Education Update

I had the opportunity to meet with an admissions counselor (AC) at MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) and found out that I can re-enroll at no cost. So the Lord has already begun making a way! The AC gave me the approved list of classes that I can take at Johnson County Community College. I have complete about 24 credit hours that I think will transfer and there is about 16 credit hours that I can take at JCCC. The beautiful thing about JCCC is that it only cost $63 per credit hour (versus about $500 at MNU) so I the mountain doesn't look as forboding initially! I'm hoping to get started at JCCC with online classes in the fall, complete the 16 credit hours in the 2006-2007 school year, with the goal of entering MNU in the fall of 2007. I will most likely be at MNU 2 years with summer school.

There are still a couple of lower level classes that I will need to take at MNU, but those are very few and I will be able to get into the meat of a ministry degree right away. There are several ministry degree options, although I think I will concentrate on Bible & Theology and a general Ministry track. Please continue to pray with me, believing, that God will provide the necessary funds to complete the education process. I know He won't give it to me until I need it. I want to remain faithful to the call and recognize that I am dependent on Him for the very air I breath!

One final update - I'm filling in as a Sunday School teacher for a few weeks. This has the potential of being permanent, which is a little exciting!

Process to Ministry Update

It struck me this morning that I haven't updated you in awhile about where I am in the process of preparing for full time ministry. I've completed the necessary interviews to be considered a candidate for ordination in the Church of the Nazarene. The final step to clear the way is to have my divorce reviewed by the General Superintendants of the denomination. I feel clear that they will accept the details of the divorce and provide their apporval to continue through the process.

Part of that process is to go through a licensing procedure that begins with a local preachers license, presented by the local church body. I had the opportunity to meet with a committe of our church board who heard the story of my calling and asked questions. I'm grateful that they've agreed to present me with the local license and I will receive that this Sunday, May 21st.

As I continue through the educational process, I plan to meet with the advisors at MidAmerica Nazarene University to determine what classes I can take at the local community college to help defer some of the costs associated with a private education.

Last week, the guest pupit speaker gave an eloquent message, but I walked away with the request that I would ask each of you to continue to pray for me as I walk obediently through this process. Please pray that God would grant me, through experience and the Holy Spirit, humility that combats the temptaion of pride; integrity that combats the temptation to abuse power; and generosity that combats the temptation to be greedy. I pray that the character that I demonstrate will bear the marks of Christ's character. I'm learning to live each day in the spirit of Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Thank you all so much for your encouragement. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share this experience with you!

Suffering: What's the Point? (Introduction)

So the last few weeks, God has taken me past some old familar scripture. Not so much to teach me, but more to remind me - and then to confirm what I've learned. As I've spent time in His word and spoken with my trusted adviors and given advice to others, it occurs to me that most of us resist suffering. I resist it because I haven't clearly understood the benefit. In the middle of a suffering 'episode,' it's really difficult to see any benefit at all, and yet that's where the work of suffering is being done.

In the continuing series, I plan to put together what I believe is a God inspired lesson to help us have a clearer picture of the point of suffering in our lives. Your feedback on these thoughts will be extremely helpful as I believe God want to use this series to touch many lives. I know that we each face our suffering in a different way and our spiritual maturity gives us insights that can enlighten others.

Please feel free to post your comments here, or email me directly kiersten.adkins@sbcglobal.net. I look forward to developing this with you!

Kiersten