Wow.
Time has flown since my last exam.
It seems like once I set my pen down on 27th May at 4.30pm that I haven't stood still.
Freedom has been amazing, it took a few days to actually feel free. I would be out having fun and in my head I was thinking 'I shouldn't be here I should be studying...' but thankfully not. Hopefully for a while too. I have soaked up every moment of being with friends and have loved being able to stay up late, take pictures around Belfast, meeting girls for coffee, read whenever and whatever I want to and take a trip to the North Coast.
During this time I had little energy to think and truly reflect upon the past three years, but I found myself reflecting this weekend. On Friday I had my graduation from Bible College, it was a beautiful day. I have been looking forward to this date for several days, weeks and months. It was a date that had motivated me to keep on keeping on. I couldn't quite believe that it had arrived.
I was so honoured and blessed to be able to share this day with significant people. In the morning we had our final worship service with communion and Paul and Val were able to come with me, it such a blessing to share this time with them as they have supported me over the past 3 years at BBC.
The worship service was beautiful.
Completely centred on Jesus.
I was brought to the place of remembering that the only reason I had made it to this point was because of His love and strength. It was an amazing opportunity for me to truly adore God and lift my heart that was full of thankfulness to Him. All of the songs that I sang that day were drenched in words of precious truth that affirmed to me that God really does have a hold of me. He really will not ever let me go. I am so so so thankful for God's faithfulness to me.
My future is secure in Him and He is sovereign and has authority over every situation.
He knows, He knows the direction that my life will take.
I know, I know that I have to trust Him for every step ahead.
God has affirmed his guidance, presence and love to me over and over again this weekend. Every sermon I have encountered has lifted my heart. At the graduation ceremony on Friday evening the principal of BBC gave us amazing advice as we embark on God's mission and many of us who will head into ministry now or in the future...
He told us to contemplate these questions:
1. What do people expect of me?
As a graduate of Bible College (and hopefully of Queens...only time will tell) many people will have expectations of me. It is so easy therefore to follow their expectations rather focusing on God's plan for my life. I could get so consumed by doing things and being busy at the sacrifice of myself. I could force myself to be what I am not to please others. So as this chapter ends I hope that whatever I do I will be myself.
2. What do you expect of yourself?
What are the expectations that am I placing upon myself? Can I do and be everything to everyone? I know that I can't but there is definitely a temptation to try to be. Rather Ian cautioned us to love our limitations. Our limitations are our friends because they remind us of our desperate need for God. Realising that I can't do everything forces me to surrender to God's strength and wisdom.
3. What is your focus?
Or rather, who is your focus? Jesus is among us as the one who serves, this is my calling to serve Him above everyone and everything else. I am called to lead a radical life of discipleship and Jesus is the example to follow and He is the source of all my strength, affirmation and encouragement.
I loved this line that Ian shared "May every single thing you do be out of the lion heart, rugged individual that you are."
The most emotional part of the evening for me was when my Missiology lecturer stood to commission us. I could not hold back the tears. It was a mixture of emotions- I finally realised I am really finished. It was a beautiful prayer full of the Holy Spirit and amazing promise's of God. I was excited to be commissioned to further God's Kingdom but there was an ounce of sorrow and fear of leaving our community.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I can hardly believe that I have completed 3 years of study at Belfast Bible College, I have been joyful, excited, inspired and challenged. I have learnt a great deal of significant lessons and all the pain, struggle, endurance and stress has truly been worth it. I have made life long friends and my heart is so filled with thankfulness for them. I have encountered people from various different walks of life and they have enriched mine. I am blessed and have truly been brought to the place of thankfulness to God for the time I got to spend at Belfast Bible College, who knows, it may not be our last ever meeting. (~Paul B)
Time has flown since my last exam.
It seems like once I set my pen down on 27th May at 4.30pm that I haven't stood still.
Freedom has been amazing, it took a few days to actually feel free. I would be out having fun and in my head I was thinking 'I shouldn't be here I should be studying...' but thankfully not. Hopefully for a while too. I have soaked up every moment of being with friends and have loved being able to stay up late, take pictures around Belfast, meeting girls for coffee, read whenever and whatever I want to and take a trip to the North Coast.
During this time I had little energy to think and truly reflect upon the past three years, but I found myself reflecting this weekend. On Friday I had my graduation from Bible College, it was a beautiful day. I have been looking forward to this date for several days, weeks and months. It was a date that had motivated me to keep on keeping on. I couldn't quite believe that it had arrived.
I was so honoured and blessed to be able to share this day with significant people. In the morning we had our final worship service with communion and Paul and Val were able to come with me, it such a blessing to share this time with them as they have supported me over the past 3 years at BBC.
The worship service was beautiful.
Completely centred on Jesus.
I was brought to the place of remembering that the only reason I had made it to this point was because of His love and strength. It was an amazing opportunity for me to truly adore God and lift my heart that was full of thankfulness to Him. All of the songs that I sang that day were drenched in words of precious truth that affirmed to me that God really does have a hold of me. He really will not ever let me go. I am so so so thankful for God's faithfulness to me.
My future is secure in Him and He is sovereign and has authority over every situation.
He knows, He knows the direction that my life will take.
I know, I know that I have to trust Him for every step ahead.
God has affirmed his guidance, presence and love to me over and over again this weekend. Every sermon I have encountered has lifted my heart. At the graduation ceremony on Friday evening the principal of BBC gave us amazing advice as we embark on God's mission and many of us who will head into ministry now or in the future...
He told us to contemplate these questions:
1. What do people expect of me?
As a graduate of Bible College (and hopefully of Queens...only time will tell) many people will have expectations of me. It is so easy therefore to follow their expectations rather focusing on God's plan for my life. I could get so consumed by doing things and being busy at the sacrifice of myself. I could force myself to be what I am not to please others. So as this chapter ends I hope that whatever I do I will be myself.
2. What do you expect of yourself?
What are the expectations that am I placing upon myself? Can I do and be everything to everyone? I know that I can't but there is definitely a temptation to try to be. Rather Ian cautioned us to love our limitations. Our limitations are our friends because they remind us of our desperate need for God. Realising that I can't do everything forces me to surrender to God's strength and wisdom.
3. What is your focus?
Or rather, who is your focus? Jesus is among us as the one who serves, this is my calling to serve Him above everyone and everything else. I am called to lead a radical life of discipleship and Jesus is the example to follow and He is the source of all my strength, affirmation and encouragement.
I loved this line that Ian shared "May every single thing you do be out of the lion heart, rugged individual that you are."
The most emotional part of the evening for me was when my Missiology lecturer stood to commission us. I could not hold back the tears. It was a mixture of emotions- I finally realised I am really finished. It was a beautiful prayer full of the Holy Spirit and amazing promise's of God. I was excited to be commissioned to further God's Kingdom but there was an ounce of sorrow and fear of leaving our community.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I can hardly believe that I have completed 3 years of study at Belfast Bible College, I have been joyful, excited, inspired and challenged. I have learnt a great deal of significant lessons and all the pain, struggle, endurance and stress has truly been worth it. I have made life long friends and my heart is so filled with thankfulness for them. I have encountered people from various different walks of life and they have enriched mine. I am blessed and have truly been brought to the place of thankfulness to God for the time I got to spend at Belfast Bible College, who knows, it may not be our last ever meeting. (~Paul B)
I really am truly thankful for the people God interweaved into my story and I am so excited to see where God leads each of our lives.
