ShUpdates

The title of today's blog comes from LT. As part of our weekly gathering to invoke the Holy Spirit in our lives we do what we call ShUpdates. We update each other on the way the week has been going and general things in our lives. I'm not sure where the SH came from. Just thought I'd explain myself...
Well first big update, I got into TEDS. I just found out on Sunday night. How do you ask? Well a few days before this I received a large envelope from TEDS. I was excited because I thought it was my acceptance letter and I'd start to have some closure on this whole seminary thing. When I opened the envelope I found it to be nothing more than general "thanks for inquiring about the program" information. NOT HELPFUL. It frustrated me to no end. That day while washing windows, I began to pray that God give me an answer about TEDS, good bad or otherwise, in 7 days. I was decided that I had not really prayed like this in a long time, and I really hadn't prayed about seminary as well. I told this to my LT guys. I also found out from Sarah that she was praying for a quick answer as well. I got an email the next day that told me that I would have an answer soon.
Sunday night after watching the Bears squeek out a win against Seattle, I was checking my email and received one from someone in the TEDS admissions department letting me know that I had officially been accepted into the MDIV program. On a Sunday night, at nine at night. MAN GOD IS GOOD!
So now I wait to figure out money and such. But I see this as just another chance to truly lean on God and let Him show just how great of a provider He is.

The other big ShUpdate, the pastor of the church plant that I am involved with moved to Chicago. His name is Mark Bergin. You should pray for him. You should also check out thepainteddoor.org. And check us out on facebook. And keep praying. Anyway....I went out with him on Monday night to get to know him and I thought he was a really cool dude. I'm excited about the thinigs we talked about and his plan of attack and really I'm excited that he's never done this church planting thing. I'm excited to grow and learn and make mistakes and mess up and figure out how to best pursue God and bring the gospel to the city. We talked about the different aspects of what a community group would look like and how to reach the nonchurch folk.
Today we had our first prayer meeting. It was at 7am. At Eckhart park. Which is early and far. But a great way to start the day. You should come to the next one. Next Wednesday. It's good to pray. Anyway...Today while we were praying this idea of helping to plant a church, to try and create something new and unique, to be apart of a group of people who passionately want to see the gospel brought to people, man that was cool. And it felt real. I have been talking about and praying about this church plant for so long it just became this thing that I talked about. But now its here and real and we are hitting the ground running. I'm pumped. i hope to update this blog more often with the events and my thoughts and feelings as we go forward.

For HIS Kingdom and by HIS mercy,
peace out kiddos.