down we go

as of yesterday, i have officially completed my first semester at seminary. most of my classes had papers due last week instead of final exams (a 30-pager, a 15-pager (for the same class), and a 5-pager).. but i still had to take my Greek final (non-cumulative) and Worship Leadership final yesterday. it feels really nice to be finished with the first semester and have 14 hours behind me.. just awaiting the grades now =| haha.. its definitely weird readjusting to a 7 point grading scale.. i got so used to the 10-pointer that its weird thinking of an 85 as a C or whatever ya know..

next semester will be 13 hours (both low hour numbers due to this 1 hr. first year class i have to take).. so i'll be taking: Baptist Heritage, Logic & the Christian Faith, Intermediate Greek, Systematic Theology I, and Spiritual Formation (the first yr. class).. so i'm looking forward to getting started on those even though i know its not going to be easy at all haha.

in other news, life is going pretty great. not much to speak of, but theres not much to complain about either so i guess thats a good thing haha. been hanging out with friends alot lately so thats always a good thing too.. although i think i might not be hanging out with other friends quite enough.. ho well. it is what it is.

got some sweet Christmas parties and stuff coming up so those are always lots of fun. i've finished all my Christmas shopping, except for mi padre because i have NO idea what to get him.. any suggestions are greatly appreciated =) Derek & Shelby are coming into town about this time next week (23rd prolly) and stay here til after Christmas.. so that'll be nice to get to hang out with and see them for a while. i know it'll be a much needed break for Derek since he just finished up a project he's been working on for a little over a year :0

Purpose (1130 band) has been practicing up on our Christmas music lately.. getting ready for the Christmas Eve service (4:30) at the church which i'm getting pretty excited about playing.. its going to be great! i've never been to one of LO's Christmas Eve services but i always love those services in general.. just so festive and close-knit and all that good stuff.. =)

anyhow, i think thats pretty much it for now. i'll update again when my grades are posted.. see how good i did haha!

muchlove. trent.

greater things have yet to come

i want to start out by saying, i don't have a job. i've finished college. i really don't have much to do on a daily basis.. but i am extremely excited about what God is doing in my life right now.

as some of you know, i've been attending Christ's Community Church in Denham Springs for a few months now, and nothing against the church, but i never felt like it was my home. i basically settled because thats where my parents were going and i knew some people there. God had other plans in mind.

as of next sunday, i'll be the bass guitarist for Purpose (the 1130 band at Live Oak Methodist). Jonathan Hetrick is attending seminary, getting married, and thus moving away from Watsonopolis (hehe). Mrs. Terrie called me up and asked me if i was interested and, at first i wasn't 100% certain, so i did some praying about it and definitely knew God was calling me back to Live Oak. i attended the past two sundays and am really glad to be back. i know its all for a reason and can't wait to see what God has in store.

meanwhile, Christ's Community is moving into the building formerly known as Eden Baptist Church and will have their first service in there next Sunday. so i'm helping them do some construction/maintenance/repairs/remodeling around the church this week in preparation for their big move. the church members are really excited about it and moving to their own facility (even though only somewhat temporarily) will give them the opportunity for tons of ministry opportunities that were just unfeasible during their tenure at DSJH.

the mission trip to Ecuador at the end of the summer is shaping up nicely. the group that is going has really connected very well and i'm excited to see what God has in store for us in ministering to the kids in Ecuador. i know the experience will be an eye opener for me and can't wait to get that rejuvenation.. it'll be perfect timing too. we'll get home about a week before seminary starts.

seminary update: i contacted the seminary at the end of the previous week asking what documentation they were still waiting on. two of my references hadn't submitted their papers yet, and judson hadn't mailed off the church statement yet. i got in contact with all three at the beginning of last week and everything should have arrived at the seminary on wednesday or thursday. so hopefully, now that the seminary finally has all my paperwork, i will know something within the next couple weeks and i will be certain to let you all know.

God is doing a lot in my life right now and i feel like He's definitely preparing me for even greater things to come in the weeks and months ahead. i'm just excited to be a part of it and can't wait to see all that He has in store.

much love. trent.