Back to School

It's been a long time since I have posted on my blog, so if are one of the faithful few who missed me, I apologize.

The reason for my absence was that I spent my summmer as a chaplain at a trauma one hospital in Chattanooga. I am not exaggerating when I say that it took everything I had just to climb into the car every morning for the drive from Sewanee. The chaplaincy was much tougher than I expected, the hours were long, the patient situations were challenging and the counseling and teaching we received was unrelenting. All that said, I have no regrets at all. There were many days when I felt like quitting, but I'm so glad I didn't. This type of chaplaincy work, called "Clinical Pastoral Education" is designed to push all of your buttons, sort of like bootcamp, and I assure you that all of mine were pushed! But I learned so much about ministering to suffering people and helping them accept and feel Christ's love that it was worth it. I also learned on a much deeper level how helpless I am without God. I was also able to do my chaplaincy with three other students from my seminary and this may have been the best blessing of all because in the course of the summer we forged friendships that will last a lifetime.

So, school is back and I am student once again. It is so nice to be in class and chapel, to have my routine back. It has also been great to advance to my middler year, the new students seem so starry eyed and overwhelmed, boy I don't miss that!

My prayers for continued blessings and peace go out to all of you,

Yours in Christ,

Jon