Making Changes

The beginning of the year is a time when many people claim that they are going to make changes, resolutions to eat better, exercise more, do their homework, walk the dog, etc.  Most of them last a month at the most.  That's not what this is about though. This is about a very real, concrete change that has already been made.  Think of this as a note to keep everyone who likes to stalk me informed.

As of this morning I am no longer a dual track student at Western Theological Seminary.  I am still a student at WTS, but now I am a straight up Master's of Divinity student (instead of a combined Master's of Social work/Master's of Divinity student).

This was not a decision made lightly, but one made after many months of prayer and wrestling.  Initially, when I came to seminary I was feeling a call towards para-church, social work type work.  I wanted it to be supported by a firm theological foundation.   That's what drew me to the dual track program.  However, since coming to school G-d has been working in me and pulling me away from that dream and more towards pastoral ministry. That, along with a desire to slow down and focus more on the Master's of Divinity material while I'm here (in the dual track, 3 years of seminary are compressed into 2) is a large part of the reason I decided to make this switch.
I don't regret entering seminary in the dual track program, in fact, if it hadn't been for the dual track program, I probably wouldn't be here at all. G-d had been drawing me to seminary for awhile and I kept resisting.  The dual track was a way for G-d to get me into seminary, and now that I'm here, G-d has made it clear to me that He has plans for me that were different than the plans I had for me.  I don't feel that I misjudged G-d's call on my life when I entered the dual track program, I feel that it was G-d's way of gently shaping me for what He had planned for me.

Practically this doesn't change a whole lot.  It means I'll be here at WTS for 3 years instead of 2 and won't be doing a 2 year Master of Social work degree afterwards.  It also means a little bit of a lighter course load for me. :)
And, just to keep life interesting, I am absolutely loving my preaching class.  And I said I'd never be a preaching pastor....