Joy found in Working out His Salvation: Update from Eric McCray

Prayer Highlight: Eric teaches Feb 24 and 25

The Gospel according to Luke

This is my third year on staff with the School of Biblical Action, and each year on staff is always full of newness (wow! That is actually a word). This year the newest things in my life are my new marriage to my lovely and supportive wife Melissa and my new role as the SOBA leader. I count both as incredibly gracious gifts from my Savior and ones that I desperately never want to take for granted.

 

I have been discovering more this year than ever about the importance of being an active student of God and of the people he has placed in my life. My role as a husband, a teacher and a leader means absolutely nothing in this Kingdom if I stop (or am lazy about) following The One who first called me. An indirect mentor of mine, Howard Hendricks, says it this way, “I would rather have my students (and wife) drink from a running stream than a stagnant pool.” My greatest desire is just that, and I write this with tears filling my eyes, that the Holy Spirit would be that living water that fills my life without measure, so that I might be able to give to others in even the minutest of ways.

 

I’m incredibly thankful for who I have in my life. My average day is spent in a classroom with eight wonderful women and one other dedicated dude (sometimes it feels like I’m on a women’s retreat, haha)… and my daily goal, in and out of the classroom, is to forever resist the sin and temptation of climbing the proverbial ladder of life by intentionally guiding each one up to the top while staying at the bottom myself. Amen.

Read about Michelle's "Brilliant" Journey in SOBA!!!!

The past month hasn’t been easy, actually it’s been pretty emotional at times.  I’m getting through plenty of tissues - I’ve cried on at least 4 days every week. 

Saying that, I’m totally loving SOBA – even the crazy amount of study I have to do. 

There have been a number of events in my life where I know God has healed me emotionally - now I feel Him going to an even deeper level.  As a child I always wanted to be adopted.  Don’t get me wrong, I had great parents, but I just wanted there to be a special someone out there who chose me for being me.  On January 31^st, whilst studying Ephesians, God said to me “you are adopted, I’ve adopted you”.  I’ve read this passage so many times, but never before has it impacted me as deeply as that day.  I had a smile on my face so big my cheeks hurt!

From that day, I’ve felt like I’ve been growing in confidence – I’m a daughter of the King – how can I not be confident! 

In the past I’ve tended to shy away from dreaming, telling myself I could never live up to my dreams, and telling God He must have got it wrong to put these things in my heart.   I feel that I’ve been given permission to dream and I’m dreaming BIG.  The more I allow myself to dream the more excited I get and the more passion burns inside me to see the Holy Spirit move through the church and in the world. 

I feel I’m alive and living the life I’ve always wanted.