Firstborn Reflections

Our oldest and firstborn son Mike just left this morning to return to California, where he is starting his final semester at The Master's College. Lord willing, he will graduate in May with a BA in Biblical Studies, with an emphasis in Bible Exposition. God has taken Mike through a long and winding path over the last six years since he graduated high school to bring him to the place he is now, and it's a testament to His grace and sovereignty how He has worked things out and continues to strengthen His call on Mike to ministry of His Word.

It's been great having Mike home the past three weeks since he returned from his fall semester in Israel, but it's also a little different having a 23-year old in the house. Still our kid, yet really an adult. And I have to say that Mike and I are great friends, with common interests in things like ministry and cycling. So as he leaves this morning, it really seems more like a visitor departing, than like sending off a child to college. I guess that's part of the parenting process as our children get older and take their own paths that God leads them down.

For those few of you who read this, I'd appreciate your prayers for Mike. Both as he travels the next few days, over the snowy mountains and across the desert. As well as for his longer term ministry and life as he finishes his undergraduate work at TMC and looks forward to starting on his MDiv next summer/fall at Trinity in Chicago.