Seminary and the Gulf War

Deanna and I were married in May of 1990.  Shortly after this we moved to Fort Worth, Texas to attend seminary.  These were difficult times for Deanna and me.  It started out hard from the get go.  After just a few weeks of school I was failing in all of my classes.  I had never been a great student but seminary was so hard.  What I could not understand was why God called me to seminary if I was just going to fail.

I remember one day in particular.  I had a professor who was amazing to listen to.  As Dr. Spivey would speak about church history I would sit enthralled at the way that God had worked through the church in times past.  In fact I could have set and listened to him all day for days he was that interesting.  However, this was the class that I was doing the worst in.  I really saw no hope for me in this class.  I went and spoke with Dr. Spivey.  He didn’t seem very concerned or interested in my problems with his class.

After one test I went home and cried for hours to God asking him why he would bring me to this place to fail.  I asked God for a sign – something that would let me know that he really wanted me to stay in seminary.  I’d decided that if I didn’t get a definite sign from God that I would drop out.

The next day in class Dr. Spivey got up and said that he was a chaplain in the Army Reserves and that he had received order to go to Sadi Arabia for Desert Shield.  He told us that his teaching assistant and grader Karen Bullock would be our instructor for the rest of the semester.  He then left the room.

When he left Mrs. Bullock got up and explained how she would conduct the class.  I remember her saying that since she graded differently than Dr. Spivey that our grades up to that point would be thrown out and that we would be graded on what we did for her for the rest of the semester.  A cheer went up in the class and I realized that I was not the only student that was struggling.  It was a great encouragement and I started to wonder if the conflict in the gulf had been started so God could give me a sign about staying in school.  I realize that God uses all things for His good purposes. 

Rom 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Col 1:16-17  For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  (17)  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

However, I continued to do poorly in school and so I went to see Mrs. Bullock, now Dr. Karen Bullock.  She listened very carefully to me and asked me many questions about my calling and experiences with school.  God used her to change my life.  No one had ever told me that I was a visual learner.  However, Mrs. Bullock was able to discern this as well as other things about my learning practices.  She gave me advice that helped me make it through seminary.  She pointed out to me that I didn’t test well and that I would do better if I took classes that weighed heaver on papers than tests.  By talking to other students and professors I was able to find out which professor graded more heavily on papers and take their classes.  The next semester I received my first “A” in seminary, in Dr. Putt’s philosophy of religion class.  In this class we typed one paper a week and did two major papers at midterm and at the end of the semester but no tests.  (Years later I would learn that I have A.D.D.  I have learned many coping skills but still struggle with this condition today.)

I will never forget how this woman cared about each of her students and how she mentored me.  Many of the things that I have been able to do in minister are due in large part to her taking time for a young seminary student and helping him find a way.  I am forever grateful for the Gulf War and Karen Bullock.