LTSP - Linda Bell (fall 2006)

New Students, Fall 2006

Linda Bell

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people. -- Matthew 4:19

Grace, peace and love to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

WHAT WONDROUS WORDS THESE ARE. What a responsibility to be able to serve our Lord and to assist others with drawing nearer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. A Lutheran for over 20 years, I served on committees and church council, graduated from the two-year diakonia program, served as a congregational deacon, served as a communion assistant, and joined the Prayer Ministry. But it was still not enough. While going through an extensive discerning process, the answer was still "Serve Me." After preaching in my home congregation, and several other churches, I was asked if I was going to seminary. And I knew that whatever I did would be enough.

At a time when I could have been planning on retirement, I asked myself, "Should I really do this?" My first thoughts were of LTSP. But going to Philadelphia would require major life changes, and the thought of doing that was scary. After receiving a call from Rick Summy, I decided to attend LTSP.

Moving onto campus was an experience that I looked forward to sharing with my family and friends. On Saturday, August 19, my children and grandchildren had the awesome responsibility of helping me move in. As I walked to class on the first day, my prayer was, "Thank you Lord for making dreams come true."