I am writing today to update you on what the Lord has been doing this past year and my plans for next year. This past March 13th, I posted a blog titled “Breadth and Depth,” named so after the departed Jerry Bridges. In that blog post I announced that I would begin classes at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, working towards a Master of Theological Studies. I began graduate studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, March 21st of this year. Last week I completed my fourth class in that educational pursuit.
The first four classes of the program are called Bible Survey classes. We were required to read every book of the Bible, do a great deal of reading about each book in the Bible, discuss what we read with the other students, and write several papers. Some of my papers (not all) have been posted to this blog. The subject matter that you see on this blog will likely change over the next year, because this spring I will be taking Church History courses, a Hermeneutics course during the summer, and Theology courses in the fall.
The Gospel According to John evangelism ministry that the Lord has given me continues. Since June of this year I have been going down to the Smith County Courthouse one morning each week, on the weeks that jurors are being called; proclaiming what is written in “The Gospel According to John,” while passing our copies of the book. Lord willing, I plan to do the same in downtown Houston, Texas, and at NRG stadium during the Super Bowl Outreach with Sports Fan Outreach International, February 2-5, 2017.
Lastly, by profession I am a Critical Care Registered Nurse. I am now beginning my 20th year in the profession. Most nurses do not stay at the bedside as long as I have; they will either go into hospital management, case management, some sort of sales job, or return to school and get an advance practice degree. I had considered doing Critical Care/Cardiovascular nursing education within the hospital given my many years of experience. In fact, I was contacted by the Chief Nursing Officer of the hospital about that very thing. I jumped at the opportunity, because I have a burning desire within me to teach. After she connected me with the head of the education department I was disappointed to find out that the job had already been filled by a nurse with much less experience from another hospital.
I was, to say the least, very disappointed that I didn’t get the opportunity to apply. That disappointment has caused me to become discontent with my current job status. So, I have decided to quit my full-time job and work on an as needed status in all the ICU’s in the hospital; not just the Cardiovascular ICU, where I have been for many years. In this new position I will be able to work as often as I did before, but make my own schedule while continuing graduate studies and ministry.
