Hi all. For those of you who have been following, my ordination interviews are scheduled for 1:30-4:30 ish CST on Monday, Feb. 22. Prayers appreciated.
Last June, one year before what will be my ordination if I pass, I read a devotional by Bishop Robert Schnase. He talked about planning for failure and planning for success. He told about someone who does strategic planning with churches. The first thing he does is have the group imagine their plans (not yet formulated) failing and succeeding. He asks why the plans have failed or succeeded. The participants can always name the reasons their plans will fail or succeed even before the first idea is brainstormed.
I applied this to my journey toward ordination. I imagined June 2010 and I wasn't being ordained - why? Two reasons. One, in my writing, I tried to give the "right" answers and didn't take the time to explore what my answers really are. Two, I went into the interview with a spirit of fear rather than a Spirit of God accompanied confidence. Conversely, imagining I was being ordained would be the result of genuine exploration of my own theology in light of Weslyan theology and I walked into the interview heading the many scripture passages which say "Fear not, I am with you." It is truely a faith issue.
So, as the interview date nears, I am working on not letting the anxiety level creep up and to remember God got me into this mess, so God must have a plan to get me out of it. So far, so good, but we'll see how I'm doing the morning of. I'm trying to read daily to stay immersed in theology, to keep my brain thinking that way.
5 comments:
You have supportive prayers!
Prayers--you've got 'em.
As I write this your interview will begin soon...will hold you in prayers during and after this interview. May you feel surrounded by prayer, like a mantle upon your shoulders...and may God's grace speak through you.
Praying for you now and on the 22nd!
Blessings to you. I hope all goes well. R Schnase
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