Happy New Year everyone! I trust all of my regular readers enjoyed the holiday season that just concluded and is ready for an awesome 2013. Recent years have been challenging for so many people in so many ways yet through it all God is on the throne! My family and I continue to marvel at the blessings that are poured out on our lives with each passing year. For us, it is easy to say God is good!
There is so much going on here that I thought I should begin my blogging year with an update on myself and the family. The entire Sanchez family is very much looking forward to our upcoming vacation in February. We have had a cruise booked for nearly a year and it is fast approaching. Another six weeks and we will be on our way. Our ports of call include Cozumel, Mexico; Belize; Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan; and Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Needless to say we are all very excited! This is our second family cruise and each member of our family has been eagerly awaiting our departure.
Joshua and Hannah are both doing very well in school. To say we are proud of them would be an understatement! Both are very diligent students and embrace the challenges of their studies. Watching them grow and learn new things is fun. It is interesting to me how much education has changed since I was a child their age. It is also interesting to see the schools deal with changing technology. Where we live, the local schools have begun allowing students to bring their own devices (e.g. tablets, smart phones, etc.). I am convinced that the internet and an increasingly connected public will completely change education delivery. The news business comes to mind! Universities will be first but primary and secondary schools will not be far behind. This is a topic I will be blogging about more a little later this year.
Melisa has enjoyed her holiday break from her doctoral studies but is preparing to resume classes. For those of you not in the know, she is in the Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in Organizational Development program at Grand Canyon University. She has completed four classes and this year will complete another four as well as travel to Arizona for her first residency. She has not yet decided on the topic for her dissertation but we certainly have some very interesting discussions about various things she may research. I am looking forward to her studies, her pending dissertation topics, and more of those conversations.
Speaking of doctoral studies, allow me to share an excerpt from an e-mail I received a few days ago:
“Based on our initial review of your application, you are invited to participate in the next phase of the EdD application process for doctoral studies at Southern Seminary, which is the entrance exam and faculty interview.”
Wow! Since completing my seminary studies last August and receiving my Master of Religious Education from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in September, I have been seeking God’s will for me educationally. Prior to completing those studies I had been praying about the direction my education might take and had sensed a pull to seek a terminal degree. It did not take long for me to find the Doctor of Education program at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The admissions process is two phases and that I might be invited to participate in the second phase is very humbling.
I am also humbled by the amount of web traffic my little blog receives! The number of visitors to this site tells me someone out there finds value here and that is more than enough to keep me blogging. As always, your comments are welcome and encouraged. Until next time!
Chris