On to school....I haven't had much time lately to process my first semester of school, but I have time now, and I wanted to share my reflections of what I learned during these past few months. I'm going to try to add some of my favorite recent pictures to the post to help break up the writing. Enjoy reading about all I have learned....
*The professional is the personal
This was probably the one thing I was most unprepared for when I began this program. Any school experience I've had in my life prior to this has been just that - school. You learn some stuff, you do the assignments, and you move on to the next class. In my counseling program, however, everything is personal. Who you are as a person will directly impact who you are as a counselor. Yes, we're being trained and learning skills and helpful information. But through the process, I am being personally transformed. You cannot learn about how to help people through the stuff in their lives without changing yourself. Because of this element, school can sometimes be exhausting. I found myself always thinking about stuff and processing what happened in class or what I was reading because it all impacted me personally. I have grown in ways I never imagined, and I know that will continue throughout the upcoming months.
*Learning about something you're interested in is really fun!
The last time I was in school, I enjoyed it, but in undergrad you have to take so many core classes that you never end up using and that you really don't care about. Every class I am taking has something to do with training to be a counselor, and they are all so interesting! It is really cool to see how much better school is when you are studying a subject that you are excited about and know you are preparing for a specific type of career.
*God made me special and He loves me very much!
Who knew there would be so much wisdom found in VeggieTales? The truth of this statement is something that I continue to wrestle with. I would love to say that I don't care what other people think about me, but if I'm being totally honest, I have to admit that I do. I want to be liked and respected and thought well of, and in a school setting I want people to think I belong there, that I will be a good counselor and that I have good things to contribute to discussions, etc. But the truth of the matter is that I am unique. God made me special (just like He made you special)! There were times this past semester that I felt out of place. Perhaps all of my classmates liked a certain book that I didn't. Or they viewed a situation differently than me. Instead of focusing so much on what might be wrong with me because I see something in a different way, I am coming to realize yet again that God made me on purpose for a purpose. He needs some people in the world to think outside of the box. He needs creativity and different ways of thinking. And it's really about much more than being "right" or "wrong" - it's just being comfortable with who He has made me to be, knowing He loves me, and that is enough! I know this is an area God will continue to refine in me, but I'm giving you fair warning now - 2011 could bring Tiffany even more unleashed, and it could be scary!! :)
*God WILL continue refining
While this semester has continued God's refining process in my life, I know it will not stop now. I have already gotten all of my books in the mail for this upcoming semester. (They are currently out of the way so I do not stress out while looking at the big pile. Let's be honest, I needed this break!) In looking at the books and seeing the subjects I will be studying, it's amusing in a sick sort of way to see how God uses all parts of our lives to mold us and shape us and continue His work in us. It seems as though whatever I am wrestling with is somehow incorporated into my studies so that I am forced to continue working through and dealing with whatever those issues might be. While this can sometimes be annoying, I am very thankful because I do want to be healthy, and I believe that it is my responsibility to be as healthy as possible before I attempt to speak into another person's life as a counselor.
*When God calls, He equips
Even in this first semester of school, there have been times where I have questioned if this was what I was really supposed to be doing. What if I heard God wrong? What if this wasn't what He had in mind for me to do? But over and over again, He has confirmed that this is exactly where I am supposed to be. And I have discovered the truth that when God calls us to something, He really does equip us. Despite my struggles, ponderings, and wrestling, when I have needed to do something - be it an assignment, helping a friend work through an issue, encouraging a classmate or co-worker or whatever - God has equipped me with what I needed when I needed it. I am confident He will continue to do this as I keep going down this path He has made for me.
*Appearances can be deceiving
One very important thing I was reminded of this semester was how judgmental I can be. I tend to make snap assessments of people based on a first encounter - what they look like, an initial conversation... This is totally unfair in all of life but something I must stay away from as a counselor. Appearances really can be deceiving and it's not fair to assume you know what someone's life is like by how they look or by how things might appear to be. Everyone has a story, and everyone's story is worth knowing, no matter what they might look like or how they might act.
*EVERYONE needs counseling!
This statement pretty much sums itself up, but it's true - everyone needs counseling. We all have issues. And those issues affect our relationships and how we approach the world and the impact we have on others. As believers especially, I think it's so important to be healthy so that we can be in relationship with God and others as close to the way He designed it as possible. We miss so much because we stay trapped in our small lives, living in fear of what other people might think and say and do. So find a godly counselor and let 2011 be the year of freedom and health!
So there you have it - a small sampling of what I learned in my first semester of graduate school! It was a great beginning, and while I am fully enjoying this break, I am looking forward to all that is in store in this next semester and the continuing adventures of 2011. I'll keep you posted. Thank you for your prayers and support! May 2011 be a year filled with glorious adventure, grace, love, and growth for each one of us! More to come soon! :)
2 comments:
Thanks for the update! Happy New Year! Can't wait to see what God is in store for 2011! I love you!
I LOVED reading this update! Such a cool post. So glad you're doing well and loving school and learning about yourself and your new calling. Happy new year!
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