Stability Offers Growth

On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday last week, at the School of Theology all of us students were in Orientation. On Wednesday, the other first year students and I, as well as second year students and third year students, gathered for concerns more focused on the Master's of Divinity degree we're pursuing. On Thursday and Friday, we had orientation for the most part more generally for all of the students in the School of Theology, thus including students pursuing other degrees. 

On Wednesday, as M.Div. students, we were on what was much like a retreat. In addition to getting to know each other better, we were also meditating on certain Benedictine values, especially stability, since St. John's University here is a Benedictine university.  We were pondering stability not as merely enduring, nor as simply remaining in place, but as actively engaging with the process where we are in life, openly embracing what it has to offer so we can grow. 

At some points in my life, certainly I have stuck around at jobs for various reasons, including for financial reasons. However, when I did so, although I was meeting practical concerns, I was not in circumstances which were conducive to abundant growth. When I look back on my life, I am thoroughly grateful and relieved that I moved on from those positions, since by staying in them, I would not have served either others or myself. 

By contrast, I am thrilled, excited and thankful to be pursuing theological studies, since I've been drawn to study theology for a while, including practical theology. To that end, last week we were reflecting on our strengths, our areas for improvement, and how those intersect with potential future service opportunities, whether those be as hospital chaplains, prison chaplains, high school campus ministers, college campus ministers, teachers, or pursuing further studies after our current degree programs. 

While I've been enjoying considering, reflecting, and journaling on these topics, I'm also very excited for classes to begin! Tomorrow classes start! 

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