Hello, friends!
I am writing to you all from beautiful Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where we are visiting Meg's family as part of our Midwest tour. Here's the plan:
- Drive from StL to CoMO on Tuesday to do a little house work (check!)
- Drive from CoMO to Sioux Falls to visit Meg's sister and family (check!)
- Tomorrow we drive from Sioux Falls to Watertown, SD to visit her parents and attend a wedding
- From there we will drive to Madison, WI where Meg is going to be coaching a staff in planting
- After I drop off Meg, I'll head to Milwaukee to visit with a Mizzou ACF alum
- Milwaukee will take me to Chicago to meet a different WashU alum
- Finally, I'll get back to St. Louis on either July 3 or 4 before heading back to CoMO on the 6th
So, that's a lot of travel and adventure for Meg and me but this post isn't about us. It's actually about the folk who are in Madison, WI right now.
InterVarsity's headquarters are in Madison and every summer, all the new InterVarsity staff hires gather together to receive training at Orientation for New Staff (ONS). It is a time of learning about InterVarsity, learning about Ministry Partner Development, and learning about yourself as you try and take in all the information thrown at you.
My ONS was a trip. I had just finished my intern year and was craving time with staff, seeing how I spent most of my year 120 miles from any co-workers. The year had gone ok but it was obvious that I had some work to do if I was going to last. I was also going to be spending an extra week in Madison to receive the same training that Meg is giving this year. It's amazing that I survived.
So, to all my new co-workers, I say, welcome! My prayer for each of you is that your tenure with InterVarsity, no matter how long, will be one filled with fruit, both on your campuses and in your personal lives.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
On True Partnership...
Hello, friends!
As Meg and I have gone through this summer working on our partnership campaign, we've had the chance to have some really great conversations with some really wonderful people about what we are going to be doing next year. The love and support for our work has been overwhelming and I have been humbled by the people's willingness to meet with us and hear about the calling God has placed on our hearts.
Meg and I were talking today about a particularly encouraging meeting we had with a couple and I was telling her how these meetings have been a huge encouragement in terms of my own mentality and how I view true partnership.
What Meg and I are doing has had a number of different names over the years. At first, it was called Fundraising. Then, it became Fund Development because we weren't just raising it but we were developing and growing our funds. From there, it changed to Support Raising because we wanted to reflect the fact that what we were doing was not just about money but about people being on board with the vision and mission of what we were doing. The next change was to Resource Network Development. At this point, we are back to developing instead of raising but it's not just funds. No, now we are trying to develop entire networks of folk who can support and resource us in a number of ways.
The latest iteration, and the one that I believe is going to stick, is Ministry Partner Development, or MPD. Apparently, we've scaled back our focus just to individual ministry partners but we are asking much more of them. Now, folk are not just resourcing the ministry but through prayer, volunteering, giving, and advocating, they are actually partners with us in the work we are doing on campus.
MPD may seem like a repackaging of the same thing, made to make Fundraising seem less scary but it is actually a very important mindset change for us. The end game is not a check for X amount. Our "success" or "failure" in appointments we have with folk is not based on whether or not they give. Our job is not to coerce, folk into giving financially or "sell" the ministry so that it looks good to those who may give. No, it is much simpler than that. Our job is to present what God is doing on college campuses and invite folk to care about it as much as we do.
Our conversations have had varying outcomes this summer. Some folk have decided to give financially. Others have decided that their circumstances say they can't. Others still are unsure and need to discern a little more. But, every person we have talked to has said that they believe in what we are doing and believe that what we are doing is good. Every one of them has said that they will commit to praying for us. Every one of them has decided to partner with us in one form or another. Pretty much, Meg and I have nailed it. Well, really, God has. =0).
Do we still have to raise more financial partnership? Absolutely. But the pressure of these meetings is gone because we are not measuring ourselves based on whether or not someone decides to partner with us financially. Our metric is much simpler: Are we being true to what God has put on our hearts in terms of Mid-Missouri?
I tell students all the time in terms of evangelism that success is not based on whether someone decides to follow Jesus or not. Success is based on whether or not you do what God is asking you to do. If we apply the same principles to MPD, it has been a very successful summer.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
As Meg and I have gone through this summer working on our partnership campaign, we've had the chance to have some really great conversations with some really wonderful people about what we are going to be doing next year. The love and support for our work has been overwhelming and I have been humbled by the people's willingness to meet with us and hear about the calling God has placed on our hearts.
Meg and I were talking today about a particularly encouraging meeting we had with a couple and I was telling her how these meetings have been a huge encouragement in terms of my own mentality and how I view true partnership.
What Meg and I are doing has had a number of different names over the years. At first, it was called Fundraising. Then, it became Fund Development because we weren't just raising it but we were developing and growing our funds. From there, it changed to Support Raising because we wanted to reflect the fact that what we were doing was not just about money but about people being on board with the vision and mission of what we were doing. The next change was to Resource Network Development. At this point, we are back to developing instead of raising but it's not just funds. No, now we are trying to develop entire networks of folk who can support and resource us in a number of ways.
The latest iteration, and the one that I believe is going to stick, is Ministry Partner Development, or MPD. Apparently, we've scaled back our focus just to individual ministry partners but we are asking much more of them. Now, folk are not just resourcing the ministry but through prayer, volunteering, giving, and advocating, they are actually partners with us in the work we are doing on campus.
MPD may seem like a repackaging of the same thing, made to make Fundraising seem less scary but it is actually a very important mindset change for us. The end game is not a check for X amount. Our "success" or "failure" in appointments we have with folk is not based on whether or not they give. Our job is not to coerce, folk into giving financially or "sell" the ministry so that it looks good to those who may give. No, it is much simpler than that. Our job is to present what God is doing on college campuses and invite folk to care about it as much as we do.
Our conversations have had varying outcomes this summer. Some folk have decided to give financially. Others have decided that their circumstances say they can't. Others still are unsure and need to discern a little more. But, every person we have talked to has said that they believe in what we are doing and believe that what we are doing is good. Every one of them has said that they will commit to praying for us. Every one of them has decided to partner with us in one form or another. Pretty much, Meg and I have nailed it. Well, really, God has. =0).
Do we still have to raise more financial partnership? Absolutely. But the pressure of these meetings is gone because we are not measuring ourselves based on whether or not someone decides to partner with us financially. Our metric is much simpler: Are we being true to what God has put on our hearts in terms of Mid-Missouri?
I tell students all the time in terms of evangelism that success is not based on whether someone decides to follow Jesus or not. Success is based on whether or not you do what God is asking you to do. If we apply the same principles to MPD, it has been a very successful summer.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Admin, Admin, Admin...
Hello, friends!
Meg and I have been doing a lot of work lately. The problem is that it's work that isn't exactly the most exciting in the world. We're working hard, day in and day out, doing tons of admin.
Hanging out with students (read: telling them about Jesus, developing them into leaders, and putting out whatever fires they start in their personal lives because they are college students) is a majority of our work but it isn't the whole thing. There are meetings to be had with other staff. There are relationships to be built and appointments with current (and potential) ministry partners. There are reports to be filled out, emails to be written, and things to be planned. It's sort of like an ice berg; all you see is really 10% of what is really happening.
Truth be told, I like admin, just a lot less than I used to like it. Maybe it's because I have more responsibilities now. Maybe it's because there are more students to see. Maybe it's because I prefer talking to typing. Either way, the admin still needs to get done and the summer is usually the best time to do it.
I was talking with Meg the other day and we think that one of the reasons why we've been kind of low energy this summer. We think that part of that is because we are extroverts, meaning we get energy from interacting with people. Since we've been doing all this admin, sitting in a coffee shop, around people but not actually interacting with them, it's a little tougher on our bodies than during the school year when we can hang out with students more.
Lately, all this admin has gotten me thinking about Brother Lawrence. Brother Lawrence was a Carmelite Lay Brother during the 17th century and the inspiration for the book "The Practice of the Presence of God". Brother Lawrence spent most of his life as a cook and a shoe repairer, things that don't exactly seem like they would light the world on fire. What is so amazing is Brother Lawrence's mindset. His belief was that washing dishes was an act of worship. Peeling potatoes was an act of worship. Cooking and cleaning were both acts of worship. Pretty much, everything was an act of worship and a way to grow closer to God.
What I would love is to have that same mindset. I would love for every email I send to be an act of worship. I would love for every report I fill out to be a way to give glory to God. I would love for planning for meetings to mean that I grow closer to God and who He is.
So, as Meg and I continue to do admin, my prayer is that we will be able to be energized, not by the work itself, but by the fact that it is something God has given us to do and a way for us to be in relationship with him.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Meg and I have been doing a lot of work lately. The problem is that it's work that isn't exactly the most exciting in the world. We're working hard, day in and day out, doing tons of admin.
Hanging out with students (read: telling them about Jesus, developing them into leaders, and putting out whatever fires they start in their personal lives because they are college students) is a majority of our work but it isn't the whole thing. There are meetings to be had with other staff. There are relationships to be built and appointments with current (and potential) ministry partners. There are reports to be filled out, emails to be written, and things to be planned. It's sort of like an ice berg; all you see is really 10% of what is really happening.
Truth be told, I like admin, just a lot less than I used to like it. Maybe it's because I have more responsibilities now. Maybe it's because there are more students to see. Maybe it's because I prefer talking to typing. Either way, the admin still needs to get done and the summer is usually the best time to do it.
I was talking with Meg the other day and we think that one of the reasons why we've been kind of low energy this summer. We think that part of that is because we are extroverts, meaning we get energy from interacting with people. Since we've been doing all this admin, sitting in a coffee shop, around people but not actually interacting with them, it's a little tougher on our bodies than during the school year when we can hang out with students more.
Lately, all this admin has gotten me thinking about Brother Lawrence. Brother Lawrence was a Carmelite Lay Brother during the 17th century and the inspiration for the book "The Practice of the Presence of God". Brother Lawrence spent most of his life as a cook and a shoe repairer, things that don't exactly seem like they would light the world on fire. What is so amazing is Brother Lawrence's mindset. His belief was that washing dishes was an act of worship. Peeling potatoes was an act of worship. Cooking and cleaning were both acts of worship. Pretty much, everything was an act of worship and a way to grow closer to God.
What I would love is to have that same mindset. I would love for every email I send to be an act of worship. I would love for every report I fill out to be a way to give glory to God. I would love for planning for meetings to mean that I grow closer to God and who He is.
So, as Meg and I continue to do admin, my prayer is that we will be able to be energized, not by the work itself, but by the fact that it is something God has given us to do and a way for us to be in relationship with him.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Of Little Sisters...
Hello, friends!
So, my sister is town this week for eye surgery. Don't worry, it's nothing major. She came in to get some Lasik done so she doesn't need to wear glasses. She's a dancer so it's important for her to be able to see everything, like flying limbs coming in her direction. =0). Meg and I went to New York to see her graduation from NYU last month (congrats!) so it's not like it'd been forever since we'd seen her. Still, it's always good to see family, especially my little sister.
Chrissie "The Kid" Leong and I are very different people. She's a dancer and I'm more of a musician. She cries while watching The Biggest Loser. I've cried once since 2006. She likes to go out with friends. I prefer staying at home and watching cartoons. She has an eye for fashion and style. Most of y'all have seen how I dress.
Yet, I can't help but feel an attachment to the Kid. Of course, she's my sister, so I'm supposed to be attached to her, right? Still, I've always done my best to look out for her. My brother Phuzz and her are only 18 months apart so they have more of a peer thing happening. With the Kid and me, it definitely feels like an older brother thing.
When I was in high school, one of my jobs was to drive the Kid to dance after school. She was in Jr. High at the time so she got out at 2:10. I was in High School so I got out at 2:30. I would rush out of 6th Period, hop in my car, and drive her 20 minutes to Huntington Beach. We didn't talk about a ton of deep stuff, how was school and things of that nature, but those 20 minutes was actually a lot of fun for me.
I was reminded of that this week when the Kid had her surgery. We've both been pretty independent for a while, as well as in different cities for the past 10 years so I haven't had too many times to relive the "good old days." However, after she had her surgery, "Older Brother Adam" made a recurrance.
There wasn't anything big I did. I woke up to pick her up from surgery, I made her breakfast, I put in her eye drops, and I made sure she had enough tissues. Anyone could have done it. But, it was my little sister, so you'd better believe that it was going to be me who did it. =0).
Anyway, that's been my thing this weekend. Taking care of my little sister. Just like I've done before and plan to do for a long time coming.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
So, my sister is town this week for eye surgery. Don't worry, it's nothing major. She came in to get some Lasik done so she doesn't need to wear glasses. She's a dancer so it's important for her to be able to see everything, like flying limbs coming in her direction. =0). Meg and I went to New York to see her graduation from NYU last month (congrats!) so it's not like it'd been forever since we'd seen her. Still, it's always good to see family, especially my little sister.
Chrissie "The Kid" Leong and I are very different people. She's a dancer and I'm more of a musician. She cries while watching The Biggest Loser. I've cried once since 2006. She likes to go out with friends. I prefer staying at home and watching cartoons. She has an eye for fashion and style. Most of y'all have seen how I dress.
Yet, I can't help but feel an attachment to the Kid. Of course, she's my sister, so I'm supposed to be attached to her, right? Still, I've always done my best to look out for her. My brother Phuzz and her are only 18 months apart so they have more of a peer thing happening. With the Kid and me, it definitely feels like an older brother thing.
When I was in high school, one of my jobs was to drive the Kid to dance after school. She was in Jr. High at the time so she got out at 2:10. I was in High School so I got out at 2:30. I would rush out of 6th Period, hop in my car, and drive her 20 minutes to Huntington Beach. We didn't talk about a ton of deep stuff, how was school and things of that nature, but those 20 minutes was actually a lot of fun for me.
I was reminded of that this week when the Kid had her surgery. We've both been pretty independent for a while, as well as in different cities for the past 10 years so I haven't had too many times to relive the "good old days." However, after she had her surgery, "Older Brother Adam" made a recurrance.
There wasn't anything big I did. I woke up to pick her up from surgery, I made her breakfast, I put in her eye drops, and I made sure she had enough tissues. Anyone could have done it. But, it was my little sister, so you'd better believe that it was going to be me who did it. =0).
Anyway, that's been my thing this weekend. Taking care of my little sister. Just like I've done before and plan to do for a long time coming.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Know Thy Audience...
Hello, friends!
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of doing one of my favorite things in the whole wide world... DJ a dance party.
My friends and co-workers Will and Esther got married yesterday and asked me to be in charge of the dance party. This is not a new occurance. Apparently, anytime any InterVarsity staff in the Central Region (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska) gets married, I'm the one they call to DJ (and sometimes MC) the reception. Apparently, I must have a reputation of being a fun staff or something. =0).
What I've learned is that the most important question you can ask is "who is the audience?" I have done Chinese weddings, which look very different from Iowa weddings, which are not the same as bi-racial weddings. Every wedding has a different culture and every culture has different expectations as far as what songs make a good dance party. Everyone can do the Cha Cha Slide and the Cupid Shuffle but sometimes Journey is the way to go. Other times, you should avoid it at all costs. Not everyone knows how to Dougie. Younger folk have no idea how to do anything beyond Thriller arms when it comes to Michael. It's a thing.
Oddly enough, as I was thinking back on my song selection from last night, I started thinking about the Gospel, namely, how the same principle in dance party also applies to the Gospel. You need to know your audience.
As Meg and I have been planning for next year, one of the things that has been on our hearts is the need for ACFers to be able to present the Gospel in a way that makes sense to the hearers. We have a lot of demographics in ACF. We have international students as well as Asian Americans. We have Chinese, Koreans, Filipino, and other ethnicities. There are cultural barriers and language barriers. Just like with the song selection, it's a thing.
So, friends, please be praying for Meg and me as we prepare to lead our students into this well. Please pray for insight for the students and soft hearts for their non-Christian friends. Above all, pray that the Gospel will be put out there in a way that is true to the Word and makes sense to its hearers.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of doing one of my favorite things in the whole wide world... DJ a dance party.
My friends and co-workers Will and Esther got married yesterday and asked me to be in charge of the dance party. This is not a new occurance. Apparently, anytime any InterVarsity staff in the Central Region (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska) gets married, I'm the one they call to DJ (and sometimes MC) the reception. Apparently, I must have a reputation of being a fun staff or something. =0).
What I've learned is that the most important question you can ask is "who is the audience?" I have done Chinese weddings, which look very different from Iowa weddings, which are not the same as bi-racial weddings. Every wedding has a different culture and every culture has different expectations as far as what songs make a good dance party. Everyone can do the Cha Cha Slide and the Cupid Shuffle but sometimes Journey is the way to go. Other times, you should avoid it at all costs. Not everyone knows how to Dougie. Younger folk have no idea how to do anything beyond Thriller arms when it comes to Michael. It's a thing.
Oddly enough, as I was thinking back on my song selection from last night, I started thinking about the Gospel, namely, how the same principle in dance party also applies to the Gospel. You need to know your audience.
As Meg and I have been planning for next year, one of the things that has been on our hearts is the need for ACFers to be able to present the Gospel in a way that makes sense to the hearers. We have a lot of demographics in ACF. We have international students as well as Asian Americans. We have Chinese, Koreans, Filipino, and other ethnicities. There are cultural barriers and language barriers. Just like with the song selection, it's a thing.
So, friends, please be praying for Meg and me as we prepare to lead our students into this well. Please pray for insight for the students and soft hearts for their non-Christian friends. Above all, pray that the Gospel will be put out there in a way that is true to the Word and makes sense to its hearers.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Thursday, June 13, 2013
More Partnership!
Hello, friends!
As I'm writing this, Meg and I are sitting side by side in a coffee shop, doing admin together. Earlier, we had a pretty sweet system of folding and stuffing envelopes together that was getting things done literally twice as fast as they used to be done. It's pretty sweet.
While we were on our lunch break, Meg and I were talking about how great it was that we actually get to work together. The point that Meg made is that it's a good thing that we worked separately before because now we can appreciate the partnership better. There are some things that take longer. We now have 2 calendars to coordinate and two sets of needs that sometimes lead to compromise, but ultimately, it's so much better to have a partner in this.
Sometimes I talk to friends of mine who work for InterVarsity about the pros and cons of having a spouse who works for InterVarsity. On the one hand, Meg and I work nights, which means that finding time for us to be together can be tough. On the other hand, I love that Meg and I understand each other's schedules. When I have to work one night, she gets it. When she has to work one night, I get it too.
I used to get asked all the time if I knew what I wanted in a spouse. One of the things that was most important to me was that we had compatible hearts. It didn't mean that she HAD to be in campus ministry. It just meant that we had to be able to understand one another's callings and that neither of us would have to compromise our callings to be together. I am so thankful that Meg and I absolutely have compatible callings. I'm looking forward to lots more partnership with her!
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
As I'm writing this, Meg and I are sitting side by side in a coffee shop, doing admin together. Earlier, we had a pretty sweet system of folding and stuffing envelopes together that was getting things done literally twice as fast as they used to be done. It's pretty sweet.
While we were on our lunch break, Meg and I were talking about how great it was that we actually get to work together. The point that Meg made is that it's a good thing that we worked separately before because now we can appreciate the partnership better. There are some things that take longer. We now have 2 calendars to coordinate and two sets of needs that sometimes lead to compromise, but ultimately, it's so much better to have a partner in this.
Sometimes I talk to friends of mine who work for InterVarsity about the pros and cons of having a spouse who works for InterVarsity. On the one hand, Meg and I work nights, which means that finding time for us to be together can be tough. On the other hand, I love that Meg and I understand each other's schedules. When I have to work one night, she gets it. When she has to work one night, I get it too.
I used to get asked all the time if I knew what I wanted in a spouse. One of the things that was most important to me was that we had compatible hearts. It didn't mean that she HAD to be in campus ministry. It just meant that we had to be able to understand one another's callings and that neither of us would have to compromise our callings to be together. I am so thankful that Meg and I absolutely have compatible callings. I'm looking forward to lots more partnership with her!
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Re:Think
Hello, friends!
Sorry about my last post. Apparently, folk thought that the title of my last post meant that Meg was pregnant. I can assure you that she is not. =0).
This summer, ACFers have undertaken a daring, bold, and pretty sweet project. They want to outreach to the entire campus and show them how to rethink what community service is.
Re:Think is quite an undertaking. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, ACFers and friends, do a different community service project. Love INC. is a local organization working to build a stronger community. Immigration and refugee services helps new residents to Columbia get acclimated to life in Missouri. Habitat for Humanity builds houses for low income families. Each work site has a student team leader and the students who participate are committed to those projects for the semester, allowing them to build relationships with the organizations and each other.
Wednesday night, just like during the school year, is Large Group night. There's a potluck, fellowship, and one of the student leaders leads the group in a bible study discussion, giving students an opportunity to talk about how service is actually part of the Gospel. They've also designated Saturdays as a Sabbath, where students can spend time together in fellowship and be restored by the Spirit.
Pretty much, I couldn't be prouder of the leaders who have organized and executed Re:Think. What I have always said is that we build structures around people instead of fitting people into structures. Instead of the normal "Summer ACF" model of hanging out once a week, the students decided that they wanted to do something more. The leaders have owned Re:Think and new students are getting involved.
Friends, please be praying for Re:Think. Pray specifically for:
- Our student leaders. Pray that as they lead, they will be filled up by Jesus and that they will avoid burnout and fatigue.
- Our non-Christians attending. Pray that this will be something that gets them interested in following Jesus in a real way.
- Our community. Pray that God will continue to do a good work in the city of Columbia.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Sorry about my last post. Apparently, folk thought that the title of my last post meant that Meg was pregnant. I can assure you that she is not. =0).
This summer, ACFers have undertaken a daring, bold, and pretty sweet project. They want to outreach to the entire campus and show them how to rethink what community service is.
Re:Think is quite an undertaking. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, ACFers and friends, do a different community service project. Love INC. is a local organization working to build a stronger community. Immigration and refugee services helps new residents to Columbia get acclimated to life in Missouri. Habitat for Humanity builds houses for low income families. Each work site has a student team leader and the students who participate are committed to those projects for the semester, allowing them to build relationships with the organizations and each other.
Wednesday night, just like during the school year, is Large Group night. There's a potluck, fellowship, and one of the student leaders leads the group in a bible study discussion, giving students an opportunity to talk about how service is actually part of the Gospel. They've also designated Saturdays as a Sabbath, where students can spend time together in fellowship and be restored by the Spirit.
Pretty much, I couldn't be prouder of the leaders who have organized and executed Re:Think. What I have always said is that we build structures around people instead of fitting people into structures. Instead of the normal "Summer ACF" model of hanging out once a week, the students decided that they wanted to do something more. The leaders have owned Re:Think and new students are getting involved.
Friends, please be praying for Re:Think. Pray specifically for:
- Our student leaders. Pray that as they lead, they will be filled up by Jesus and that they will avoid burnout and fatigue.
- Our non-Christians attending. Pray that this will be something that gets them interested in following Jesus in a real way.
- Our community. Pray that God will continue to do a good work in the city of Columbia.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Re:Birth
Hello, friends!
Meg and I have been doing this thing during the month of June where we spend some time in listening prayer together. We've both felt this need to listen to Jesus more as we plan for this summer and next year. If this is going to be real partnership, it's good to start by partnering in prayer together, right? =0).
This morning, as we were praying, I got really excited by what we think we heard from Jesus. We heard two things. The first was, "there is more," in terms of Columbia. The second was a vision of a few of our friends giving birth.
Before you get weirded out, allow me to provide some context. There is a lot that goes into getting pregnant. Besides the actual biology of it (which I can tell you about when you're older), there's also the fact that nothing in guaranteed. We know a number of folk who have had trouble getting pregnant for one reason or another.
From what I understand, pregnancy and birth are pretty big processes. The body does all this work to make sure that the baby can survive in the womb and then there is a lot of pushing and contractions, and other unpleasant sounding things like that. Both my sister and Meg's older sister are Labor and Delivery nurses so you can ask them for more detail if you'd like.
Here's the thing though. After all the work is done, the 9 months of carrying around a bowling ball, the sore back, the intense pain and such, once the baby is born, it's all pure joy. Everything else that came before it was absolutely worth it.
I think that's how I feel about Columbia right now. Leaving St. Louis is going to be hard. There are the logistics of everything that still need to be done. There are people who we will be leaving, including family, which is so important to me. We have to pack up our apartment, unback it at our new place, then redecorate the whole thing. There's still the matter of the $18,000 we still need to raise.
You know what though? I really believe that in the end it will be totally worth it. Here's hoping anyway.
Prayer Points:
- Thanks to everyone who has already been so generous and have partnered with us in our ministry. Please continue to pray for us as we finish things up for the year.
- The summer seems to be flying by. Between weddings, trainings, and moving, there won't be a lot of time for rest over these next few weeks. Please pray that Meg and I will get good rest and be restored by Jesus during this crazy time.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Meg and I have been doing this thing during the month of June where we spend some time in listening prayer together. We've both felt this need to listen to Jesus more as we plan for this summer and next year. If this is going to be real partnership, it's good to start by partnering in prayer together, right? =0).
This morning, as we were praying, I got really excited by what we think we heard from Jesus. We heard two things. The first was, "there is more," in terms of Columbia. The second was a vision of a few of our friends giving birth.
Before you get weirded out, allow me to provide some context. There is a lot that goes into getting pregnant. Besides the actual biology of it (which I can tell you about when you're older), there's also the fact that nothing in guaranteed. We know a number of folk who have had trouble getting pregnant for one reason or another.
From what I understand, pregnancy and birth are pretty big processes. The body does all this work to make sure that the baby can survive in the womb and then there is a lot of pushing and contractions, and other unpleasant sounding things like that. Both my sister and Meg's older sister are Labor and Delivery nurses so you can ask them for more detail if you'd like.
Here's the thing though. After all the work is done, the 9 months of carrying around a bowling ball, the sore back, the intense pain and such, once the baby is born, it's all pure joy. Everything else that came before it was absolutely worth it.
I think that's how I feel about Columbia right now. Leaving St. Louis is going to be hard. There are the logistics of everything that still need to be done. There are people who we will be leaving, including family, which is so important to me. We have to pack up our apartment, unback it at our new place, then redecorate the whole thing. There's still the matter of the $18,000 we still need to raise.
You know what though? I really believe that in the end it will be totally worth it. Here's hoping anyway.
Prayer Points:
- Thanks to everyone who has already been so generous and have partnered with us in our ministry. Please continue to pray for us as we finish things up for the year.
- The summer seems to be flying by. Between weddings, trainings, and moving, there won't be a lot of time for rest over these next few weeks. Please pray that Meg and I will get good rest and be restored by Jesus during this crazy time.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Friday, June 7, 2013
Catalyst Part 1
Hello, friends!
Today's post is the first part of a two part post on Catalyst, our end of the year Spring Conference. I figure that since Catalyst is two weeks long, and I was there for 2 weeks, 2 posts makes sense, right? =0). I can't promise that Part 2 will come tomorrow but it will come.
I thought it would be good to start with things from the staff perspective, particularly form this staff's perspective. I was wearing a number of different hats for Catalyst. I was on the worship team, led a bible study for 1 week, led 3 seminars, organized a Catalyst party as well as a relay race, and did chapter time for Mizzou during Week 2. Oh yeah, I also worte and performed the Catalyst Welcome Song. =0). If I could describe the 2 weeks that were in one word, that word would have to be "exhausting."
Being staff for Catalyst means this:
- Some staff are up @ 7am for morning prayer
- Everyone else is up by 8am for breakfast
- At 9 is the morning session followed by the bible study you are leading
- If you are leading a seminar, you are on from 11:30-12:30
- Lunch is spent hanging out with students (that's why we're here, right?)
- Freetime goes form 1:30-dinner (5:30), which could be a break unless you are catching up with students from your chapter, meeting new students so they feel welcome, rehearsing with the worship team or in charge of a rec activity
- Dinner is @ 5:30 (see lunch)
- The session starts @ 7
- Chapter time goes form 9 until everyone is done processing
- Chapter curfew is 11, so after that the role is playing noise police
- Eventually you get to sleep so you can do it all again the next day
Doesn't that seem tiring? Honestly, it was. Normally it takes me some time to fall asleep because I need to quiet my brain. That was NOT a problem during Catalyst. I slept like a baby and I slept hard.
You know what though? I love being 2-week staff. Not everyone is there for 2 weeks but since I was on the worship team I was. I'm glad that I was.
I love being there for 2 weeks for a number of reasons. I love being able to see my coworkers from other parts on the region. I love being able to see the Spirit move in students lives. I love being able to see what happens in Week 1 so I can make Week 2 better. I love the sense of completion that comes from setting up in the beginning and tearing down at the end. I am well aware that I am in the minority on this one but hey, that's me. =0).
So, in my many days there, what did I see? I saw a bunch of students make decisions to follow Jesus. I saw how God can use students to reach other students. I saw staff come together to listen for to Jesus and make adjustments mid-conference. I saw a lot of people having fun.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Today's post is the first part of a two part post on Catalyst, our end of the year Spring Conference. I figure that since Catalyst is two weeks long, and I was there for 2 weeks, 2 posts makes sense, right? =0). I can't promise that Part 2 will come tomorrow but it will come.
I thought it would be good to start with things from the staff perspective, particularly form this staff's perspective. I was wearing a number of different hats for Catalyst. I was on the worship team, led a bible study for 1 week, led 3 seminars, organized a Catalyst party as well as a relay race, and did chapter time for Mizzou during Week 2. Oh yeah, I also worte and performed the Catalyst Welcome Song. =0). If I could describe the 2 weeks that were in one word, that word would have to be "exhausting."
Being staff for Catalyst means this:
- Some staff are up @ 7am for morning prayer
- Everyone else is up by 8am for breakfast
- At 9 is the morning session followed by the bible study you are leading
- If you are leading a seminar, you are on from 11:30-12:30
- Lunch is spent hanging out with students (that's why we're here, right?)
- Freetime goes form 1:30-dinner (5:30), which could be a break unless you are catching up with students from your chapter, meeting new students so they feel welcome, rehearsing with the worship team or in charge of a rec activity
- Dinner is @ 5:30 (see lunch)
- The session starts @ 7
- Chapter time goes form 9 until everyone is done processing
- Chapter curfew is 11, so after that the role is playing noise police
- Eventually you get to sleep so you can do it all again the next day
Doesn't that seem tiring? Honestly, it was. Normally it takes me some time to fall asleep because I need to quiet my brain. That was NOT a problem during Catalyst. I slept like a baby and I slept hard.
You know what though? I love being 2-week staff. Not everyone is there for 2 weeks but since I was on the worship team I was. I'm glad that I was.
I love being there for 2 weeks for a number of reasons. I love being able to see my coworkers from other parts on the region. I love being able to see the Spirit move in students lives. I love being able to see what happens in Week 1 so I can make Week 2 better. I love the sense of completion that comes from setting up in the beginning and tearing down at the end. I am well aware that I am in the minority on this one but hey, that's me. =0).
So, in my many days there, what did I see? I saw a bunch of students make decisions to follow Jesus. I saw how God can use students to reach other students. I saw staff come together to listen for to Jesus and make adjustments mid-conference. I saw a lot of people having fun.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Adios, Seniors!
Hello, friends!
Ok, so this is WAY late but I figure that today would be a good day for me to write about our Seniors. They are now all graduated but that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate them, right? =0).
This year we had a really great class of Seniors. Actually, at our Senior Sendoff, we had over 21 students who were either graduating or going back to their home countries, compared to the 4 we said goodbye to last year. It was quite a sight to behold, all the students who will not be around next year.
In all honesty, I didn't actually know a lot of the seniors. Many of them only joined this year when I wasn't in town much so I didn't get to spend a ton of time with them. Still, I wanted to take some space to write about a few of the Seniors who I got to spend time with and see grow over the past few years. In no particular order:
Tony: I remember when Tony came to Mizzou in the Spring of 2009. What stuck out to me was his passion for his walk with Jesus and how much he loved and desired good community. Over the years, through a few meals and plenty of talk about sports, I was able to see Tony's heart grow and see him grow as a leader in ACF. Tony will be deploying this summer to Afghanistan. He will definitely be in my prayers.
David: David was not only a great tenant this year as a resident of the Man Cave but he also has one of the sweetest male voices I've ever heard. He was a part of the worship team these past 2 years and it has been a pleasure seeing him grow in his confidence and stage presence. What I will always remember about David is how he had a quiet strength about him. David didn't talk much but he always did good work.
Tim: What can I say about Tim Tan? Without Tim, ACF wouldn't be where it is today in terms of international student ministry. It was at Urbana09 that Tim decided to give his life to Jesus. From there, God grew his heart in 2 areas: Social Justice and International Students. Through his time in ACF, Tim pretty much planted our international student ministry. We'd always had a few international students who came around and fewer who stayed but when Tim decided that he was going to intentionally spend time investing in international students is when we really saw things grow.
Marjorie: Marjorie is always going have a special place in my heart because she was one of the first students I met at Mizzou's first new student outreach. We ate Subway at the old student center on campus. We did a bible study in her freshman dorm. She always had orchestra rehearsals on Wednesday nights but always felt like an ACFer and was always accepted as one.
Jordan: My first real conversation with Jordan was about girls, particularly about this one girl he liked back home in KC. That relationship didn't end up working out but that gave Jordan more time for ACF, so I can't complain. In the 4 years that I've known Jordan, I've seen him grow from a nominal Catholic who was looking for community to a leader in ACF who has invested his college career in caring for students. I am excited that he will be hanging around for the next 2 years as an intern with InterVarsity.
Rachel: Rachel is a perfect example of "finishing strong" in a tangible way. It actually took some time for Rachel to decide that she really wanted to commit to ACF but when she did, she did it with a bang. Rachel and Jordan were the organizers of our kit build this semester and Rachel raised most of the money we needed. It was a great finish to a great college career.
Paula: Paula is our worship leader. There's no other way to put it. What Paula did with the Worship Team is nothing short of amazing. Her vision was to make us a fellowship that worships God authentically in more ways than just singing. She started by making sure that everyone on her team know what authentic worship was, beyond playing chords and singing the right notes. Along with having an absolutley AMAZING voice, she is also one of the most caring and considerate students I have ever met.
So, there you have it. This list doesn't include SooHong, Ganaa, Areum, and all the other students who left after this year but those folk were also who made ACF what it was this year. To each and every one of you, thank you for being you and for making ACF, and more importantly, the Gospel, a part of your lives while at Mizzou. You will be truly missed.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Ok, so this is WAY late but I figure that today would be a good day for me to write about our Seniors. They are now all graduated but that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate them, right? =0).
This year we had a really great class of Seniors. Actually, at our Senior Sendoff, we had over 21 students who were either graduating or going back to their home countries, compared to the 4 we said goodbye to last year. It was quite a sight to behold, all the students who will not be around next year.
In all honesty, I didn't actually know a lot of the seniors. Many of them only joined this year when I wasn't in town much so I didn't get to spend a ton of time with them. Still, I wanted to take some space to write about a few of the Seniors who I got to spend time with and see grow over the past few years. In no particular order:
Tony: I remember when Tony came to Mizzou in the Spring of 2009. What stuck out to me was his passion for his walk with Jesus and how much he loved and desired good community. Over the years, through a few meals and plenty of talk about sports, I was able to see Tony's heart grow and see him grow as a leader in ACF. Tony will be deploying this summer to Afghanistan. He will definitely be in my prayers.
David: David was not only a great tenant this year as a resident of the Man Cave but he also has one of the sweetest male voices I've ever heard. He was a part of the worship team these past 2 years and it has been a pleasure seeing him grow in his confidence and stage presence. What I will always remember about David is how he had a quiet strength about him. David didn't talk much but he always did good work.
Tim: What can I say about Tim Tan? Without Tim, ACF wouldn't be where it is today in terms of international student ministry. It was at Urbana09 that Tim decided to give his life to Jesus. From there, God grew his heart in 2 areas: Social Justice and International Students. Through his time in ACF, Tim pretty much planted our international student ministry. We'd always had a few international students who came around and fewer who stayed but when Tim decided that he was going to intentionally spend time investing in international students is when we really saw things grow.
Marjorie: Marjorie is always going have a special place in my heart because she was one of the first students I met at Mizzou's first new student outreach. We ate Subway at the old student center on campus. We did a bible study in her freshman dorm. She always had orchestra rehearsals on Wednesday nights but always felt like an ACFer and was always accepted as one.
Jordan: My first real conversation with Jordan was about girls, particularly about this one girl he liked back home in KC. That relationship didn't end up working out but that gave Jordan more time for ACF, so I can't complain. In the 4 years that I've known Jordan, I've seen him grow from a nominal Catholic who was looking for community to a leader in ACF who has invested his college career in caring for students. I am excited that he will be hanging around for the next 2 years as an intern with InterVarsity.
Rachel: Rachel is a perfect example of "finishing strong" in a tangible way. It actually took some time for Rachel to decide that she really wanted to commit to ACF but when she did, she did it with a bang. Rachel and Jordan were the organizers of our kit build this semester and Rachel raised most of the money we needed. It was a great finish to a great college career.
Paula: Paula is our worship leader. There's no other way to put it. What Paula did with the Worship Team is nothing short of amazing. Her vision was to make us a fellowship that worships God authentically in more ways than just singing. She started by making sure that everyone on her team know what authentic worship was, beyond playing chords and singing the right notes. Along with having an absolutley AMAZING voice, she is also one of the most caring and considerate students I have ever met.
So, there you have it. This list doesn't include SooHong, Ganaa, Areum, and all the other students who left after this year but those folk were also who made ACF what it was this year. To each and every one of you, thank you for being you and for making ACF, and more importantly, the Gospel, a part of your lives while at Mizzou. You will be truly missed.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
A Word From Meg
Hello, friends!
I told you that there would be more blog posting this week. Let's start off the party with a guest blog from my lovely, wonderful, talented, and oh so beautiful wife, Meg. =0). Enjoy!
I told you that there would be more blog posting this week. Let's start off the party with a guest blog from my lovely, wonderful, talented, and oh so beautiful wife, Meg. =0). Enjoy!
Meg's Corner: Preparing to Move On
Fresh
out of college I moved to St. Louis – energized, naive, & feeling
called. I came in with one purpose - to see a flourishing group at UMSL
where international students would be transformed by the Gospel. I had
no idea what I was getting into. I spent my first year at Washington
University with the International Friends chapter there to learn more
about how to minister cross-culturally. In reality, most of my year was
spent building partnerships in order to be financially able to serve on
campus. 1 year later I had still little experience, but my budget was
raised. I arrived on campus and began planting the ISM ministry at
UMSL.
In
those years God taught me his faithfulness in uncertain times. He
taught me that he is the master gardener who is able to grow a chapter
from just a small seed. 4 years later I have hung up my hat as staff of
UMSL & am preparing to put on another hat with Adam at MIZZOU. I am
so thankful that there is another staff, Andi Schuerrman who like me,
felt God calling her to UMSL to lead there. I know that she is the
perfect person to propel the ministry forward at UMSL.
There is so much more to be done & yet there is so much to celebrate! Won’t you celebrate with me?
Over the past 3 years:
- 50 students were exposed to the Gospel & sent back to their home country
- 7 of those became Christians at UMSL!
Imagine with me how God has used your partnership to change not only the college campus, but the world with His Gospel!
I am saddened to close this chapter, but I know the God who was
faithful 4 years ago will continue to be in this next chapter. I look
forward to hear in heaven all that God has done around the world. Praise
God!
Monday, June 3, 2013
The Home Stretch!!!
Hello, friends!
Has it really been a month since I've posted? Sorry, friends! It really has been too long. Since my last post, we've had Senior Sendoff, Catalyst, and a trip to New York. I promise, we're going to get to each of those, hopefully this week if I can swing it.
But first, I wanted to tell you about an opportunity to partner with Meg and me as we prepare for our transition to Columbia.
For the next 6 weeks, Meg and I are on a mission to raise $18,000 to make sure that we can hit the ground running as soon as we get to Columbia. InterVarsity's fiscal year ends on June 30. Would you please prayerfully consider making either a year end gift, or partnering with us on a monthly basis?
JOIN TEAM LEONG!!!
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Has it really been a month since I've posted? Sorry, friends! It really has been too long. Since my last post, we've had Senior Sendoff, Catalyst, and a trip to New York. I promise, we're going to get to each of those, hopefully this week if I can swing it.
But first, I wanted to tell you about an opportunity to partner with Meg and me as we prepare for our transition to Columbia.
For the next 6 weeks, Meg and I are on a mission to raise $18,000 to make sure that we can hit the ground running as soon as we get to Columbia. InterVarsity's fiscal year ends on June 30. Would you please prayerfully consider making either a year end gift, or partnering with us on a monthly basis?
JOIN TEAM LEONG!!!
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
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