decisions...

...or more positively put--choices. Paul has been accepted at George Fox, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Rosemead. They all have their strengths:

George Fox: We love the area. We felt the most welcome there. But it's only a PsyD, not PhD.

Fuller: Very culturally diverse, strong integration emphasis, and you get an MA in Theology as well as the Clinical Psych Doctorate.

Rosemead: Most "prestigious." One less year than Fuller. Better chances of getting assistantships early.

We've pretty much narrowed it down to Fuller and Rosemead, and we're leaning more towards Fuller. Rosemead is supposed to be a little more conservative, and we've heard, "hostile" to the spiritual gifts. Fuller has people of more diverse spiritual backgrounds, and focuses more on letting you develop your beliefs.

So we are definitely leaning towards Fuller, and the official decision is going to be made soon--since we have to let all the schools know by the 15th.

We've struggled a lot just to make the decision that we are leaning towards Fuller (if you can call that a decision). I guess it's just hard when we're talking about the next five to six years of our lives, not to mention life after school. We just want to be doing God's will. Before we heard back from the school, we prayed that God would just not have Paul get accepted where he didn't want him to be. That worked for one school. Paul applied at Seattle Pacific University, which was our first choice, since we could be close to his brothers and both our families. But they didn't even want an interview, so at least God made it clear for that one.

But now we still have three choices, and I'm trying not to think that two of them could be the "wrong" choice. They are all good schools.

It's just hard being in limbo--not knowing. But that will be over for sure in about two weeks, if not sooner! I just want God to give us an obvious sign! But that would be too easy.

After we got done with that day at Fuller the other week, I just really felt that Fuller was a place we could grow. George Fox felt very comfortable and nice, but I feel like if we went there, it would be like ending a life, instead of starting a new one. At Fuller, I felt like we would both grow and mature. It would be a place we could develop in a lot of different ways.

I never saw Rosemead's campus, but when Paul went down for the interview, he said he didn't feel as good about it as the other schools. But even so, it's so hard to turn down ROSEMEAD. It's supposed to be the best.

Anyway, I feel like I'm on a teeter-totter. God, make sure we make the right decision!