The beginning of a dream fulfilled

I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I am going to begin the courses for my Master's Degree!

For decades I have known that I wanted to get formal Bible School training, but the time and the finances were never right. Recently I went to Elmbrook Church's Christian Study Center website and began to poke around. Today I talked to Dave Seemuth, and it appears that this degree is a perfect fit. I am going to register to get a Master of Arts in Christian Studies, and begin in January with the New Testament Survey class. Honestly, I am SO EXCITED that I want it to start tomorrow.

I'll take a break from teaching for this first semester, to pace myself and to have time to study for this four credit class. The fully accredited degree will be through Trinity Divinity School in Deerfield, IL, but I can take every class at Elmbrook church which is 5 minutes from my work. 42 credits total.

Issues:
Time: I study a lot now. I think it may be a wash.
Money: God has graciously provided through a raise at work. While there are a million other uses for money, this is a good one. Each credit at Elmbrook is $265, while the same class at the seminary is over $600 per credit hour. Such a blessing to have the resource of that church right here.
Home: My husband is all for it, as he knows that study is what fuels me.
Laptop: My work ordered me a brand new lap top today (mine is slow and dying a very colorful death...the screen is swirly pink much of the time...) and it will be my personal as well as my work laptop. It is FAST FAST FAST.
Logos Bible Software: All paid for (did the six months free financing) and I have learned how to really use some of it's features...this will be a big time saver as well as a space saver.

I am feeling total peace about signing up. And SO excited. We went to Elmbrook tonight to look at the text books in the book store, but I can order them at a substantial discount through Amazon.

Woo hoo. I just can't wait!