I apologize for not being as faithful at posting as I had hoped. Monday will begin my fifth week of Seminary. I'm really enjoying my classes and I'm still trying to build relationships with the students and faculty. The student/faculty retreat is this weekend, which will help with building relationships.
Adjusting to the commute from Macon to Atlanta has been a challenge. Thursday mornings seem to be my longest commute because I have class at 9:00 a.m., which is right in the middle of rush hour. Yesterday I left Macon at 6:00 a.m. and arrived At McAfee at 8:00 a.m.
So far Mission and Evangelism has challenged me in my faith journey the most. I'm enjoying the class, but Dr. Johnson continues to say things that make me have to reexamine my personal relationship with Christ. A couple of weeks ago we were talking about what the Kingdom focused church looks like and what a Kingdom focused person looks like. From that we got on the subject of taking care of the homeless. Dr. Johnson said there are two ways to encounter/treat the homeless one is similar to that of a parent child relationship where the parent is at a higher level than the child. The parent feeds the child, but doesn't try to relate to the child. Some people feed the homeless, but don't try to relate to them.
The other way to encounter the homeless is to put them on an equal level with you. You feed them, but you also sit down and share the meal with them. They often need to feel accepted and loved more than they need to be fed. I know I'm not at that place where I can sit down and share a meal with them, but I hope to be at that place one day.
I was feeling very alone earlier this week. I was surrounded by people, yet I was still feeling alone. I think my feelings of aloneness were for two reasons. 1. I do not have a constant connection with the community at McAfee because I commute. 2. I'm learning so many new things at school and experiencing so much I want to share them with Ben. I tell him about these experiences but words cannot convey the full experience allowing him to really understand. My feelings of loneliness were eased at chapel this week. It was an African American style worship and it really ministered to me. The preacher spoke on community and there is one Christ and one Body among all believers, despite the differences. One of the songs they used in chapel spoke to my heart the most. The lyrics are below.
I Need You to Survive
By Hezekiah Walker
I need you; You need me,
We're all a part of God's body,
Stand with me; Agree with me,
We're all a part of God's body.
It is God's will that every need be supplied,
You are important to me,
I need you to survive.
I pray for you; You pray for me,
I Love you, I need you to survive.
I won't harm you; With words of my mouth,
I Love you, I need you to survive.
It is God's will that every need be supplied,
You are important to me,
I need you to survive.
