Hey everyone, I know it's been a while, and I hope now to get back in the swing of writing on a consistent basis, For now, here is a general update letter that I sent out.
Greetings,
I write this letter sitting in my studio apartment in one of the greatest cities in America. How this small town kid ever ended up living in this city and what’s more, now choosing to live in this city, is beyond even him. Let me share a little bit about how I got here. For some of you this will be old news. For others of you a welcome recap of all that God ha
s done over the last couple of months. I finished up my final semester at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. I recently received word that my graduation is officially official. The Diploma was signed! I did it! I graduated from The Moody Bible Institute with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Pastoral Ministry.
As I look back on my three and a half years at Moody, I am in awe and wonder as to all that God accomplished in and through me in such a short amount of time. I have been stretched in ways that I never would have thought possible during my time at Moody. In some ways I know so much more than when I first came in, and in other ways I have more questions now than I did before. God has been so faithful to teach me through my various professors, supervisors, experiences, hard knocks, friends, dusty old (and new) books, classes and sermons. Imagine that. I come away with a love for the Word of God, rich theology, tough questions, ministry and a deeper passion for the church and the hurting people who haven’t come to know the Savior, or long to know Him more.
Yet, as much as I have loved my time at Moody, and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, the effort and drive that it takes to do all that Moody requires and intends to be difficult, leaves me very… well… tired. OK exhausted really, and though God has been incredibly gracious in allowing me to keep up the crazy schedule of all that it required, my body and soul took a huge hit. So, as many of you know I was offered and accepted a job with Foodservice here at Moody. I am the new storeroom manager. This entails running the crew that loads everything in from the trucks at 6am, takes inventory in the storeroom, freezers, coolers and bread racks, orders the milk, vegetables, and bread, and interfaces with a lot of the vendors. So far I have loved it! It is challenging and has a lot of variety and requires foresight, but I think it is going to be the right fit for a couple of years. And the best part is, I get to leave the job, at the job.
Though it means staying in the city for a while,
I think it is the best for me. I will miss my family and friends from home immensely, and hope to get home about as often as I did while a student. I will be taking the next year or two off of intense ministry (though I find myself unable to fully stay away) in order to invest in my own relationship with Christ. Ideally taking some time off before I attempt to take the big plunge of looking for a full time pastorate will be beneficial. I appreciate your prayers as this weary soul attempts to find his way back to the vibrant, satisfying, robust relationship with God that I took into Moody. I in no way doubt that pastoral ministry is the right path for me, but I also know that before either more school or more intense ministry and responsibility I need to fall back in love with Christ.
As is the danger of any type of learning, it can become academic, and as hard as you try to apply everything keep both the growth of your soul and heart in step with your mind and skills, at some point the reality hits you that your mind and theology are somewhere much further down the road than the rest of your life is. So in hopes to close the gap and see Christ as that which I treasure more and above any and all things, I plan to take some time off to pursue Him. I want to be like the man in Matthew 13 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Not that I plan to sell everything, (nor do I feel that’s the main po
int of this passage), but I hope to set my heart and consider Christ as my greatest gain, treasure, hope and pursuit. All this so that nothing takes the place of Him, not work or ministry or theology or any of a thousand other pursuits of things that might be good and great and wonderful. “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” I want Jesus Christ to be my greatest gain, my greatest treasure, my only hope and my greatest pursuit.
That is what I am praying for. That this time of rest and recuperation, would lead me then into a relentless pursuit and love for Jesus Christ, all for the glory and honor of God. Then God can more fully use all of the wonderful things that He has equipped me with at Moody. So again, I ask for your encouragement and prayers for this process, albeit hard and difficult, that God would accomplish this in me, a willing heart.
This brings me to my second reason for writing this note. I owe to many of you more than I could ever hope to repay. The encouragement and help that you have already given me has been overwhelming and strengthening. I shudder to think what would have happened had I attempted to voyage alone down this path of ministry and education at Moody. Many of you have shared with me my greatest accomplishments, failures, joys, and grief, and because of it I am indebted to you more than you know. So, for all the time you have invested, money you have given, prayers you have prayed, tears you have cried, laughs given to humor and encourage me, gifts and packages sent, apartment warming presents, time, energy, sweat, gas money, and so much more, here is my sincerest thank you. Whether I have told you a million times, or if this is the first time (for which I apologize), I hope that this letter begins (even imperfectly) to express my overwhelming gratitude and thanks.
“Now may the God of peace – Who has brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified and eternal covenant with His blood, may He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce within you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory be to Him forever and ever! Amen.” (Heb 13:20-21)
I Love You all,
In Christ,
My Only Hope,
<>< Steven
Greetings,
I write this letter sitting in my studio apartment in one of the greatest cities in America. How this small town kid ever ended up living in this city and what’s more, now choosing to live in this city, is beyond even him. Let me share a little bit about how I got here. For some of you this will be old news. For others of you a welcome recap of all that God ha
s done over the last couple of months. I finished up my final semester at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. I recently received word that my graduation is officially official. The Diploma was signed! I did it! I graduated from The Moody Bible Institute with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Pastoral Ministry.As I look back on my three and a half years at Moody, I am in awe and wonder as to all that God accomplished in and through me in such a short amount of time. I have been stretched in ways that I never would have thought possible during my time at Moody. In some ways I know so much more than when I first came in, and in other ways I have more questions now than I did before. God has been so faithful to teach me through my various professors, supervisors, experiences, hard knocks, friends, dusty old (and new) books, classes and sermons. Imagine that. I come away with a love for the Word of God, rich theology, tough questions, ministry and a deeper passion for the church and the hurting people who haven’t come to know the Savior, or long to know Him more.
Yet, as much as I have loved my time at Moody, and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, the effort and drive that it takes to do all that Moody requires and intends to be difficult, leaves me very… well… tired. OK exhausted really, and though God has been incredibly gracious in allowing me to keep up the crazy schedule of all that it required, my body and soul took a huge hit. So, as many of you know I was offered and accepted a job with Foodservice here at Moody. I am the new storeroom manager. This entails running the crew that loads everything in from the trucks at 6am, takes inventory in the storeroom, freezers, coolers and bread racks, orders the milk, vegetables, and bread, and interfaces with a lot of the vendors. So far I have loved it! It is challenging and has a lot of variety and requires foresight, but I think it is going to be the right fit for a couple of years. And the best part is, I get to leave the job, at the job.
Though it means staying in the city for a while,
I think it is the best for me. I will miss my family and friends from home immensely, and hope to get home about as often as I did while a student. I will be taking the next year or two off of intense ministry (though I find myself unable to fully stay away) in order to invest in my own relationship with Christ. Ideally taking some time off before I attempt to take the big plunge of looking for a full time pastorate will be beneficial. I appreciate your prayers as this weary soul attempts to find his way back to the vibrant, satisfying, robust relationship with God that I took into Moody. I in no way doubt that pastoral ministry is the right path for me, but I also know that before either more school or more intense ministry and responsibility I need to fall back in love with Christ.As is the danger of any type of learning, it can become academic, and as hard as you try to apply everything keep both the growth of your soul and heart in step with your mind and skills, at some point the reality hits you that your mind and theology are somewhere much further down the road than the rest of your life is. So in hopes to close the gap and see Christ as that which I treasure more and above any and all things, I plan to take some time off to pursue Him. I want to be like the man in Matthew 13 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Not that I plan to sell everything, (nor do I feel that’s the main po
int of this passage), but I hope to set my heart and consider Christ as my greatest gain, treasure, hope and pursuit. All this so that nothing takes the place of Him, not work or ministry or theology or any of a thousand other pursuits of things that might be good and great and wonderful. “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” I want Jesus Christ to be my greatest gain, my greatest treasure, my only hope and my greatest pursuit.That is what I am praying for. That this time of rest and recuperation, would lead me then into a relentless pursuit and love for Jesus Christ, all for the glory and honor of God. Then God can more fully use all of the wonderful things that He has equipped me with at Moody. So again, I ask for your encouragement and prayers for this process, albeit hard and difficult, that God would accomplish this in me, a willing heart.
This brings me to my second reason for writing this note. I owe to many of you more than I could ever hope to repay. The encouragement and help that you have already given me has been overwhelming and strengthening. I shudder to think what would have happened had I attempted to voyage alone down this path of ministry and education at Moody. Many of you have shared with me my greatest accomplishments, failures, joys, and grief, and because of it I am indebted to you more than you know. So, for all the time you have invested, money you have given, prayers you have prayed, tears you have cried, laughs given to humor and encourage me, gifts and packages sent, apartment warming presents, time, energy, sweat, gas money, and so much more, here is my sincerest thank you. Whether I have told you a million times, or if this is the first time (for which I apologize), I hope that this letter begins (even imperfectly) to express my overwhelming gratitude and thanks.
“Now may the God of peace – Who has brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified and eternal covenant with His blood, may He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce within you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory be to Him forever and ever! Amen.” (Heb 13:20-21)
I Love You all,
In Christ,
My Only Hope,
<>< Steven
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