I took a break from the blog for the summer, and it was encouraging to hear from some of you who read this that you were missing it. The reason for the break was due to the fact that I had a job. I once again worked with K-5th graders at Christian Wee Learn. I had intended to keep you updated on what was happening there throughout the summer, but I decided to take a summer vacation from blogging instead. In the process I quit posting my thoughts as I walked through the Bible, beginning in Genesis. Starting today, I hope to get back into a routine of blogging, especially by picking up in Deuteronomy and continuing on through the Bible. But for now I thought I would give you a quick wrap up of the summer.
As I said, I worked with the kids at Christian Wee Learn in a very busy summer. We did not have as many kids as we had last year, but with an average of 20 a day (some days as many as 28), we had our hands full at all times. Discipline problems were down this year with only two or three kids who seemed to stay in trouble. Yet even those kids were able to turn it around by the end of the summer, making it a much more pleasurable experience this year.
We once again did a Bible Study while learning the books of the Bible, 8 memory verses, and 10 key passages. Most of these kids I had had in the past, and several already knew their books coming into the summer. They also found out that some of the verses were verses that they had learned at church (for those who attend church). Our Bible Stories centered around the theme: Following God Despite the Cost, in which we looked at the lives of Joseph, Peter, and Paul. We walked through their story, spending about 3 weeks with each man, looking at how they followed God in every circumstance they faced (whether good or bad). They stood by God, and even though they faltered at times, they ended up coming back to Him, determined to follow His commands.
So instead of continuing in Deuteronomy, I spent a lot of time studying the lives of these three men, learning just what it means to follow God. It does not matter if everything is going perfect, as it was for Joseph at times, or whether everyone and everything is against you, as Joseph also saw as well as Paul. In any and every circumstance we are called to follow God no matter what. This study has been helpful to me as I have now stepped out completely on my own as I have moved on to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. I am 12 hours away from family, and that in itself is a hard adjustment. On top of that, I have to think about a job, where to go to church, and study for my classes. But I know that in the midst of all this, I am first and foremost called to follow Him. That is my number one calling in life, and if I do that correctly, then everything else will fall into place (as long as I am responsible enough to take care of these different responsibilities). It was such a timely study time for me, and I thank God that I not only had the opportunity to share it with the kids this summer, but that I also had the opportunity to learn that truth even more this summer.
So as I said, I am now at Southeastern, here in Wake Forest, NC. This is a major change in my life, and I'll admit that it is scary. But each day is getting a little bit easier, and I know that as time goes on, this place will begin to feel like home (in some ways). I will get plugged into different places, meet new people, and grow attached to this school just like I did at Union. But in this time of transition, I am going to try hard to remember what I have learned this summer and continue to study, seeing what God has for me next.
Be looking for the continuation of my walk through the Bible either tonight or tomorrow. I hope to look at Deuteronomy 2 next. Hopefully things will get back to normal here on the blog after a long summer vacation.
By the way, this post is the first in a new series entitled: "SEBTS Updates"
Matt
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