Yes, this is the week of intensive class...and the week of having lunch or dinner with friends....good friends! These are people I only get to visit with while I am at school...they are from all over the United States. We visit about our ministries, our classes, our goals and dreams, and the cool things God has brought us 'through' since we last saw each other.
I can't pretend to know these people in all aspects of their lives...however, we share a common goal, a common love and a common passion. That passion is to live a life in service to our King Jesus. This is an amazing ride, and sometimes, it is exhausting and thrilling in the same moment!
I had dinner last night with two young women...it was fun to listen to them speak of nieces and nephews, their frustrations and victories in their current positions, and their hopes for the future! We, apparently, all have a love of good cheesecake, and so we went with that as our goal: light enough dinner that cheesecake could be the main event! And, it was! In spite of the waiter that kept flirting, and trying to speak French (hilarious!) but he more than made up for that, by not writing one thing down, and getting our order correct--he was really attentive! But, oh my goodness, the laughter, conversation and the cheesecake were truly amazing!
Part of our assignment in my class this week was to have a lunch or dinner with classmates to discuss our class--our reactions, our thoughts, and our passions about the subject matter. There are only four of us in class...three guys and me! Today, we decided to have lunch all together...what a good time of getting to know each other, to truly hear their hearts for ministry and their hearts for their wives and kids, and how they hoped to use the tools we are learning this week when they get home!
But tonight was special, in that I got to have dinner with someone I just met yesterday. She is only here for this week, and only checking things out here at Tozer...She's from the Midwest, like me...and she currently works at a 'Christian Church'--same 'brotherhood' that I was a part of when in women's ministry! Amazing how God gives us exactly what we need, when we need it! This new friend and I are more alike than different. Her family has had similar experiences in the past year that ours has faced! And, she has a passion for God and His Word...I do not know if she will become a student here, but I am thankful that she chose to accept the invitation to come during this week! It was a blessing for me to connect with her--knowing that, because of technology, we should be able to stay in touch, and continue to encourage one another!
The sunset tonight was so beautiful...the colors were truly breathtaking! Tomorrow will be my last day here, in Redding, and lunch will be a 'Tozer pizza picnic'--this will give us a chance to connect before we leave and go back to family, ministry and the real world. I am so thankful for the students here...and the faculty and staff...but especially for the opportunity to meet people from all over!
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