Someone in my Corner

I've decided that I want to keep a running journal of some of my thoughts and struggles as I go through the seminary process and to make sure that I take some time each Sunday or Monday morning to reflect on how God is at work in my life. These will likely be much less polished than other entries, so please forgive any spelling, grammatical errors, etc -  but I want to be a good steward of this season of education in my life that I've been blessed to receive and my hope is that others might be able to identify with some of these thoughts and experiences. Here's a brief section of my entry from this morning.

Maybe it’s somewhat out of jealousy, but I’ve heard multiple people who, as a part of their story or calling in deciding to come to seminary to pursue pastoral ministry, someone, or many people, have directly spoken into their lives encouraging them to do so. I guess I’ve had some general encouragements, but I’ve found myself really longing for “someone in my corner” to speak similar words of encouragement into my life. If anything, I can recall several people telling me not to go to seminary, though I think that maybe had more to do with their ministry philosophy than speaking anything into my life about my gifting or calling.

I’ve had plenty of doubts and anxiety about the pressure of being an M.Div student, needing to get certain grades and being expected to do pastoral work and it would be a huge blessing to have someone call those things out in me. It’s amazing the power that words hold and how far a little encouragement can go. I'm incredibly grateful for the people that have done that for me, and I'm praying for more people like that in this stage of my life and that I would be that person for others.

I didn’t grow up in, nor am I in the midst of terribly difficult circumstances, but it seems like a lot of people could just use “someone in their corner” to encourage them in what they’re going through - whether that’s someone’s first professional job after college, a leadership position, a new ministry, someone in suffering, or young people facing adversity in their surroundings. I think especially of young kids growing up in difficult circumstances with a lot of pressure to make poor decisions. 

I wonder if more than anything, people sometimes just need “someone in their corner” to tell them that they believe in them and that they can do whatever is before them, regardless of how insurmountable it might seem. My mentor in college was a lot like that. I may not remember most of the content that we went over, but I do remember leaving those meetings each week and feeling like I could take on the world as I stepped out in boldness for the sake of the Gospel. Speak a word of encouragement to someone today!

-CK