New Season in Blogging Practice?

Hi Friends,

Since returning from St. Louis in late May, I haven't been blogging a lot. This has been due to a couple of reasons: first of all, now that I'm about half way done with my coursework, I am needing to focus in more on a mini-project that is before me; this project is what we might call a mini-dissertation where I get some "practice" at writing the eventual dissertation. I'm spending most of my "degree time" thinking and working on a "question" I want to research for this mini-dissertation, which will be due sometime this fall. So the broadness of my reading has been put on hold for a little while, and so my blogging about various works has as well. As for what I have been reading lately, I've been reading quite a bit of Wendell Berry, since Jake Meador and I are co-leading a summer class through his collection of short stories That Distant Land. Also, I read recently a book on marriage I Married You by Walter Trobisch, also am working through John Frame's book The Escondido Theology: A Reformed Response to Two Kingdom Theology. Secondly, I haven't been blogging lately because my pastoral concerns have been particularly heavy as of late: yesterday I officiated a funeral for a 28-yr.-old woman whose wedding I performed less than three years ago. A few weeks back, I traveled to Lawrence, KS to participate in the funeral of a 32-yr.-old woman who was in my high school youth group back when Tanya and I did youth ministry back in the mid-90s. I'm particularly heavy-hearted after a string of heart-breaking shepherding situations at various levels among Grace Chapel folks, at the Presbytery level (our denominational churches in Nebraska) as well as outside of Grace Chapel. So, in a word, I haven't had much "juice" to blog much as of late. I've got great elders, a great associate pastor in Ben Loos, great wife, amazing kids, a great church family and through this degree program, I've found a couple of mentors, one in his 60s (Steve Garber) and another retired PCA pastor who is 74-yrs.-old (Paul Woodard), so God has been more than gracious to sustain me in this very difficult season. Prayers are much appreciated: anything you can muster, anything at all :-).

Blessings and thanks,

Mike