SPITZ FAMILY SPRING SEMESTER UPDATEPhoto: Natalie and Graham with some neighborhood friends.

It’s official. We made it through the Spring semester! It was an especially heavy academic workload for Garrett but it was also incredibly enriching. We are so thankful for your prayers. God heard them and He blessed us tremendously these past five months! Here’s a summary of what we’ve been up to.

• Pauline Epistles• Poets• Greek Exegesis• Pastoral Ministry

• Preaching Lab I• Classics of Personal Devotion• Evangelism

COURSES GARRETT TOOK THIS SEMESTER:

TOP 5 FAVORITE BOOKS GARRETT READ FOR CLASSES:

• Reading The Pastor’s Wife by Gloria Furman and God’s Design for Man and Woman by the Kostenbergers

• Participating in a Bible Study on Romans taught by RTS President Michael Kruger

• Participating in a Bible Study and workout group with women at First Baptist Church of Matthews

• Reading and discussing The Praying Life by Paul Miller with PCC women via Skype

• Completing a Spiritual Interview with my siblings for Evangelism

• Sharing the Gospel with my brother for Evangelism

• Completing rounds with a Hospital Chaplain for Pastoral Ministry

• Preparing and preaching two sermons, a funeral homily, and an evangelistic talk for Preaching Lab

• Attending the IX Mark’s “First-Five Conference” for Pastors in their first years of ministry

• Date night with Kristen during her parents’ visit

• End-of-the-Year Picnic celebrating Natalie’s completion of a year at a great preschool

• Playdates at the playground with neighborhood friends

• Building a friendship with a Chinese family via Natalie’s preschool (wife is a new believer and husband is not yet a believer)

• Show Me the Money: Acts and the Fate of the Gentile Collection

• A Translator Walks into a Bar: The Case for “Son” as a Legitimate Translation of Psalm 2:12

• Takin’ Care of Business: A Case for Paul’s Positive Attitude Towards Work

• Back to the (Past, Present, And) Future: A Case for the Christian’s Tri-Fold Union with Christ in Colossians 3:1-4

ENRICHING EXPERIENCES FOR KRISTEN

ACADEMIC/MINISTRY EXPERIENCES FOR GARRETT

ENRICHING EXPERIENCES FOR OUR FAMILY

GARRETT’S RESEARCH PAPERS FROM THIS SEMESTER * E-mail Garrett if you’d like to read one

Photo: The Spitz family with our new friends.

PLANS FOR THE SUMMERWe will remain in Charlotte for most of the summer so that Garrett can continue progress on classes. He will be taking Critical Issues in Counseling with Dr. Tim Lane (of the Christian Counseling & Education Foundation), Worship with Dr. Ligon Duncan (RTS Chancellor and founding member of the Gospel Coalition), and Counseling in the Local Church with Dr. Deepak Reju (Pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church). We’ll be home briefly in late May and then again during the last week of July. Garrett will also visit on his own in late June to marry Megan Hardison and Joel Calfee. This summer Kristen will continue involvement in several Bible studies and fellowship groups and Natalie will participate in two week-long summer camps. Graham will celebrate his second birthday. We’re also very excited to have some friends and family visit with us at various points throughout the summer. If you’re in the area, give us a ring!

BONUS CATEGORY: BOOKS GARRETT WILL READ THIS SUMMER* In case you’d like to read along