Seminary students are highly committed people. We have classes to attend, hundreds of pages to read, papers to write, exams to study for, vocabulary to memorize, and church to attend. With our lives full and busy, we like to think we have things under control. We make our checklists, organize our day planners, and update Google Calendar. We attempt the hard task of balancing our spiritual lives with our academic lives. For me, I do not have much room for change in my schedule. Nearly every hour is filled. So what happens when God allows something to drastically change your life? That is the question that I have been having to work through.
On February 23 my father was in a serious head-on collision. I was sitting in Greek when I got a text message which said, “Your dad was in an accident.” At that moment many things changed in my life. Instantly, my interest in Greek diminished as adrenaline raced through my veins. As I learned of the seriousness of the crash I thought about how my family’s life would be changed forever. It is only by God’s grace that my father survived.
God is amazing. His ways are indeed above our ways. He is able to use a car accident to accomplish so much good, in so many aspects of life, to so many people. I have seen God use this to bring a community of Christians throughout America and the world before His throne asking for grace and mercy in time of need. It is amazing how God uses tragedy for His glory. My father’s accident has shown me to be thankful for every day we are given. Every day is an opportunity to serve, and every day is a gift from God. Let us use our lives to worship God. As Job said, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
To follow my father’s progress go to http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/markseaman
Stepping Back 
great post! I didn’t know about your dad. I will be praying for him.