Of All Things to Remember

I really enjoyed my time in Scotland. Not just the learning, which I really enjoyed as well, but also the sites and the church family which we really got to know well. I am very thankful for our time here and am very thankful for all those who encouraged us and our studies while we were there. They really did care.

Before leaving I probably got near to 10 cards from different members of the church, if not more. To think that they took the time to do so for us students that may never return (though I hope to do so) is amazing and really uplifting.

Of all things I will remember, though there is lots, I hope to always remember the warm welcome and encouragement that the church gave to us.

Thank you everyone for making our time an experience we will never forget.

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What You Take With You

While at Pastor Andrew’s house for our last dinner before departing, we were asked if we had learned practical things that we could take with us. It may seem odd to categorize what I have learned during my time in Scotland this way because what I have learned has ranged from debates on infant baptism to eating with chop sticks. Some people may think that this program is only for ministry majors or Reformed Presbyterians. I would argue that this program is for anyone who is looking to get serious about their Christian walk and thinks it worth their time to spend four months in Scotland to do so. My time in Scotland has been saturated with God, his word and his people. I hope that the people I have met here know how much of a blessing they were to me and my fellow students during this semester. The habits I have formed, the disciplines I have put into practice and the friendships I have made most assuredly will never be forgotten. I can say with confidence that everything I have learned here I will carry with me always.

the Plod.

As I’ve been reflecting on my time in Scotland over the past week one thing that really stands out in my mind, is something that Andrew said in our ministry class that I don’t think Anna and I will ever forget [especially after Peter mentioned it in his sermon]. He explained to us that the Christian life is a plod, and said, “To plod is the job. Plod on.” I loved this because it holds together what each of the books we’ve read here taught, when doing the spiritual disciplines gets tiresome, plod on. When evangelizing to people who may or may not want to hear the message, plod on. When we look at Paul’s life and want to imitate it with our own, we plod on. When we think about all the different parts of theology that might confuse us or seem irreconcilable, we plod on. This principle applies to every aspect of life, whether we were climbing up hills or I was falling down them, whether we were tired and didn’t want to read or hyper and didn’t want to read. We plodded on. Now that our time here is waning one thing I want to carry back with me is the idea of plodding on. Regardless of the circumstances in my life the aim is to bring glory to God, and the motive love and gratitude, so I plod on until I finish the race.

                                                                                                                      graci