Time keeps on movin'...

Hey all!

Life is going great here on campus. I'm still trying to manage coming in here and updating ya'll... What if I did 1 a week... maybe I can keep up with that ;)

Anywho... Life here is great! Really! Like right now... I should be studying... I've cut off the tv, got online to check my school email and... yeah... I'm typing this message. In all fairness the server must be having a moment because it won't allow me to finish checking my email. No matter what and I can't go anywhere else on the site so I think its not me ;)

I have SOOOO much reading to do and the professors are telling us that we have to learn how to skim and extract what's needed... Well... I'm having trouble with that. I don't quite know how to do that and the 2nd years are telling me if I don't I'll be overwhelmed and spend way too much time trying to carefully read it all. So.... can anyone offer me any tips??? I certainly need them!!!

I think I'm going to take my camera to school next week and take pictures of my fellow classmates and also of my new friends in the 2nd year. We are like walking posters for diversity. It really makes me do a lot of reflecting on our culture and the cultures of others who also are believers. There is such a vast difference in everything including styles of worship and it truly is wonderful. We love this intergration and often remark that this must be a bit of what heaven will be like. Just hearing everyone else's viewpoint and knowing that I'm not the only person that is "right."

There is (of course) a lot of discussion (even a class just TO discuss it) regarding the integration of Christianity and Psychology and the reasons that people, either fellow Christians or psychologists who don't believe that the two should merge. However on those two opposite sides of the coin there are points all along the line toward each end. What we learned today was the actual part of it that people have a problem with. I think that depending on the view of the psychologist/therapist is where there can be problems. What I find truly amazing is the people that say that the field of psychology is not necessary. That as long as we have the Holy Spirit we can and will be fine. Well... I agree, in part. With the Holy Spirit we can be fine, however... God uses people. If you don't believe me next time you have a heart attack, you need stitches, etc... be sure to pray about it and go to bed. That is crazy right? Not because we shouldn't pray... BY ALL MEANS PRAY!!! However, don't discount that God has not set a person in place to help you. You won't go to "Aunt Sally" to sew up your arm nor will you trust Uncle Jack to perform your open heart surgery.

I know, you think I'm being extreme... talking all medical... but the fact is that psychologists, therapists, psychiatrists are all trained to sew up, medicate, alleviate the pains in the mind and spirit while the medical doctor is trained to sew up, medicate and alleviate the pains in body. There are major and minor differences in the psychiatrists and psychologists however that isn't what this post is about. Its about christians being open to the fact that God has people out there that are trained to help you understanding that there is a natural as well as spiritual side to many issues that people are dealing with. With anything else in life you must use discernment. Not just any counselor/therapist is right for you. Their core beliefs make a huge difference in how they help you. The "fit" of you and the counselor is important, the competency of the counselor is important. But in my opinion, a non-Christian medical doctor who excelled in school can diagnose and/or help me. However, if I knew in advance that my doctor was a fellow believer in Christ who prayed for me, prayed for direction, prayed for discernment, prayed for assistance... prayed!!!... to the ONE true and living God on my behalf... WOW! It is a difference. That saved doctor has hope with you when you're believing God for healing from cancer, that saved doctor is interceding for you, that saved doctor is seeking divine intervention... Tell me it doesn't make a difference and that's fine but I'll take a brother or sister in Christ on my behalf anyday! Why??? Can how can two walk together unless they agree. I know that they will have a higher standard of care than any law or ethics code.

Anyway, it's very awesome to be taught psychology, regular psychology, understanding the different theology's and how they apply to my life. Its like picking apple's... take the good one's and throw out the bad. :) Starting each class with prayer and devotion. Having chapel in the middle of the day as a refueler to keep us going... its some kinda wonderful ;)

Finally, I am learning a lot about the basics and very aware of how good my professors are and how incompetent I will feel when they send me out to my internship to see my first client. They even tell us that we'll feel that way and the 2nd years are validating that. But what I rest in is the confidence of the faculty. They are assured that though we don't "feel" ready we will be ready. Sort of like how we don't feel like we're ready to be parents when that newborn baby arrives but when it does we kick right into gear. Yeah, we make a few mistakes but we keep at it. We may not feel like we heard God... we may not feel like He told us to take that next step... but when we do... as scary as it may seem... when we look up we're moving forward. Following that path called destiny.

Proverbs 16:9: The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. (NASB)

Psalm 37:23: The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. (NASB) The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. (KJV)