“So what exactly is it that you do?” This question has been rattling around in my head since a friend from the biology department asked when I was out to dinner with a group a couple weeks ago. Granted it was much harder to explain to them because they are not a Christians, so even what I told them doesn’t explain much. However, I had been a little frustrated because it seemed like I couldn’t even answer the question for myself. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m staying plenty busy. I’ve had no problem at all finding enough activities to keep a full schedule and them some, but it doesn’t always feel like much is going on because I’ve always been looking for the big story.
This has been part of the reason for my radio silence, or “blog silence”, as it were. Coming off 16 years of schooling where there are definitive markers for progress and success, setting my own schedule has not come easy. Also, in the midst of this frustration of not feeling productive, I got sick. Not the kind of sick where you sound sick, but can function. No, this was the kind of sick where you sleep through the night, wake up feeling like going back to bed, sleep through the day, get up because you know you should eat something, and sleep through the whole next night... and are still somehow tired the next day. That kind of sick. And even though that gives you a pass to do nothing, talk about feeling unproductive.
A couple days ago I was spending time in the Word and I was reading in Philippians 4:6-7 which says, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God really used this passage to convict and encourage me because I realized the more I wanted done the more I was trying do on my own, rather than trusting that God will work in me to accomplish what is supposed to happen. It also means spending more time in prayer, which is something that I’m not great at when my schedule gets busy. I would ask that you would join me in making prayer more intentional in your life as well, and I would appreciate it you would include me as one of the people you are praying for.
It’s amazing how, looking back, God is always doing big things even when we fail to see it. We have consistently had 40+ people at our Nav Nights (large group meeting), which is big compared to what we have had in the past. In addition, all of our Bible study groups have filled up, even if it has taken a bit longer than expected. I’m thankful that our success depends only on our Lord and Savior who loves to bless us above and beyond what we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Also, for His reminders that He saved us not so that we could earn our salvation, but because of His mercy and He alone is the One that can rescue us from our sin. We serve a big powerful God, who loves us, and loves to do good things for us. These are some great truths that we have been examining in our small group Bible studies that are so important to remember daily or it is easy to lose focus and think that it all depends on us.
PS. I’ve included some pictures below that show some of the ways we have been connecting with students during these past few weeks.
Line Dancing in the backyard during a southern themed outreach dinner. We hosted about 35 students for a dinner of chicken and waffles.
Yes, I did lose to a girl in a skirt (I'm going to say I let her win). Don't tell my old coaches.
The two guys on the left (from left Aaron and Lucas) are part of my Bible study and are enjoying Sunday Morning Breakfast at our house. Amazingly, about 20 college students will show up for food even at 8am in the morning. Luckily, we have a wonderful volunteer who cooks for this meal.
