Why Regent University?

Regent University offered a unique perspective in undergraduate studies. Christ-centered leadership and biblically centered classes develop students professionally and personally. The campus is beautiful, and I soon found that my professors and my fellow students exuded enthusiasm and dedication to the Lord and their educational pursuits. Classmates prayed with me and for me; studying became a group effort towards excellence and not just another homework assignment.

Why Online Learning?

I was 21 when I started the online learning program at Regent University. I had the opportunity to dual-enroll in a local college while in high school, so my associates degree was partially complete when I graduated in 2002. I hit the ground running by working full time after graduating from high school, attending night classes to finish my associates degree. I guess I got used to the schedule, and when it came time to find a university to transfer to, I knew I'd want a flexible format that would allow me to continue in my professional endeavors.

Why A Business Degree?

My degree is in Organizational Leadership and Management. I chose this concentration because of the unique mix of business strategy and leadership development. In choosing a degree program I wanted one that would emphasize the "people" part of organizations and their strategic development. Some degree programs focus primarily on the financial and strategic side of business development, but Regent stressed the importance of the organization's people and the effectiveness of biblical leadership.

Business Degree

Saturday but busy.

0 comments

I thought the weekends were supposed to be a time to relax! Not so, apparently. Perhaps I could have if I had not been so busy this week. Wednesday I had a friend over for dinner, Thursday I went to a meeting regarding support for Lew Sterrett, from Sermon on the Mount ministries, and last night (Friday) I went to dinner with a couple of friends. While we were waiting for our male counterpart, my friend and I skipped over to the mall to "sample" the beauty products before we went out for the evening! It's a great way to try out that perfume that I love that is, sadly, $110.00 a bottle. We enjoyed some great sushi and live music at Bay Street. I have a party to go to tonight, for which I am very excited about, for an old family friend.

But being a full time student, I had to pass up a boat ride this afternoon in lieu of studying. Sigh. I have a project due on C.S. Lewis later. As one of my favorite writers, this shouldn't be that difficult. Except that the project is a huge chunk of my grade, and I'm a little nervous that it won't be a good as I would like it to be.

Currently I'm at Starbucks, and I'm dressed for the party tonight so people are wondering if I really get this dressed up to study.

I've been keeping a journal, albeit sporadically, about this new spiritual sabbattical that I am experiencing. I see now why a journal is so useful and is a tool in examining the spiritual life. Following the reading of the book, "Ordering Your Private Word" by Gordon MacDonald, I started keeping a journal. I see now that I have not listed an entry in my little Moleskine journal in a week. So you see that the journal is a bit of of a tally marker, not because God or I keep a record, per se, but it reminded me that I've skipped a couple of days this week in my quiet time.

Tomorrow is Sunday, and perhaps I shall have more time to write.

Ben & Jerry

0 comments


I love how people say things to you, even though they don't know you. The other night, I was standing in line at the store, and I was (embarassed to say) buying bread and Ben and Jerry's Half Baked fozen yogurt. Of course, (Side note, sorry) I don't have a "real" freezer, so I actually have half-baked half-frozen frozen yogurt.

I guess I have an ice box...? It freezes water for ice cubes, but doesn't get cold enough to keep Ben & Jerry happy. Hmmm.

So anyways, I was standing in line, and there were two nice looking guys in front of me, buying lots of beer. Behind me, another nice looking guy, buying wine. And I'm thinking, here I am, a single girl, having a date with Ben & Jerry, and these guys are out getting boozed up? So I'm thinking about this, and the chubby security guard (what? he was!) says, "All the ladies are buying ice cream tonight!" I was like, um, YEAH, because we're SINGLE.

Thanks, bud. Like I needed you to point me out on a Saturday night, alone in the grocery store and in my running outfit.

Tonight I rode my bike over to Starbucks, and I wore my Air Force shirt and running shorts. I guess it did look a little funny when I got on my shiny pink bike. And this guy says to me, "You know, NO ONE would steal that bike. You wouldn't even need to lock it." Thanks, Captain Obvious.

I did take the bike over to see my parents, which was much further than I thought it would be. I hope I can sit down tomorrow.

Continuing.

0 comments

Today I felt just "so busy" that I wasn't going to be able to have my quiet time with the Lord. But I soon found that trying to forgo this is becoming increasingly difficult. I simply miss having my "Gandhi's wheel," as Gordon MacDonald calls it. Last night I wrote three pages in my journal, including all of the beautiful things that God is revealing to me, through His word, through other people, and through the observations that I'm now seeing through different eyes. Boa says that "In many cases the only time they confront these questions [about life] is when they are faced with tragedy and loss, and even then the window of vulnerability is open for a brief duration." (Boa, "Conformed to His Image). I'm trying to use this window of vulnerability (isn't that beautiful?) to grow, and perhaps one day I can look out this window and see the Lord's will.

The word "wisdom" keeps coming up in my studies, wether it is the texts for school, the Bible, or the things I happen to read and bump in to. I think that the Lord is trying to tell me to develop wisdom through asking him for it, and through learning from experiences. The MacDonald book (Ordering your private world) has been reminding me that I may appear to be ready for some challenges, but if I don't use my time wisely, I may come to a challenge that I'm not prepared for, because I didn't prepare when the time was available. So in preparation for whatever it is that God has in store for me, I'm learning to study His ways and His word. And do you know what yesterday's verse was? "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." (Proverbs 12:1). I was like, "ok, God, I'm listening now."

Tonight I'm sitting at my favorite window at Starbucks, enjoying the fantastic lightning show outside and reading in my Bible and Boa text. I'm feeling rather inspired by his story of Eric Liddel, the runner from Chariots of Fire. Eric was blessed to be a fantastic athlete, and acknowledged that he felt God's pleasure by running. Boa says that "A developing awareness of your divinely ordained purpose should impinge on every facet of your life and spiritualize the whole of your existence... Your calling and purpose are expressed and reinforced in an intentional rule of life. To embrace a rule of living is to seek positive guidelines of behavior that will assist you in fulfilling God's purposes." (Conformed to His Image). I'm wondering what sort of rules I should be applying to my life right now; I guess if I knew my calling this might be easier. For example, if I was a runner, which I'm not, (see below) I would know that daily running exercises should be a priority of the utmost importance. But I don't know what my calling is. I'm not really sure what my gifts are, that I should be honing and cultivating.

Still learning.

0 comments

I am aware that part of my sabbath learning experience requires that I go to sleep earlier. And, while I have so much to say about what I've learned today, and what God taught me, I know better than to start writing it all now. All I can say is that when you start deliving into what the Lord teaches, be prepared for multiple lessons that jump out at you in the way people talk, the things you happen to read, and generally your daily walk. Maybe this is the "walk" that Christian leaders talk about. I'm almost feeling like I might, just might, be on the cusp of learning what this is.

Currently rested from my rest of reading in Proverbs 12, and the MacDonald text.

I shall shower and go to bed at a reasonable hour.

What a concept :0)

Sabbatical

0 comments

Sab·bat·i·cal [suh-bat-i-kuhl]
–adjective
1. of or pertaining or appropriate to the Sabbath.
2. bringing a period of rest

What is a sabbatical? Well, I am about to find out. A sabbatical, from what I can gather, is a time of rest that one takes from the normal routine. I had an interesting conversation with a friend two days ago, who said that the world should revolve around the sabbath, and not the other way around. Meaning, God wishes us to have rest.

As usual, this pebble turned around in my head for awhile. Without prior knowledge or planning, I am also at the point in one of my books (Ordering Your Private World, by Gordon MacDonald) that is continually referencing the importance of having the inner life and the inner part of my soul to be organized. Not a checklist organization, mind you, and those of you who know me know how much I like my checklists. No, this is that inner peace, the inner stability that comes from...

Discipline.

There, I said it. I know it is one of my words, one I tend to use frequently. But (and I cannot tell you how many times this has come up the last two weeks) discipline in the areas of spirituality have been sorely missing from my life. My desire to go to church, bible study, or any other sort of formal doctrinal experiences is gone. So I pondered this, and wondered, because it is not that I do not wish to become close and intimate with God again. I do desire this- no, I need this. I need it more than the desire for water and exercise and rain and even the deepest desires of my heart. But just as I try to trim around the edges, rather than cut right through something, I need to be very deliberate in my search for this deep and internal stability and spiritual rest with God. Note that I say WITH God, and not from God.

MacDonald (and if you have not read this book, I recommend it) further says that we may appear to be making it on the outside, but our inside is crumbling like a silent sinkhole that one day opens up and then collapses. He tells the story of the day he Hit The Wall, a day when he crumbled in weeping. He talks about how we can appear to be fine, but one day everything catches up to us.

And while I am not going to Hit The Wall, I still have been feeling that God is commanding me to do some serious inner working. Hence, my sabbatical. I'm not even sure what sort of things I'm going to be doing, should be doing, or when such a sabbatical will end. I just know that He is telling me to do this. I do know that there are certain things, every day, that I'm going to be doing. And there are certain things that I am going to take a break from.

I am going to be very deliberate in the area of physical rest and time budgeting, because I am finding that I am squandering the time that is so precious on things that have very little meaning. I firmly believe that God is telling me to spend my time on Him, my family, and my studies. (Pretty much in that order). Curiously, I also feel very driven to schedule time for myself, even when I want to talk myself out of it in lieu of "so many other important things." (And, really, are they that important?)

If you would like to follow along on the journey, please do so. Of course, I'm not going to write or say everything that is on my mind, but perhaps my stumbling along can be an inspiration. And even if it's not, even if no one ever reads this, I know that I've done the right thing and I'm being obedient.