IKANOS; or, putting down one thing to raise another.
“Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
2 Corinthians 3:1-6
This passage brings me such a feeling of comfort when i think about the task Father God has set before me. I feel underqualified; but only He qualifies me to do ANYTHING by His grace. i feel like this could so easily fail, and it will should i rest on my own abilities, but there is so much potential if i only keep myself humble and in constant penance to the Lord. i worry that we won’t have enough money, that i won’t be able to sustain myself, that there won’t be enough students, but if i place my confidence in what i have been called to do, God IS enough. For “He works for the good of those who love him.”
this is where i leave the conventional wisdom of the world behind and begin to press in to the backwards logic of the Kingdom of God. this is where God proves He Is Who He Says He Is. and i start to believe Him.
el shaddai: 
: God All-Sufficient.
Dude, I have a ton of confidence in where this is going. On its own, I think the ASM would be worthwhile. However, the value of what you have committed to extends beyond what I think most realize. The Anchor does worship exceptionally well, but there is an education/knowledge/wisdom component to any healthy church, and this is currently a weakness at the Anchor. The ASM is the first step – and a major step – towards encouraging growth in this area. It will help the students develop, yes, but it will also encourage people who aren’t even enrolled to start learning too. For one, as the leadership begins to put more emphasis on education, the congregation will follow, and two, the students will have friends outside of the school, and they’re likely to talk about what they’re learning. I’m also excited for you personally. I don’t know what is going to happen for you, but I’m sure God has a lot in store. I get the worry – I felt similarly when I gave up my job to go back to school. And parts of it do suck, like stricter budgeting and not going out as much. But on the whole, making moves like this always seem to bring unforeseeable good. Myself, I found myself sitting in God’s breakfast nook again. And you already have that, so who knows what awesome thing is going to come of it?
P.S. Your El Shaddai is missing a yod. Fix it or I’m getting a lawyer.