Unexpected Blessing

It was a little over a week after I graduated from OBU and I check my email and to my horror I saw an email saying that I was two hours short on my degree. It was pushing 9pm that night and my little OCD self was literally at a loss for words. There was absolutely nothing I could do about the situation at that moment. I thought how did this happen, I did at least three degree checks and my crazy list making and obsession with detail had somehow failed me. Ironically, that night was the American Idol season 9 finale and as I'm reading all of this, Lee Dewyze had just been named the winner and thus began to sing Beautiful Day. It seemed fitting for him, not so much for me.

The next day I went and enrolled in 2 hours so that I could get this degree accomplished. Luckily I did about 5 various internships during my time at OBU and was able to count those as my remaining two hours. I was told that I would have to do part of the coursework for the internship class, so thus I began my two assignments for the class. Dr. Pace asked me to read "Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome" and I'm sure you are all surprised that I was not really all that excited to read it. I mean, I wasn't really big on taking this class in June after I graduated in May. This book has actually been just what I need.

As I get ready to leave for Southeastern and to begin this next step in preparing myself for full-time ministry, I'm reminded by what it means to be successful. Unlike most jobs, it is not about a fancy house, fancy car, or even about the dollar amount in my bank account and it most definitely is not about numbers. I was so encouraged to hear about this couple and their struggles in ministry and how the Lord drastically began to change their view of success.

Two of the questions Kent and Barbara raise are what does it mean to be successful and what does it mean to be a failure. They seem like simple questions, but at their heart they are vital to fully understanding what it is that we are ultimately called to do.

All of that to say, right now I'm learning that success is about being faithful. Faithful to Christ, faithful to His word, and faithful to His calling on my life.