Some essentials in class: chocolate and coffee!

When starting a new venture, the first steps can be the hardest. I felt that first nudge to consider returning to school during a women’s prayer breakfast in 2019 that I attended with a dear friend just before the pandemic. It was the last time I would be at a conference in a few years. The speaker mentioned that she had just graduated with a Graduate Certificate for Women in Ministry from Heritage College and Seminary. I felt that unmistakable tug at my heart but immediately shelved the idea. The first thought I had was that there was absolutely no way I could ever manage being in school again, and I thought to myself, Who goes back to school? There’s not a chance for me. But for whatever reason, God continued to prepare me for the first steps, and I’ll tell you, I wanted to turn and run back in the direction that I had set for myself, the path that I was most comfortable walking because I knew there was no way I could go. 

 

But I couldn’t ignore the feeling. The summer before I started the application process, I reached out to the speaker and asked if she would help me understand what it would look like to return to school and take this course. She graciously spent time with me on the phone to help put my anxieties at rest and allowed me to see this as a blessing and an opportunity to strengthen my understanding of the Word of God in a new and beautiful way. But as many questions as the call had answered, I still had more. 

 

Can I actually write an essay? 

What will it be like to be graded again? 

Who will my professor be? 

Who will the women be in my class be? 

How much reading will I have to do? 

Can I manage all the reading?

Will I be able to balance home life and school life?

 

My goodness, I had a million questions! Even though I did not have all the answers, I had to take the first steps of obedience and trust that God had placed this in my mind in my heart for a reason, and he would equip me for the obstacles and unknowns ahead. 

And obstacles there were! I had decided to apply quite late, so I missed the deadline and had to pay a late fee!  Wrestling through the application process was a mission in and of itself. retrieving transcripts, reference letters and all the documentation I needed. It took me a while, but I couldn’t look back once I started. I jumped in with two feet and found myself in a class surrounded by a group of incredible women led by a brilliant professor. The first course was “Developing Life-Changing Bible Study Curriculum,” and I was able to create a resource at the end of the term that I’m very thankful for; otherwise, I may not have done it.. God knew what he was doing! Funny how that surprises us, isn’t it!? His timing is always better than ours. 

When I started school, my fourth daughter was heading into grade 9, and my last daughter was still at home. The other kids were at university and working, and I found myself able to work side-by-side with my daughter Katie and Sara when they were working on assignments. While they worked on schoolwork, I would work on mine. I also had some beautiful conversations with my older kids about how they were managing assignments, and I loved the advice given to me when I needed it the most.

When I began the course in 2021, 2023 seemed a lifetime away, and now I’m heading into the last of my five classes. I have read many books and articles, handed in assignments and papers, fought through the anxiety that comes before a presentation, and I still can hardly believe the many hours of lectures I have been blessed to listen to. All of this has been laying rich layers of biblical knowledge that I desperately needed, but I didn’t know till I got there how much I needed it. It has also reminded me that I am never done learning; I am always the student of the Word, and these courses have allowed me to sit back and be taught and then actively apply what I have learned. It has stretched, changed, and blessed me, and I’m very grateful for this opportunity. 

Many people have asked me why I went back to school. I don’t have a firm answer other than knowing this is what God wanted me to do. I couldn’t ignore it; I felt I was being disobedient if I didn’t go. I knew I would meet some wonderful people and learn beautiful things, and that’s precisely what has happened. 

Despite its challenges, this program has shaped me. We’ve had to tackle some pretty tough issues, but we aren’t left dangling because we went right to the Word and found what we needed there! If I had ignored the nudge to look into the course at Heritage, I would have missed out on a unique learning opportunity. And here I am, graduating in 2023 with faith in God’s next steps for my life. 

 

For anyone who feels a similar call (or who is just interested in learning more about the program), here is some more information from their site: 

 Heritage College and Seminary Information

Heritage Centre for Women in Ministry 

Equipping Women for Ministry 

Certificate and Degree Options: 

Graduate Certificate for Women in Ministry 

Heritage offers five courses that are specifically focused on equipping women for greater ministry effectiveness. These courses can be taken for the Graduate Certificate for Women in Ministry, or be transferred to the Master of Theological Studies or Master of Divinity programs. 

You must take all 5 of the courses to qualify for the certificate. There is also the option to take the courses on a non-credit (audit) basis. 

1. Women Serving in Ministry and Leadership 

1. Developing Life Changing Bible Study Curriculum 

1. Great Women of the Christian Faith: A Survey of Church History 

1. Women Reaching the World: Local, National and Global Outreach 

1. Women Teaching God’s Word 

Master of Theological Studies 

A solid foundation is necessary for both life and ministry. Heritage’s Master of Theological Studies builds such a foundation through intensive biblical and theological study under the guidance of recognized and respected scholars who love God’s Word and serve God’s church. All courses in the Graduate Certificate for Women in Ministry program can transfer towards our Master of Theological Studies degree. 

Master of Divinity 

Equipping is essential for faithful service in the church. The people of God need pastors who love, obey, and teach the Word of God. This conviction is at the heart of Heritage’s Master of Divinity program Many of the Graduate Certificate for Women in Ministry courses transfer into our Master of Divinity program. 

Please contact the Registrar’s Office for more information regarding transferring your certificate courses into a degree program. 

For more information about these programs please contact the Seminary Admissions Office.  

Encouraging Women in Ministry 

• Female Seminary students connections are available on Thursdays at the Seminary Chapel along with the soup lunch which follows. 
• Seminary Student Wives Fellowships are offered throughout the school year. 

• Ministry Wives Connection are held in conjunction with the Heritage Preaching Lectures and Ministry Leadership events on the Heritage Campus. 

For more information regarding these events or how you can connect with other women while studying at Heritage please contact the Director for the Graduate Certificate for Women in Ministry.  

 

 

Some music for you to enjoy today!

Ben Rector – Brand New Fan Compilation Video

 The Joy of Music – Short Film

Ben Rector – Heroes

https://www.benrectormusic.com/film