Next steps

My Certificate course in Counselling and Communication has finished and I appear to have passed with flying colours. The Counselling Centre are encouraging me to continue study immediately.

Moreover, the Director has expressed a commitment to mentoring me through the Diploma course, not only because they have a desperate need for male Christian professionals in a climate where the issues arising are becoming 'worse', but because they feel that my background, ministry experience and ethics all warrant the time and effort. They want me to succeed. The feedback has been most encouraging, but also a bit daunting!

I will have to knuckle down and get stuck into further reading and commit a lot of my time to this, which I am willing to do. The fees are high to continue study and all in all, with at least a Saturday a month in tutoring, it's a lot to juggle. It's kinda scary too because I don't take to academic study easily and will have a little catching up to do on top of other commitments.

It's the right way ahead though.

I recall the time in the autumn of 2001 when I was totally washed up - no home, temporary job, broken marriage, single dad, no ministry etc etc. God said to me "I am working in the first half of your life to prepare you for what I will do in the second". And here we are, an apparently scrap-heap-human now with a sense of purpose and of significance.

The feeling is much more than phew! It's much deeper. I really feel, as crap as it's been at times, that I would not be on any other journey. As I write I am also reflecting that the YMCA are supporting me through this with some finance and time. The Centre are also investing in me. In me. In ME!

Next steps.... gulp!