It's Official

Today, I took my last exam as a seminary student. Two and half years ago after taking the Greek entrance exam, then coming home and telling my family that I passed it, our youngest daughter Claire (3 1/2 years old at the time) thought we were done and could move back to Spokane to be with grandma and grandpa...little did she know what we would be in for. It's hard to believe that 2 1/2 years ago I started this process of my training after being in the medical field for nearly 12 years. There were many days I felt like quiting and moving back to Spokane. I remember midway through the first semester after I had only had 3 hours of sleep (which was my average for the first 2 years), I had spent a full day at school, and was preparing to work a 12 hour night shift, I told LaNae if she would support my dropping out of seminary I would do it in a "drop of a hat". But she knew that if I dropped out then, in two years we would be having a conversation about going back to seminary. By God's grace we pressed on as a family. Every paper turned in was a cause for rejoicing. Every exam taken was worth a celebration. Kailyn, Cade, and Claire became my cheering section. LaNae would give me the encouragement I needed each day just to press on. Each week we would sit down as a family and record all the small and great things we were thankful for (Thanks for the idea Justin and Juli Mckiterrick). And not a week went by that someone was not thankful for another week of seminary classes finished. We rejoice in God's goodness, his faithfulness, and his graciousness to sustain us. I look back now and I would not trade in all the ways in which the Lord grew us more into His likeness.