Well, I have finished my first year of seminary. Two semesters of 8.5 credit hours, plus working full time. Wow. I was crazy for attempting this... but by the grace of God, seminary has finished and went well, the first semester getting all A's and this past one getting mostly all A's. I have less than 2 months of work left to go and I think with all this being said, it is safe to call this madness a success. But at what expense? This one year alone has brought me to a place of burn-out. I have decided as I look for a job that I am done with close people ministry for a little while, because this job has really taken its toll on me.
You know what? Ironically, I just remembered one of my last classes of the semester. Spiritual Life, on Monday we talked about love. He started the class talking about how many clergy get burned out... something like 99.9% Then we spent the whole class talking about why. The number one reason? (according to his research and this one book) Not personally knowing that God loves them. Developing a professional relationship with the Lord, but not a personal relationship. Dealing with God as though He were for everyone in the world except for "me". Do you know how much God loves you... YOU? Do I really know how much God loves me? I don't think I realize half the time that God calls me first to know His love, for me; long before He calls me to share it with others He wants me to know He loves me.
I wanna encourage you... whoever still reads my blog... take some time; sit and think, really ponder God's love for you. Do something to make it seem new and fresh, something completely and utterly astonishing... God is crazy about you!
