40 Bicycles

I would greatly appreciate prayer at the moment. I am quite uncertain of the direction in which I should head in the future. I am still very unsure of what to do after June next year and I see no clear way ahead. At present I have no qualifications beyond A-levels. A-levels won't get me very far. My education was severely affected by poor health a few years ago and I am three or more years behind where I would have expected to be at this stage in my life. Although God was clearly working in the situation, I am uncertain of where to go from here. Despite the fact that I have no real third-level qualifications (though, God-willing, I should have a college diploma in June), I have sought to teach myself as much as possible. This leaves me with the problem of merely repeating much of what I have already learned in order to be officially qualified in it. I have no time to waste in doing this. However, I feel the need of having my learning supervised, if I am to take it any further. There are also financial considerations. If I continue in education I will probably end up with a large debt. If I were to continue on, I would have to be very sure that it is the right way to go. Then there is the church situation. I am a member of a Baptist church at the moment. However, my theological convictions differ sharply with those of the church on a number of issues. Any form of full-time ministry that would necessitate further theological education is out of the question in my current situation. As I firmly believe that theological education should be done within the context of the church I am uncertain of how to proceed. I would probably have to go elsewhere to find somewhere to minister. At present, I would feel far from comfortable about such a move. As time goes on, I am becoming more and more convinced that I will probably have to finish my education this year and find a full-time 'secular' job locally. I don't feel comfortable about this decision but it increasingly seems to be the best of the options available. It would seem to indicate that the course I have followed over the last few years was a dead end. I would appreciate prayer for guidance as I think these things through.