Vision

This quarter is a little hard for me. I am an SIS student who loves to focus on application and practicalities. I definitely need the theoretical, bigger picture as a frame of reference for what I learn and what I'm involved in, but if none of that changes or affects what I'm doing now, or will do in the future, I lose interest.

Welcome to my quarter. Due to the way classes were scheduled this quarter, as well as the fact that I took the majority of my core classes last year, I'm only in theology classes this quarter.

I am taking Old Testament Writings with Jim Butler, who is a very kind and sincere man. He exudes passion for his subjects but in very understated ways that could be easy to miss. I really appreciate this about him! I actually have noticed it in all my theology/Bible professors thus far; each one teaches the classes for years, yet every lecture isn't just a recitation of the old, but teaching like it's the first time. It's easy to see the professors' love for their subjects!

My next class is New Testament 2: Acts-Revelation, with Love Sechrest. Dr. Sechrest is a brilliant woman who has so much to offer every lecture that I think she may be frustrated that she wasn't able to share all that she wanted to. Yet she faithfully ends classes on time, respectful of the students' time.

Finally, I'm taking Jesus and the Kingdom of God with Joel Green. Wow. This is an elective for me, and I'm glad to remember that to get me to class at 8am twice a week (I'm not a morning person and often work until 11pm)! I took this class as an opportunity to wrestle with the idea of the Kingdom of God, and what Jesus meant when he proclaimed it. I'm not interested in simply learning the historic facts and learning what all the historians and theologians have to say. Knowing their perspective is helpful, but not where I want to go with the class. So, I took this class pass/fail (see my previous post on "The Joys of Pass/Fail" for more on this subject!). At any rate, I feel like the class thus far is a little over my head, and hasn't satisfied my itch much at all. I am sure it will get better as we dive more into the texts of the gospels, though.

So with a schedule like that, it's hard to motivate myself to do all the assigned readings. I KNOW that all of this material will be so much more appreciated 3, or 23 years from now, and it's one of the reasons I came to a seminary for a cross-cultural and development education. I need the Biblical foundation for my life, and I want to be a holistic development practitioner who has integrated her faith with her career. But I'm not passionate about any of these subjects, and I don't have any classes this quarter that I absolutely love. Next quarter will be a different story! I haven't had any other quarters like this, it's just the way it has worked out for me.

I know this is just one short season of my time here at Fuller.

Where there is no vision, the people perish.

This is one of those times to remember the vision God has given to me. This is when I need to remember the dreams and passions he has put in my heart. I need to maintain the vision of what is to come to motivate me in the present.

Thankfully, God has blessed me with life-giving opportunities every day. I am finding that I enjoy my job more now, and I am finding good friends in my coworkers. I used to be too busy with projects and papers to hang out outside of work. I am learning to be more intentional about meeting up with friends here who I don't see in my classes anymore, or calling those who don't live nearby. It's good, and I am thankful.

2.5 weeks down, 7.5 weeks to go!