This is a time of great change for students at PTS. As yet another academic year draws to an end, we begin to transition. Some students anticipate a break from studies by going home to be with loved ones or leave for a vacation. Others will begin summer employment, CPE, and summer languages. For those who are graduating, the reality of completing the program is hard hitting. As we celebrate those who know where they will be serving, we also celebrate those who don\u2019t know what is next. Regardless of where we find ourselves, change is upon us.\u00a0The directional pull of change is strong. It is strong because the sovereignty of God is always at work in that change. For this, I am grateful.<\/p>\n
On the days where I am overwhelmed, I find myself singing \u201cHave Thine Own Way, Lord!\u201d This hymn has preached to me over the past three years. The hymn was written by Adelaide A. Pollard who was a Bible teacher and hymn writer. Pollard, was hoping to go to Africa as a missionary, but could not make a way financially. Greatly discouraged, she attended a prayer service at church when she overheard an elderly woman praying these words \u201cIt really doesn’t matter what you do with us, Lord, just have your own way with our lives.” Those words inspired Pollard while she contemplated the story of the potter in Jeremiah 18:3. When she returned home after the prayer service, she wrote all four verses of this beloved hymn. Although I don\u2019t know what is next for me beyond PTS, I trust that God will continue to have His way in my life so as to reflect Christ in me by the power of the Holy Spirit. And so He will in us all.<\/p>\n
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
\nThou art the Potter, I am the clay.
\nMold me and make me after Thy will,
\nWhile I am waiting, yielded and still.<\/p>\n
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
\nSearch me and try me, Master, today!
\nWhiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
\nAs in Thy presence humbly I bow.<\/p>\n
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
\nWounded and weary, help me, I pray!
\nPower, all power, surely is Thine!
\nTouch me and heal me, Savior divine.<\/p>\n
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
\nHold o\u2019er my being absolute sway!
\nFill with Thy Spirit \u2019till all shall see
\nChrist only, always, living in me.<\/p>\n
Melanie is a senior MDiv student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is a time of great change for students at PTS. As yet another academic year draws to an end, we begin to transition. Some students anticipate a break from studies by going home to be with loved ones or leave for a vacation. Others will begin summer employment, CPE, and summer languages. For those…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1187,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[8,10,29,31,32,36,40],"series":[],"class_list":["post-455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-theological-reflection","tag-bible-study","tag-call-to-ministry","tag-pastoral-vocation","tag-seminary-community","tag-seminary-experience","tag-spiritual-journeys","tag-women-in-ministry"],"yoast_head":"\r\n