"God’s name is His wireless hotspot."

Dr. Davis, my Systematic Theology 1 professor, makes the class chuckle as he explains that Jesus is where His church is. He is referring to Matthew 18:20, when Jesus says "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

So He's here, in grad school.
I'm here, in grad school.
In seminary.
Full time.

It really is a dream come true.

I spent the summer in Rhode Island as a beach bum when I was not at either of my two jobs.  It was a beautiful time of suntanning, crisp ocean, family, cousin bonding, and freedom.  Sometime around the beginning of July I made the decision that I would attend Gordon-Conwell part-time, taking classes online, working, and living with my gracious parents.

T, my admissions rep, called me sometime at the end of July with some news that would change the whole plan.  Some funding became available, and I received a scholarship that covered almost half of my tuition for the year.  I was surprised, scared, excited, and totally overjoyed.  I talked it over with my parents and soon came to the decision that I wanted to seize this opportunity God was giving me and attend full-time.

I applied for housing (which they told me to do even though it was full), and within a week I found out that I was first on the waiting list.  Then they found a room for me and it all began to fall into place.

And now I'm here!  I'm experiencing full-time seminary. Taking classes like Systematic Theology and Hebrew (Words cannot express my excitement for Hebrew!!)  At times I am overwhelmed.  It's such a different environment and lifestyle from undergrad. And Darin, my sweet Darin.  He is ever-supportive of my endeavors and wants only the best for me.  I cannot believe how blessed I am by him and his excitement for this journey.

Hopefully I'll post more often, as I walk around campus I often think to myself, "I definitely need to write about this and share it with friends."

But for now, it's back to studying, praying as the Psalmist did, that I would store up God's Word in my heart, and let it change me from the inside out.

Grace and Peace
Shayla