The High Price
As I've finished, and am finishing (I'm using the perfect tense of finish) my second year at The LTS and the Road to Ordination (my favorite of the Hope-Crosby road movies) I am realizing what a high cost many of us have to pay for following our call.
I have friends here and at our sister seminaries who have: lost parents, lost children, lost friends, lost marriages, lost their health, lost their life. I think there have been more weeks with people crying than not.
When I have been asked what is the part of this I didn't expect, the real answer is that I didn't expect it to be so hard. I didn't think the process would get in the way. I didn't expect pastors to not provide or model pastoral care. I expected to be challenged mentally, morally, spiritually and theologically; I didn't expect to be challenged emotionally more than all those combined.
I didn't expect God to show mercy and peace to those who are seeking to be leaders of the Church; I thought we might get to catch a break once in a while.
I have friends here and at our sister seminaries who have: lost parents, lost children, lost friends, lost marriages, lost their health, lost their life. I think there have been more weeks with people crying than not.
When I have been asked what is the part of this I didn't expect, the real answer is that I didn't expect it to be so hard. I didn't think the process would get in the way. I didn't expect pastors to not provide or model pastoral care. I expected to be challenged mentally, morally, spiritually and theologically; I didn't expect to be challenged emotionally more than all those combined.
I didn't expect God to show mercy and peace to those who are seeking to be leaders of the Church; I thought we might get to catch a break once in a while.
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