My graduate school application "essay". Heavy CC.........

[Joanne]

Here is a copy of the essay (not quite done) for my graduate school application. I am attending (hopefully) the Houston Graduate School Of Theology.

 

 

Include an essay of 1000 - 2000 words covering the following:

 

I. An account of your relationship with Jesus Christ

II. The continuing Christian life and ministry/service in which you have been involved

III. Your reasons for pursuing or continuing theological education, including your vision and call to ministry and why you believe you will benefit from seminary studies

IV. Six of your basic theological beliefs

 

 

My name is Joanne Ketch. I was born and raised in a small town in New Jersey. I am a cradle Presbyterian, having attended church from my earliest memories and having been involved in service in various capacities throughout my childhood and adult years. Although I was active in church as a youth, I do not recall having a personal relationship with God or Jesus. I enjoyed the ritual of worship, the fellowship, the entertainment, travel and work of the Walsh Memorial Handbell Choir and the peer relations. Upon graduation from high school, I quit active participation in church in spite of the fact that I attended a Presbyterian College throughout my college career. I fell from any kind of active belief in direct relationship to my behavior with drugs, alcohol, men, and character issues with work and family.

 

On May 15, 1991, I admitted complete defeat and humbly offered myself to the God I knew would save me and stop me from drinking. This He did, in abundance, and today I am clean and sober for 18 years. I spent the early years of my recovery immersed in 12 step work, service, people, traditions and culture. I learned a tremendous amount about faith, love, people, dysfunction, care and observed how God works the moment we ask him and he woos us when our willingness wanes or is absent.

 

I can’t say that I called God “Jesus†or even felt the need until I returned to formal church upon the birth of my first son in 1995. My (then) husband and I made the decision to raise our children in church. We searched briefly and promptly landed in exactly the setting that God had planned. It was a very Presbyterian plan and a very Presbyterian setting. There, I became a Deacon where I learned to minister to the needs of the members of the church.

 

Upon becoming a parent, I realized I had no real skills, experience or knowledge about how to “do†parenting well. Simultaneous with and in conjunction with parenting 3 closely spaced children, I began to study parenting and families. I read copious amounts of parenting books, attended classes and seminars. I participated on message boards and observed families in action. I began to formulate an approach to parenting that was connected, attached, firm and non punitive. Unfortunately, I also observed a tendency in the conservative Christian community towards adversarial, punitive and harsh parenting ideas. In response, the approach I developed involved the firm figurative rod of discipline but also the grace of knowledge of age appropriate behaviors, expectations and the development of a family centered culture. During this time, I developed a web site, a massive email list, Moderated popular parenting sites and my work was included in 2 Christian books on parenting. I consider this time a ministry and calling. My faith and everyday life ceased to be bifurcated; I was living the faith I embraced and developing an active, thriving relationship with my Creator, Christ Jesus.

 

My family moved from AZ to TX and we eventually made a church home in Katy, TX at New Hope Presbyterian. There I became an Elder, served on several committees, taught Sunday School for children, adults and participated in Vacation Bible School.

 

Unfortunately, my marriage to my children’s father failed to thrive or adhere to Biblical principles or God’s design for marriage. In this marriage, I suffered emotional and financial abuse. Upon the realization of the dynamic I was living under and combined with the infidelity of my husband, I sought a necessary but tragic divorce. In the time that followed, I have been forced to declare bankruptcy, suffered a severe and radical reduction in child support and the imposition of a cumbersome and awful custody battle. I was already exhausted from my marriage to the children’s father and the years since has served to exhaust me further. I have been living in a spiritual desert. Although I remain a believer, my faith is not active and my relationship with God is not thriving.

 

3 years ago, I decided to pursue my Masters degree in Counseling. It seemed, at the time, to be a natural extension of the substance abuse recovery, from the parenting leadership I participated in and the (then limited) knowledge I had about recovery from marital abuse. It was at that time that my Pastor, Dr. Belinda Windham, suggest the Houston Graduate School of Theology. However, life was soon to happen in ways that seemingly prevented me from moving forward with this plan.

 

In Alcoholics Anonymous, “we†do not believe in coincidence. We believe in “Godâ€incidence. A series of events happened that made me embrace the idea that I can no longer wait to answer God’s call to help his people. In one short week, I quit my cleaning job, was hired as a teacher for an additional “homeâ€school student, I assisted a lapsed alcoholic in my job as a Poker Tournament Director and there was an Open House for College and Graduate Students. Although the Open House was for another institution, I remembered Dr. Windham’s enthusiastic recommendation of HGST.

 

I believe that pursuing and acquiring a Masters in Counseling degree to be the synthesis of my life experience, God given talents and skills and my need for a career path that assists others. Ultimately earning the professional designations of Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor (LMFC) will enable me to build a private practice. I would like to market my skills to mainline local churches, to community assistance organizations and to individuals in need. I would like to offer parenting courses, family courses, and divorce support courses and groups. I would especially like to be able to offer services at a discounted or scaled rate to women emerging from abusive dynamics and who are navigating the quagmire of the Family Law system. Combining this career vision with formal Christian education will serve both my own education, faith and ultimately my clients.

 

6 of My Basic Theological Beliefs:

 

1) I believe Jesus Christ to have been God incarnate on earth, descending to live as a full human on earth to be both our sacrifice in redemption and our model for living His principles.

2) I believe that grace is unmerited, offered freely from the love that is God, and the realization of this grace is the beginning of a conscious relationship with Christ Jesus.

3) I believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary’s womb, born, crucified on a cross, and after descending to hell, risen from death to appear to his followers before ascending to Heaven.

4) I believe in the trinity; God is father, God is son, God is Holy Spirit. He is 3 persons, one and separate.

5) I believe that the Bible is God’s Word, contains a description of history with His people, and offers contemporary, living and breathing instructions and advice for living.

6) I believe that God desires our complete submission, not out of authoritarian control, but out of is constant and steadfast love.

[JenneinCA]

That is a powerful and heartfelt essay. I hope you are successful in your dreams. You certainly have an inspiring story and goal in your life.

 

The only thing I noticed was a missing h in his in the very last line of your essay. I think you meant to say "his constant and steadfast love".

[Sonshine]

A very powerful essay. I don't know what the Houston School of Theology's doctrinal statement is, but they may question your statement about the Word of God as not being strong enough. Then again, that might be a good fit for that school. Also, the sentence ending in "there was an open house,..." That part seems awkward - "there" did not seem to be a good word to use there.

 

It seems as if God is leading you. I am proud of you.

[Beth in OH]

Joanne--

 

Having read your posts with great interest and admiration over the years, I think your essay captured the Joanne that I have come to "know" and respect. Your life would seem to be the definition of walking the talk.

 

Congratulations on taking this big step, and I hope you will be receiving your acceptance letter quickly. :)

 

Beth

[Harriet Vane]

Thank you for sharing. I read with interest, and hope and pray that your path to education and an enriching career proceeds smoothly.

[Laura Corin]

You might like to reconsider your capital 'M' on 'Moderated'.

 

Best wishes with your endeavours,

 

Laura