the people I hang out with is about 28. We play board games, and go to bars, and watch movies, and eat meals. A lot of them have wives and kids, have lived all over the world. I hear that in the fall more single and younger students will arrive, but I have not felt isolated or left out. This is really a new chapter in my life. I'm doing something completely new. It's great.
So right now, I kinda feel like I'm at "Greek Camp." Life feels transitory. So, I've been focused on earning money and learning Greek. I've always tried to enjoy the company of the people I'm with. I've sought to care for them in conversation and in whatever aid I can offer. I've listened attentively to the sermons at the churches I've visited. Yet, I havn't been in a consistent weekly Bible study, I havn't focused on forming deep affirming relationships, I havn't really bought into the fact that this will be my home for a bear minimum of three years (kinda looks like it might be more anyway).
I was grocery shopping and for the second time since being here had to buy cheese (mostly for sandwiches for my packed lunches at work). The fist time I bought the cheese I did what I have done in the past, buy the cheapest quality and the smallest quantity. I grabbed for that again and realized, I'm going to be eating lunch here for weeks, months, years. I can spend MORE money and get a larger quantity of cheese for a better value. It felt like a weird commitment thing. I was buying groceries for the long haul. It feels really adult like.
This Wednesday the director of student development and I went to get lunch at the food court in the mall. It wasn't anything profound, but I realized that I was now attending a school that employs a person who'se job it was to spend time with me and to get to know me as a person: what my dreams and goals where, what's made me into the person I am. He answered questions I had, spoke truth into my life, and helped guide me. It wasn't like a professional counseling session or anything, we talked sports and food. He shared a lot about his life and we just generally had a good time. I'm so blessed to be here.
My roommates and I are getting along well. We've been watching a good amount of Harry Potter, working on Greek, and talking about girls.
The average age of the people I hang out with is about 28. We play board games, and go to bars, and watch movies, and eat meals. A lot of them have wives and kids, have lived all over the world. I hear that in the fall more single and younger students will arrive, but I have not felt isolated or left out. This is really a new chapter in my life. I'm doing something completely new. It's great.