For a long time I've been thinking about where my life is heading. Honestly IT work never felt like my calling to life. Computers have always been something I was good at, but as for loving what I did, it wasn't really IT that did that for me.
So I guess for a long time I've been considering a career change - I've investigated a post graduate teaching degree and thought about different jobs round the place.
Part of my thinking has been Bible college, but I didn't want to sign up for that just cause I wanted a change from my current career. Changing into ministry as a vocation is something you are called to, not something you just decide to do.
I went along to a Seminar on Vocational Ministry at Malyon College (the Baptist College in Brisbane) and learnt so much, right from that point I felt the call of God to actually jump into some form of study to head towards some type of vocational ministry. But as I wasn't enjoying work so much at the time I really wanted to be sure it was a call, not a reaction.
Thanks to all the people I talked to during the second half of 2008, and the time I spent at Malyon at open nights, and talking to lecturers and students really helped me make my decision.
So what will I be doing?
I've enrolled in a Masters of Divinity (MDiv) focusing on the pastoral stream - aimed at those wanting to be Baptist Pastors. Now I'm not 100% sure my goal is being a pastor at the end of this, but I know that God has given me that possibility. The most training I'd need to do would be to become a pastor so that's what I've enrolled for - if God calls me to chaplaincy, or mission during that time that may not need as much study I'll follow his lead then.
The MDiv is a 3 year full time course, however the first year of the MDiv is actually a Graduate Diploma of Divinity meaning that after 12 months I could stop studying and leave with a GradDip. I think that may have made the decision easier, knowing that I'm really only committing for 12 months, with another decision at the end of the year.
Obviously full time study and full time work don't mix, so yesterday I handed in my resignation. That changed everything. Suddenly my plans are all out in the open, and I've been explaining time and time again what I'm doing to everyone at work.
Also it means I can now write this blog post outlining what I'm up to. Out of respect for work I wasn't going to be typing about plans for leaving on a public forum before I'd let them know. Just being able to talk about it and having people now know what I'm doing makes it all feel so much more real.
Honestly I don't really know where this all leads, I know that 2009 is probably gonna be the toughest year I've encountered so far. Quitting full time work, moving to full time study - my income will totally change, stretching my faith through learning and studying the word at a level I never have before - personally I know it's going to be a huge challenge. I almost have this feeling that God's going to use 2009 to break me - in the sense that he's going to use that to shine himself through me even more.
It will be good in the end I know... but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'm a little nervous about what is ahead.
God is good - and thanks to you all for your help, I hope you'll join with me this year as I jump onto this totally new direction in my journey.
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