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6BODYOFCHRISTNEWSMAY2014ThisarticleisintendedtobeanencouragementtothoseofyouwhomaybeinthemidstofanunfulfillingemploymentendeavorinthepursuitofhighereducationwhoarewaitingonthemovementofGodinadvancingyourworkofministryanticipat-inggrowthinyourchurchplantorinsomecircum-stanceoflifeanditappearsasifitisnotgoingthewayyouhadplanned.Itistakinglongerthanyouanticipatedandisharderthanyouhadhoped.Itistothoseofyouwhomayhavethoughtsofgiv-ingupandgivingoutthatIwanttosharemypersonaljourneyinpursuitofhighereducation.Idosointhehopesthatyoumightbeencouragedtocontinuetopressyourwayinspiteofdelaysandotherobstaclesinwhateverthepursuitmaybe.MAY2000...AtthetimeofmygraduationfromDenverSeminaryin2000IwrotethefollowingarticleinpartintheTrueLightBaptistChurchnewsletterTheLordcanuseadullaxbuthewouldratheruseasharponeThatwastheencouragementthatmypastortheRev.Dr.JamesD.PetersJr.nowpastoremeritusofNewHopeBaptistChurchgavememorethan20yearsagoasIbegantoconsiderthematterofformaltrainingfortheministry.ItwashisgoodadvicethathelpedmestaythecoursewhenIwantedtoquitduringmyseminaryeducation.IthasnotbeenaneasyjourneybutoneforwhichIamthankfultoGodandonethathaswithoutadoubtsharpenedmyministryskills.Inthefallof1980IenrolledatIliffSchoolofTheologyseekingaMasterofDivinityMDiv.degree.IwasemployedfulltimebyBallAerospaceSystemsinBoulderandwasonlyabletotakeaboutonecourseperquarternottomentionthefactthatitwasallthatIcouldafford.AfterapproximatelyoneyearatIliffItransferredtotheConservativeBaptistTheologicalSeminarynowcalledDenverSeminary.IattendedDenverSeminaryonapart-timebasisfromthefallof1981tothespringof1987.InMarchof1988westartedTrueLightBaptistChurchandIdidnotattendsemi-naryagainuntilthefallof1994.ThereisarequirementatDenverSeminarythatonceyouareacceptedintotheMDiv.programyoumustcompleteitwithin10years.AsIhadexceededthe10yearlimitIhadtogetspecialpermissionfromtheschoolandfacultytobeenrolledagain.Sincethefallof1994tothespringof2000Ihavebeenagainpursuingmydegree.Ihavehadtheprivilegeofbeingabletogofulltimethelastyearandone-half.Muchthankstothechurchandmystaffformakingthatpossible.Duringthattimewehaveconstructedtwobuildingsandourmembershiphasgrownfromtoapproximately600.Needlesstosaythedemandsofschoolchurchandfamilyhavebeentremendous.PraisetheLord.OnMay122000IwillgraduatewithanMDiv.DegreefromDenverSeminary.IpraiseGodfortheopportu-nitytoaccomplishmygoalandIthankmyfamilychurchandstaffforyoursupport.IknowthatIamthebetterforhavingachievedthisgoal.IbelievethatIamabetterpreacherpastorhusbandandfatherasaresultofthiseducation.SowhatdoesthefutureholdUnlikemanyofmyclassmatesIamalreadyinthepastorateanddeeplyinvolvedinministry.MygoalistoapplyinameaningfulandhelpfulwaythethingsthatIhavelearned.IpresentlyhavenothoughtofaDoctorofMinistryDMin.asthereisarequirementthatyouwaitthreeyearsafterget-tingyourMDiv.Pleasekeepmyfamilyandmeinyourprayers.FOURTEENYEARSLATERMAY2014...IwillreceivetheDoctorofMinistryDegreeDMin.onSaturdayMarch172014.Ithasbeenachal-lengingtimeoverthesepast10yearstoremainfocusedonmygoal.QuitehonestlyIwastemptedtothrowinthetowelatimeortwobutthanksbetoGodIregainedmyspiritualcomposurereaffirmedtheneedinmylifeandcontinuedon.WhatwasitthatcompelledmetocontinueOneIbelievedthatTrueLightdeservedthebestIcouldbeasharpax.AlthougheveryonewillnotandshouldnotgotoseminarythoseofuswhoministertheWordofGodmustdoourbesttostudytoshewthyselfapproveduntoGodaworkmanthatneedethnottobeashamedrightlydividingthewordoftruth2Timothy215.Additionallywehavearespon-sibilitytowatchoverthesoulsofpeopleHebrews1317tobethebestthatwecanbeaswewillhavetogiveaccountuntoGod.GodandHispeopleexpectanddeservenothingless.Twothethoughtofhavinginvestedsomuchtimeenergymoneyandreceivingnotangiblebenefitwasdistastefultome.Timesofstudyoftencompromisedfamilytimeoccupiedwhatshouldhavebeenrelax-ingtimesonvacationsandlimitedinvolvementinministrycommunityandcivicendeavors.IknewIhadgonetoofarnottofinish.MypersonalgoalistoalwaysfinishwhatIstartthereforeItendtobeverycautiousaboutwhatIstart.ItisimperativethatweallbegoodstewardsofthislifeandtimethatGodhasgiven.HoweverthethirdandcompellingforcewasthatIbelievedthatthepathIwasonwasGodordained.Ihavelearnedoverthespanof35yearsinministrythatforeveryemotionalcollisionGodhasasupplyofprovision.ThereforeIheldtothepromisethattheLordwouldperfectcompletethatconcerningme.ThepromiseofPsalm1388NKJVmyanchorversedeclaresTheLordwillperfectthatwhichconcernsmeYourmercyOLordenduresforeverdonotforsaketheworksofYourhands.DuringthosetimeswhenitseemedthatGodhadturnedadeafeartomyprayersitwasthepromiseofHiswordthisparticularversewhichsustainedme.ItisduringtimeswhenwedesiretoknowthewillofGodexperiencethemanifestationofGodandGodseeminglyissilentthatourspiritualresolveistested.DuringthoseseasonsandtheymaybelongweneedtocontinuetodothelastthingthatGodtoldustodotrustingthatwhenheisreadytomoveorsetanewdirectionHewilldoso.WhateveryourpursuitinlifemaybewhateverchallengesyoumayfacehoweverwearyandtiredyoumaybecomefindandholdtoaspiritualanchorfromtheWordofGodandthendoastheApostlePauldeclaresinPhilippians314KJVpresstowardthemarkfortheprizeofthehighcallingofGodinChristJesus.Whetheryouarebeginninganeweducationendeavororcontinuingonestartinganewchurchortryingtogrowanexistingonewaitingonemploy-mentoranticipatingachangeinemploymentinalifechangeofsomesortandwaitingforchangedontgiveupgiveoutdontquit.BelievethatwithGodshelpyoucanmakeitByRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.SERMONBeEncouragedDontQuitIpraiseGodfortheopportunitytoaccomplishmygoalandIthankmyfamilychurchandstaffforyoursupport.IknowthatIamthebetterforhavingachievedthisgoal.WilliamT.GolsonJr.MDivisPresidentoftheGreaterMetroDenverMinisterialAlliance.Rev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.