To keep it short, I'm back at Judson University (no longer JudCo.) and this time around I'm a Psychology major, I am no longer in the Youth Ministry program out here at Judson University. I switched majors and in a way it works to my advantage; I will be able to graduate sooner than I imagined possible. This comes as good and welcomed news to me as well as my fiancee -- sooner out of school means the sooner we can get married!

As it stands at this time, I will graduate in 3 semesters including this one (God willing); and from there, though not the next weekend after graduating, I will be getting to Chrissy (also God willing). During my temporary leave from JudUni I have started to travel down further on my road with God. Mixed with that is my new denominational tag; Greek Orthodox. I am a follower of Christ, yet I identify myself (if people ask) as a Greek Orthodox. My G.O. Abba, Romanos, has helped to cultivate some of my G.O. views, and like him I'm not hung up on Orthodoxy. For me it's becoming more in tune with God and my surroundings with my heart over my head, yes I sometimes think as a Greek Orthodox or I recite with my mouth (from my heart) the Jesus Prayer in Greek, but it comes down to being and helping and shepherding the small flock God has set before me.

As a rushed society (and as a college student), I can completely understand how sometimes we do things more out of the standpoint of 'we have to do _____' or even out of tradition: "we've always done it this way." Yet I believe with my heart that we should go and be out of love for God and others, not because we have to, our love should be true love and not a task or a checklist thing, it should be pure. Even in 1 Corinthians 13 it states time and time again "...if I have not love" and it lists that what we attempt with our [supposed] best foot forward is in vain if we have not love.


Back to the school+life realm; I personally don't know what I'll be doing when I get out of school. I plan on getting married to Chrissy (God willing), but in my mind I think that my dreams and asperations to be a full time Youth Minister may be put on hold. I'm not dwelling on that completely, but it comes to the front of my mind every now and then, in His hands, it's all in His hands... I'm satisfied with that, though as a human being I sometimes want the answer to an unanswered question, but His timing is precise and He holds all together, so I've come to worry less and just trust in His perfect timing.

Going on by Christ alone,
Nathanael.

a quick recap...

Well life is perpetually busy for everyone, but for me it's been getting ready to go back to school, working a bit, spending time with my fiancee and my two sons and I had two weeks of vacation. My vacation wasn't that bad, nor was it really good; most of the good times were spent with my sisters, due to the fact that my father treated me like I didn't have a pulse :( It was disappointing in this regard because I really REALLY want to have a serious heart-to-heart conversation, I haven't had one of those with him in a long time.


Now that I've been back from all that, I'm more thankful and grateful for what I do have; friends, family, my fiancee and two sons... Sometimes I take it for granted, but God has been laying it on my heart to invest more and take time to do as following -- don't just do something, stand there -- I picked that out from a Greek Orthodox book about a guy's journey to Valaam.
I seriously wished I invested more earlier this summer when I had more time, but that's another thing, I want to spend more time looking forward and getting past the past. Somethings will take longer than others, but I don't want the small stuff to weigh me down, as if I didn't have enough on my plate already...


My fiancee and two sons have made me want to succeed for myself primarily and for them secondary -- Chrissy and I might get married sooner than the 2 years we said originally, so I need and desire to push myself harder than I ever have before.
That's my life, and soon my school life will start up kicking and screaming very soon and suddenly.