Starting a New Chapter

Have you ever been reading a book and you just are not looking forward to moving on to the next chapter? Maybe you have an idea of what is about to happen or the next point that the author is going to make...and you do not want to go there. Maybe the book is boring and you would rather just stop while you are "ahead." Or maybe you have not understood much of what you have read so far in the book so you wonder why it would matter to read further. If you have had any of these experiences, I suppose you have also had the experience of looking forward to the next chapter. Anticipating what would be coming next. Maybe you did not understand much in the previous chapters but you still had a sense of optimism about what was to come next. Maybe things were a bit boring but you had the feeling that something interesting was bound to happen soon. Maybe you were even feeling the suspense and were impatient about finding out what was next.

Each of our lives are like books and in my story, a new chapter is about to begin. This is one I am really looking forward to. I do have an idea of what is about to happen in some ways but in other ways I do not have a clue. While I know that the author of my story has several points to make, I am not exactly sure what they all are. Things have definitely not been boring overall; however there have been many things I have not understood and some pages that seemed a bit dull or in which I had expected more to happen. Finally, I have most certainly felt impatient about starting this new chapter...yet I know that it is coming at the perfect place in the story.

I will be going to seminary full time this fall to earn a Master's degree in cross-cultural ministry. I know that I am going to learn many things, have some practical experience during an overseas practicum, be challenged and stretched with the help of an internship I will be a part of, and will meet some amazing men and women of God. I hope, that through it all I will grow closer to my Savior. I pray that I will know my Lord better and in deeper ways as a result of my time at seminary.

I know that I must be patient as the author of my life, the Lord God, continues letting the story He has written be revealed. I can only take it one page at a time. Some of the pages may not look all that great by themselves but I know that my Heavenly Father is making a beautiful story of my life and I am on the edge of my seat, full of anticipation as I get ready to start this new chapter!