SWBTS, Dr. Patterson and following after Jesus

If there's one thing that I have learned since coming back to being a student on campus in the fall it's that everything changes.  You can't keep things in your life from changing anymore than you can keep the seasons from changing.  It's definitely been sad not having Dr. Patterson and Mrs. Patterson at the seminary but I know through everything that has been happening that God still has a plan for Southwestern and the students and staff there.  Some things are so different.  I don't see some of my friends as much or at all even maybe.  Some of the friendships I had before are not the same now as they were before.  I have made new friendships.  God is using me in new ways, ways I could have never imagined and is helping me to get out of my comfort zone.  He is teaching me how to love others and how to care for others more than myself and how to serve others.  Everything that happens in our life, even though we may not always see the purpose at the time, happens so that we will become more like Christ. (Romans 8:28-30)  Somebody was talking the other day about how some people at seminary follow this person/leader and how some follow a different person/leader.  It made me think of how Paul said some follow him and some follow another leader but how they should all follow Christ!  Paul told the believers to imitate him and He imitated Christ! Let's imitate and follow our leaders as they imitate and follow Christ!  Let us not become so focused on the every day happenings and what has happened in the past or what may happen in the future that we forget that the most important thing is knowing and loving God and glorifying Him with our lives!