Hello, friends!
Happy Tuesday to you. For all my friends in Kansas and the middle of Missouri, I hope y'all are staying warm and dry. To my friends in the Northeast, the same goes for you. For my friends in California, I hope y'all aren't getting sunburned. =0).
Today, as I was driving in the drizzle/snow/wintery mix, I thought about how seemingly unfair it is that certain parts of the country would get hit with two major snowstorms so quickly. On Thursday, Kansas got hit pretty hard. Yesterday, they got even more, even before they were able to dig themselves out of the last one. Just a few weeks ago, the New York/New England got slammed by Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy AND Storm Q (or was it Rocky?). Either way, it seems pretty rough, doesn't it?
As I was thinking about that, I got to thinking about my own mentality when things go wrong in life. There are times when it feels like everything is going wrong. When something doesn't quite the way I want it to go, it takes me time before I can be ready to look at things objectively. If anything else happens during my "everything is going wrong" window, it only compounds the sense that it is pouring on me.
What is the truth though? The truth is that even in the midst of all the "bad" stuff that is happening in life, God is still very, VERY good to me and He is, by nature, perfect goodness. There is no working around that fact.
For the past year or so, I have started each morning by writing down all the ways that I saw God's goodness the previous day. As I go back and read my old entries, I am struck my how absolutely wonderful God has been to me.
Of course, there are still unfortunate things that happen. There are easier weeks and harder weeks, but I have noticed that when I take the time to look back at the ways that God has been good to me, the blizzards actually look more like drizzles.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
The Long Road Ahead...
Hello, friends!
This weekend, I went on a retreat of silence to clear my head and connect with Jesus some more. It was great to head out of town and spend some time centering. With the busyness of the semester in full swing, it is important to spend time recalibrating and making sure that I am not going off in the wrong direction.
Jesus spoke to me a number of different ways, confronting some lies that I had started to believe, renewing my purpose, and convicting me about some of my actions/lack of actions. One of the lessons I want to share with you is about sanctification and the pursuit of perfection.
I went for a walk Saturday morning because I've heard that those are a good way to connect with Jesus. What I learned is that I do not connect with Jesus well when I am walking. Walking is a great way for me to think about stuff but it is not good for me to listen to Jesus. It is too hard for me to switch off my brain while I am walking. I am thinking about the path I am walking, my pace, that tree over there, wondering if there are bears on this trail, and stuff like that. I start thinking about ways to do ministry better, the conversations I need to have with students, and new ideas I want to try when I get back to campus. I do all sorts of thinking when I walk but I don't listen very well.
However, Jesus still gave me a great image on my walk. It snowed a TON out here in Missouri on Thursday, so there was still snow on the ground. However, it wasn't fresh and by Saturday, folk had already started to navigate around it. As I was walking, I saw this on the ground:
It's nothing special, right? It's just a path, part snow, part dirt. What I found myself doing though, as I was walking, was walking in the dirt for a bit, then seeing how many steps in the snow it would take before I had a clean footprint. The first step in the snow would be pretty nasty but after a while it would become clean.
Somewhere along the path is when it hit me that this image of the road is very much like our walks with Jesus. Hear me out here, ok? =0).
We all start by walking in the dirt. We are dirty, we are nasty, and we are ugly. Somewhere along the way, God picks us up out of the dirt and we start to walk on the snow. At that point, we are "snow walkers" but there are still marks of our old lives of being "dirt walkers." It is only through spending more and more time walking in the snow that we are made more and more clean.
Too often, we get frustrated and lose patience in our walks with Jesus. It seems like we are making the same mistakes and aren't actually growing as much as we want to grow. It is easy to think that following Jesus isn't actually working. The truth is that these things just take time. If we continue on the path with Jesus, we will eventually see that our old dirt is being taken from us. It may not happen as quickly as we want it to happen but it is happening and we have to be ok with that.
As a perfectionist, this is a really hard truth to accept. I want to be perfect right away. I want the process to be quick and painless. Trusting that things are getting better is hard. Still, I am working on it. I know that I am a beloved son of the Most High, whose love is not dependant upon my actions. Right now, and for the rest of my life, He is going to be changing me so that I act like it.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
This weekend, I went on a retreat of silence to clear my head and connect with Jesus some more. It was great to head out of town and spend some time centering. With the busyness of the semester in full swing, it is important to spend time recalibrating and making sure that I am not going off in the wrong direction.
Jesus spoke to me a number of different ways, confronting some lies that I had started to believe, renewing my purpose, and convicting me about some of my actions/lack of actions. One of the lessons I want to share with you is about sanctification and the pursuit of perfection.
I went for a walk Saturday morning because I've heard that those are a good way to connect with Jesus. What I learned is that I do not connect with Jesus well when I am walking. Walking is a great way for me to think about stuff but it is not good for me to listen to Jesus. It is too hard for me to switch off my brain while I am walking. I am thinking about the path I am walking, my pace, that tree over there, wondering if there are bears on this trail, and stuff like that. I start thinking about ways to do ministry better, the conversations I need to have with students, and new ideas I want to try when I get back to campus. I do all sorts of thinking when I walk but I don't listen very well.
However, Jesus still gave me a great image on my walk. It snowed a TON out here in Missouri on Thursday, so there was still snow on the ground. However, it wasn't fresh and by Saturday, folk had already started to navigate around it. As I was walking, I saw this on the ground:
It's nothing special, right? It's just a path, part snow, part dirt. What I found myself doing though, as I was walking, was walking in the dirt for a bit, then seeing how many steps in the snow it would take before I had a clean footprint. The first step in the snow would be pretty nasty but after a while it would become clean.
Somewhere along the path is when it hit me that this image of the road is very much like our walks with Jesus. Hear me out here, ok? =0).
We all start by walking in the dirt. We are dirty, we are nasty, and we are ugly. Somewhere along the way, God picks us up out of the dirt and we start to walk on the snow. At that point, we are "snow walkers" but there are still marks of our old lives of being "dirt walkers." It is only through spending more and more time walking in the snow that we are made more and more clean.
Too often, we get frustrated and lose patience in our walks with Jesus. It seems like we are making the same mistakes and aren't actually growing as much as we want to grow. It is easy to think that following Jesus isn't actually working. The truth is that these things just take time. If we continue on the path with Jesus, we will eventually see that our old dirt is being taken from us. It may not happen as quickly as we want it to happen but it is happening and we have to be ok with that.
As a perfectionist, this is a really hard truth to accept. I want to be perfect right away. I want the process to be quick and painless. Trusting that things are getting better is hard. Still, I am working on it. I know that I am a beloved son of the Most High, whose love is not dependant upon my actions. Right now, and for the rest of my life, He is going to be changing me so that I act like it.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Partnership...
Hello, friends!
Tomorrow (Wednesday) is a really special day for me. Not only will it be my first time doing a joint talk for ACF Large Group, but my partner in crime will be none other than my partner in life, Meg!
Here's the scoop. Every year, right around this time, ACF does a Large Group that centers around "Sex and Dating." We have done all sorts of things including talks about sex, panels about being in a relationship, and all sorts of stuff in between. It just so happens that Meg and her supervisor are coming out to visit tomorrow, so it made perfect sense for us to tag team and do a talk for ACF.
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!!!
Our talk is going to be centering around our journey towards marriage and the biblical truths that we drew from that experience. Honestly, it has been a blast partnering with Meg to do this talk for a number of reasons.
It's been really fun to see the same event from a new set of eyes. I know my side of the story of how I pursued Meg but her side has been super interesting too! I've heard some of the stories already, actually, all of them, but as we've worked on this talk, I have been able to share with her what was must significant for me and I have been able to hear what was most significant for her.
Another thing that has been really fun has been working together. Meg and I are two very different people, and that includes how we prep our talks. Oddly enough, we prepare our talks the opposite of our personalities. I am a very careful planner who loves schedules and plans but when I write my talks, I only use an outline and like to improvise. Meg is much more of a free spirit but when she writes her talks she goes word for word. Neither is right or wrong, I just think it's fun. =0).
So, friends, please be praying for us from 7-9pm Central Time. Please pray that our communication will be smooth and that the students will hear what we have to say.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Tomorrow (Wednesday) is a really special day for me. Not only will it be my first time doing a joint talk for ACF Large Group, but my partner in crime will be none other than my partner in life, Meg!
Here's the scoop. Every year, right around this time, ACF does a Large Group that centers around "Sex and Dating." We have done all sorts of things including talks about sex, panels about being in a relationship, and all sorts of stuff in between. It just so happens that Meg and her supervisor are coming out to visit tomorrow, so it made perfect sense for us to tag team and do a talk for ACF.
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!!!
Our talk is going to be centering around our journey towards marriage and the biblical truths that we drew from that experience. Honestly, it has been a blast partnering with Meg to do this talk for a number of reasons.
It's been really fun to see the same event from a new set of eyes. I know my side of the story of how I pursued Meg but her side has been super interesting too! I've heard some of the stories already, actually, all of them, but as we've worked on this talk, I have been able to share with her what was must significant for me and I have been able to hear what was most significant for her.
Another thing that has been really fun has been working together. Meg and I are two very different people, and that includes how we prep our talks. Oddly enough, we prepare our talks the opposite of our personalities. I am a very careful planner who loves schedules and plans but when I write my talks, I only use an outline and like to improvise. Meg is much more of a free spirit but when she writes her talks she goes word for word. Neither is right or wrong, I just think it's fun. =0).
So, friends, please be praying for us from 7-9pm Central Time. Please pray that our communication will be smooth and that the students will hear what we have to say.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Friday, February 15, 2013
50 Chances to Change The World
Hello, friends!
A few weeks ago, at the Urbana global missions conference, 16,000 students had a chance to partner with World Vision to create medical kits to help caregivers in Swaziland as they minister to Aids victims. In just 2 hours, we created 32,000 kits, full of things like gloves, hand sanitizer, and other necessities that otherwise would be unavailable to these caregivers.
One of our Mizzou students was so inspired by the act that he committed to putting together 50 kits of his own to help in the cause. Instead of making this a solo mission, we have decided to make this an ACF "all-play." The rest of this semester will include a number of opportunities for students and the community to help us reach our goal.
Each kit costs $22 to fill and send, meaning that our goal is to raise $1100 by April 1. It seems like a large task, but we are up to the challenge. We have 2 students working hard on putting together a campaign that will let ACFers and non-ACFers alike take part in this life changing act.
Here are a few ways you can help:
BAKE: If you live in the Columbia area, we would love to invite you to participate in our bake sale, happening from 11-2 at the Mizzou Student Center. You can either bake something delicious to sell, join us the day of to help sell baked goods, or both! If you are interested, you can email me here.
PRAY: Please be praying for us. Pray not only for the funds but also that this will be a life transforming experience for the students. Pray that ACFers and the entire Mizzou community will be inspired to stand up and do something for Jesus.
GIVE: You can also give directly to our campaign. Whether it is $5 or $500, any amount goes a long way toward making this dream a reality. If you are interested in giving, you can email me and I will get you the information you need.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
A few weeks ago, at the Urbana global missions conference, 16,000 students had a chance to partner with World Vision to create medical kits to help caregivers in Swaziland as they minister to Aids victims. In just 2 hours, we created 32,000 kits, full of things like gloves, hand sanitizer, and other necessities that otherwise would be unavailable to these caregivers.
One of our Mizzou students was so inspired by the act that he committed to putting together 50 kits of his own to help in the cause. Instead of making this a solo mission, we have decided to make this an ACF "all-play." The rest of this semester will include a number of opportunities for students and the community to help us reach our goal.
Each kit costs $22 to fill and send, meaning that our goal is to raise $1100 by April 1. It seems like a large task, but we are up to the challenge. We have 2 students working hard on putting together a campaign that will let ACFers and non-ACFers alike take part in this life changing act.
Here are a few ways you can help:
BAKE: If you live in the Columbia area, we would love to invite you to participate in our bake sale, happening from 11-2 at the Mizzou Student Center. You can either bake something delicious to sell, join us the day of to help sell baked goods, or both! If you are interested, you can email me here.
PRAY: Please be praying for us. Pray not only for the funds but also that this will be a life transforming experience for the students. Pray that ACFers and the entire Mizzou community will be inspired to stand up and do something for Jesus.
GIVE: You can also give directly to our campaign. Whether it is $5 or $500, any amount goes a long way toward making this dream a reality. If you are interested in giving, you can email me and I will get you the information you need.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
FloValley Fun!!!
Hello, friends!
Yesterday was Monday, meaning it was a FloValley day! Not only did Meg join us (which was totally awesome) but Robert had a great experience with a student! Instead of me telling you about it, here are his words:
Hey friends!
Yesterday was Monday, meaning it was a FloValley day! Not only did Meg join us (which was totally awesome) but Robert had a great experience with a student! Instead of me telling you about it, here are his words:
Hey friends!
I totally wasn't expecting such an
amazing story from Flo Valley today. Despite whatever hardheartedness I
may have had that was enough for me to not be expectant, God is amazing
in the invitations He makes!
We were doing the Money Proxe Station at Flo
Valley's campus today in trying to see if people were interested in our
Monday bible study and possibly wanting to give their signatures to
eventually make InterVarsity an official student group on campus and saw
that there were two people, DJ and Markkease who seemed interested in
the proxe station. I was kind of hoping to just listen to Adam finish
his conversation with someone so that I could know exactly what to
invite them to, but that would've been awkward to simply stand there in
front of the first panel looking at them look at me and the proxe so I
started walking them through it.
After much good conversation about how they'd spend a
million dollars and 25 dollars, we got to the passage from Luke about
not being rich to God and the consequences that had. DJ was trying to
justify herself with all the things she did and that she did more than
Markkease while Markkease was talking about how he believed in the bible
story because he believed in God. When we got to the four circle
diagram on the last panel, the second person said that even though he
believed in God, he didn't really know about Jesus.
So I shared the gospel with them with the help of
the diagram and then apparently learned from God rather than Adam that
the invitation was to pray for Markkease that he would actually have a
relationship with Jesus for the first time. He said yes and we began to
pray. As I prayed, I noticed he started repeating what I was saying and
thought, oh I need to adjust so that he can keep up. So in short
sentences that he repeated, we acknowledged we are sinners and that
Jesus is our Lord and Savior who forgives us for those sins and that the
Holy Spirit would go into Markkease and then thank you. It was really
cool! As I type this, I'm reminded of the parable in Luke where the man
who beat his chest in asking for mercy was the one justified rather than
the other person who thanked God for how he was better than the other
man.
I got his contact info and he gave me his ID number
for one of the signatures to make InterVarsity a student group. I hope
to meet him sometime next week to talk about how we can celebrate.
Thanks!
Robert
Praise God for Robert's sensitivity to the Spirit and his risk taking. Also, praise God for new life at FloValley. Hooray!!!
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Friday, February 8, 2013
Racism and the Forgotten Minority...
Hello, friends!
Consider this post a few days late.
Last week, the Kappa Sigma fraternity at Duke University held an "International Relations" party, complete with conical hats, incorrect spellings, and kimonos. You can read about the party and the repercussions here.
Friends, there are so many things wrong with this. Allow me a few moments to vent on a few.
- We can talk about stereotypes all we want. My personal view is that stereotypes usually have a kernel of truth to them. There's a reason that folk assume stereotypes are true: there are enough confirmations of a particular characteristic for a stereotype to make sense. That doesn't make it right, it's just the reality of the situation. What bothers me so much about this particular party is that the stereotypes that were portrayed are SO OFF that there is no excuse. I would love to interview each of the members of Kappa Sigma and ask them if they have ever met an Asian or Asian American student who wore a Kimono, sported a conical hat, or greeted them by saying "Herro." You cannot tell me that this was an honest mistake by a fraternity.
- This is the sort of thing that sets race relations back decades. My hope is that the Asian and Asian American students at Duke know that this was an ignorant mistake made by some folk and do not let it mar their college experience. But, the truth is that there are many students who are now going to think poorly of the white students on campus. There are going to be students who are no longer engage in the campus dialogue because they feel like Duke is a hostile campus.
- In reading a few of the stories online, what has been really disheartening has been the response of many readers to the story. Most comments have fallen into one of two categories. The first is "Y'all need to get a sense of humor," as if it is no big deal that a group of students seriously offended an entire people group. The second is "I guess you can only make fun of white folk!" as if the members of Kappa Sigma are the victims. Are we serious? Is this really how folk feel?
- My final rant is about the news coverage, or lack there of. CNN, Fox News, etc., all made mention of the event and had articles on their websites, but what kills me is the lack of commentary and follow-up by these news organizations. If this was a party that targeted African Americans, I can promise you that this would still be in the news today, with reactions, analysis, and commentary. Instead, there is one story per site with just the facts.
If you haven't been able to tell, I am pretty pissed about this. I am currently seeking out Jesus on what the proper response to this is. I know that I am supposed to forgive and I am supposed to love the members of Kappa Sigma, Eta Prime chapter, but honestly, it is hard. I want these sorts of things to stop happening. I want us to think about what is loving instead of what is funny. I want us to rise above outdated stereotypes. I want the college campus to be a safe place.
For this to happen, it is going to take a lot of Jesus.
Have an excellent day...
~Adam
Consider this post a few days late.
Last week, the Kappa Sigma fraternity at Duke University held an "International Relations" party, complete with conical hats, incorrect spellings, and kimonos. You can read about the party and the repercussions here.
Friends, there are so many things wrong with this. Allow me a few moments to vent on a few.
- We can talk about stereotypes all we want. My personal view is that stereotypes usually have a kernel of truth to them. There's a reason that folk assume stereotypes are true: there are enough confirmations of a particular characteristic for a stereotype to make sense. That doesn't make it right, it's just the reality of the situation. What bothers me so much about this particular party is that the stereotypes that were portrayed are SO OFF that there is no excuse. I would love to interview each of the members of Kappa Sigma and ask them if they have ever met an Asian or Asian American student who wore a Kimono, sported a conical hat, or greeted them by saying "Herro." You cannot tell me that this was an honest mistake by a fraternity.
- This is the sort of thing that sets race relations back decades. My hope is that the Asian and Asian American students at Duke know that this was an ignorant mistake made by some folk and do not let it mar their college experience. But, the truth is that there are many students who are now going to think poorly of the white students on campus. There are going to be students who are no longer engage in the campus dialogue because they feel like Duke is a hostile campus.
- In reading a few of the stories online, what has been really disheartening has been the response of many readers to the story. Most comments have fallen into one of two categories. The first is "Y'all need to get a sense of humor," as if it is no big deal that a group of students seriously offended an entire people group. The second is "I guess you can only make fun of white folk!" as if the members of Kappa Sigma are the victims. Are we serious? Is this really how folk feel?
- My final rant is about the news coverage, or lack there of. CNN, Fox News, etc., all made mention of the event and had articles on their websites, but what kills me is the lack of commentary and follow-up by these news organizations. If this was a party that targeted African Americans, I can promise you that this would still be in the news today, with reactions, analysis, and commentary. Instead, there is one story per site with just the facts.
If you haven't been able to tell, I am pretty pissed about this. I am currently seeking out Jesus on what the proper response to this is. I know that I am supposed to forgive and I am supposed to love the members of Kappa Sigma, Eta Prime chapter, but honestly, it is hard. I want these sorts of things to stop happening. I want us to think about what is loving instead of what is funny. I want us to rise above outdated stereotypes. I want the college campus to be a safe place.
For this to happen, it is going to take a lot of Jesus.
Have an excellent day...
~Adam
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Being Handy...
Hello, friends!
Today, I had one a really great day. Why? Because I totally got to use my hands and be handy! Here are the stories.
Meg got a call this morning from one of her students who got a flat tire. She doesn't know how to change a tire. Her student didn't know how to change a tire. BUT, I know how to change a tire! So, I drove over to where the student was, changed the tire, scraped her knuckles while changing the tire, and went along my merry way. Hooray!!!
When I got to Columbia, I finished a project that I had been working on for our area. We got a new proxe station but had no way to display it. I was commissioned with creating a structure that could not only display that proxe, but any other proxe we get later. $34, 70 feet of PVC pipe, and 40 feet of rope later, I finished what I consider a pretty sweet proxe stand.
Understand, I am not the world's handiest person. I am probably more like these guys than these guys but I can do the basic stuff. I once had a friend tell me that I should have been an engineer because I seem to be able to design things. Now, the designs don't always work but I sure do like designing and building things, as well as fixing.
I think that there is something very therapeutic about being handy, especially in this line of work. I spend every day investing in students and most of the time I have no idea if I am really making an impact or not. Sometimes I think that a student totally gets it but it turns out they were just giving me lip service. Other times I am certain that I totally blew it but God totally redeems the situation. A lot of times, it just feels like complete randomness.
Projects, on the other hand, are way more definitive. There is a beginning. There is an end. I can look at that tire and say, "I completed that project" or look at the proxe station and say, "Yups, that is done now." Sometimes, it's really nice to know that something is complete.
Anyway, that's my fun story for today. There was still a lot of stuff to do ministry wise, and I am working on it, but the projects were a nice reprise from the norm.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Today, I had one a really great day. Why? Because I totally got to use my hands and be handy! Here are the stories.
Meg got a call this morning from one of her students who got a flat tire. She doesn't know how to change a tire. Her student didn't know how to change a tire. BUT, I know how to change a tire! So, I drove over to where the student was, changed the tire, scraped her knuckles while changing the tire, and went along my merry way. Hooray!!!
When I got to Columbia, I finished a project that I had been working on for our area. We got a new proxe station but had no way to display it. I was commissioned with creating a structure that could not only display that proxe, but any other proxe we get later. $34, 70 feet of PVC pipe, and 40 feet of rope later, I finished what I consider a pretty sweet proxe stand.
Understand, I am not the world's handiest person. I am probably more like these guys than these guys but I can do the basic stuff. I once had a friend tell me that I should have been an engineer because I seem to be able to design things. Now, the designs don't always work but I sure do like designing and building things, as well as fixing.
I think that there is something very therapeutic about being handy, especially in this line of work. I spend every day investing in students and most of the time I have no idea if I am really making an impact or not. Sometimes I think that a student totally gets it but it turns out they were just giving me lip service. Other times I am certain that I totally blew it but God totally redeems the situation. A lot of times, it just feels like complete randomness.
Projects, on the other hand, are way more definitive. There is a beginning. There is an end. I can look at that tire and say, "I completed that project" or look at the proxe station and say, "Yups, that is done now." Sometimes, it's really nice to know that something is complete.
Anyway, that's my fun story for today. There was still a lot of stuff to do ministry wise, and I am working on it, but the projects were a nice reprise from the norm.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Super!
Hello, friends!
In honor of SuperBowl Sunday, here comes a SUPER LATE post about a really SUPER LARGE GROUP.
Friends, what can I say about Large Group except that it was exceptional?! Honestly, there was no part of Large Group that I did not enjoy. Here are some highlights:
- We had FIFTY people in attendance! This was easily the largest Large Group we have ever had that wasn't some sort of special event. I mean, it was the first Large Group of the year, making it kind of special, but still! Our Kickoff last semester had 35 folk. An extra 15 folk, including about 10+ new folk and 12+ International students is a pretty good day! I am so proud of the student leaders for their commitment to invitation and follow up in that invitation.
- We stayed UNDER BUDGET! We do dinner every week for Large Group. It's fun and a great way for folk to interact with one another, but it can also get a little expensive. It's especially risky when you have students doing the cooking. My friends, our master chef for the day, April, totally nailed it. She fed 50 folk with food left over, for $30. It. Was. Amazing. =0).
- I didn't have to do much. Paula covered worship. April cooked. Jordan and Tim did the games. Danny and Sarah Liz did most of the inviting. All I had to do was give a quick intro to the history of ACF, which is pretty much like breathing to me. I am so thankful that there are students who not only get the vision, but they OWN it and have made it their own. It's a beautiful thing to see that the fellowship does not revolve around you.
- It was FUN. On top of the amazing song that Paula and Rachael wrote for us (video below), Tim and Jordan designed a really fun game for us to play and get to know each other. Dinner was lively with all sorts of conversation. The after party was full of folk hanging out and talking. It was a high energy kind of night.
These are the kinds of nights that really get you excited about doing ministry. These are the nights where you thank God that you have the greatest job in the world. These are the nights that remind you of God's goodness and make you want to keep doing this job forever.
Prayer Points:
- Continued momentum. This has the potential to be a big semester but it requires us keeping the pedal to the metal. Please pray for renewed resolve and for energy for both staff and students.
- Vision. I want us to make sure we are moving in the right direction, not just wherever because we have folk coming. We really need to rely on Jesus if this is going to be the start of something big.
- Rest. Part of that discernment is knowing when to rest. Please pray that the students, as well as me, will rest in Jesus and not overwork ourselves, as we are known to do.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
In honor of SuperBowl Sunday, here comes a SUPER LATE post about a really SUPER LARGE GROUP.
Friends, what can I say about Large Group except that it was exceptional?! Honestly, there was no part of Large Group that I did not enjoy. Here are some highlights:
- We had FIFTY people in attendance! This was easily the largest Large Group we have ever had that wasn't some sort of special event. I mean, it was the first Large Group of the year, making it kind of special, but still! Our Kickoff last semester had 35 folk. An extra 15 folk, including about 10+ new folk and 12+ International students is a pretty good day! I am so proud of the student leaders for their commitment to invitation and follow up in that invitation.
- We stayed UNDER BUDGET! We do dinner every week for Large Group. It's fun and a great way for folk to interact with one another, but it can also get a little expensive. It's especially risky when you have students doing the cooking. My friends, our master chef for the day, April, totally nailed it. She fed 50 folk with food left over, for $30. It. Was. Amazing. =0).
- I didn't have to do much. Paula covered worship. April cooked. Jordan and Tim did the games. Danny and Sarah Liz did most of the inviting. All I had to do was give a quick intro to the history of ACF, which is pretty much like breathing to me. I am so thankful that there are students who not only get the vision, but they OWN it and have made it their own. It's a beautiful thing to see that the fellowship does not revolve around you.
- It was FUN. On top of the amazing song that Paula and Rachael wrote for us (video below), Tim and Jordan designed a really fun game for us to play and get to know each other. Dinner was lively with all sorts of conversation. The after party was full of folk hanging out and talking. It was a high energy kind of night.
These are the kinds of nights that really get you excited about doing ministry. These are the nights where you thank God that you have the greatest job in the world. These are the nights that remind you of God's goodness and make you want to keep doing this job forever.
Prayer Points:
- Continued momentum. This has the potential to be a big semester but it requires us keeping the pedal to the metal. Please pray for renewed resolve and for energy for both staff and students.
- Vision. I want us to make sure we are moving in the right direction, not just wherever because we have folk coming. We really need to rely on Jesus if this is going to be the start of something big.
- Rest. Part of that discernment is knowing when to rest. Please pray that the students, as well as me, will rest in Jesus and not overwork ourselves, as we are known to do.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
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