Balanced Advocacy...

Hello, friends! 

I've been thinking a lot about advocacy lately, particularly when it comes to matters of race and ethnicity in the US.  There have been a few different events that have brought this up, including the Trayvon Martin shooting, trial, and verdict, a few unfortunate missteps by some prominent church leaders, and a trip to Memphis to the Civil Rights Museum.  There was also an Asian American Association General Body Meeting a few weeks ago that talked about hate and how to combat it. 

As I've thought more and more about it, I've come to this conclusion: as much as we want to believe that standing up for our rights is the best way to change things, and I believe that it does work to a certain extent, I believe that the best way for us to see injustice eradicated, hate put to death, and a real understanding of racial reconciliation is if we stop just advocating for OURSELVES and start advocating for OTHERS. 

To my African-American brothers and sisters: We, as Asian-Americans, need your help.  Your struggle for equality and justice goes back further that ours and you have won many more battles.  You have endured more injustices here in the US than my Asian-American brothers and sisters can even count and through your fight you have gained so much.  We need you to stand up on our behalf because you are probably better at advocacy than we are. 

To my Latino-American brothers and sisters: We, as Asian-Americans, need your help.  You are the fastest growing minority group in the US and your numbers are only going to continue to grow.  If you advocate on our behalf we will have numbers that will make those in power (of all ethnicities) stop and listen to what we (being you and us) have to say. 

To my Caucasian brothers and sisters: We, as Asian-Americans, need your help.  Let's not beat around the bush.  You are the majority culture.  You hold most of the offices of power in the US and that includes places of business, media, and politics.  You set the agenda.  If you advocate on our behalf it will do one of two things.  It will give our voice a place to be heard, yes, but I think more importantly, it will show others that whatever injustices we suffer are not just a "minority" thing but an actual injustice.

To my Asian-American brothers and sisters: We, as Asian-Americans need to get off our butts and start caring about the rest of the country.  For better or worse, we are the bridge that spans the gap between our Caucasian brothers and sisters and our African-American and Latino-American brothers and sisters.  To put it crudely, White folk aren't as afraid of us as they are of other minorities.  We need to use this power to foster understanding and we need to stand up for the injustices that we see happen to our brothers and sisters of color. 

Originally, I was going to post about how important it is to balance time and energy between caring about issues that plague "our kind" vs. issues that plague "someone else's people" but as I thought about it more, I believe that the call is not for balance in terms of equal time as much as it is balance in terms of making sure that we are all moving closer to the goal.  Honestly, when it is "your people" getting up to advocate isn't all that hard.  It comes naturally.  The hard part is when it is "someone else's people."  That's when we really have to think and act intentionally. 

I follow Jesus.  That is what I do.  What that means is that I am called to bring the Kingdom of God, one of righteousness, justice, love, and mercy, to Earth.  That doesn't mean just for my people but for those who are oppressed, regardless of how they are oppressed or who is oppressing them. 

Have an excellent day!   

~Adam

Happy Migraine Season!

Hello, friends! 

Happy October to you all, which of course, means happy migraine season for me! 

It's been an interesting 15-18 years living with migraines.  I'm not entirely sure why I've been getting them or why they continue to happen but they happen and they've become part of my life. 

From what I understand, people react differently to migraines.  Some are light sensitive.  Others are sound sensitive.  Some have nausea.  Mine are a little bit of light sensitivity but it is mostly dizziness with some vertigo thrown in there for good measure.  Pretty much, if I have a migraine, I can't spend too much time "vertical" meaning that standing and walking are a chore.  Forget driving or biking too because those are definitely out of the question.  It makes for a very debilitating migraine. 

Allow me to give you a little tip about how to talk to folk with migraines.  If you do not suffer from migraines, do not suggest causes.  I know you're trying to help but it probably doesn't and I've probably already thought of it.  I would abstain from suggesting remedies too.  It's not that I don't think you care; it's that you haven't been living with this for 15 years.  =0). 

So, my friends, please be praying for me this season.  For some reason, the migraines are the worst during the months of October and March.  I've already had 4-5 this October, which is about par for the course. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Fall Conference By the Numbers...

Hello, friends! 

Megan and I just got back from our Fall Conference, joining InterVarsity Chapters from all over the great state of Missouri.  Words cannot express how tired I am or how awe I am of God's goodness.  Our theme this weekend was Dwell and we can't definitely say that God was dwelling with us.  I think I might be too tired to write much so let's do this by the numbers. 

292 - miles round trip driven to our camp location
174 - students who attended Fall Conference, which may be our biggest ever (I'll have to check that)
150 - boxes of ramen purchased to feed said students during one glorious snack night
19 - staff, including paid staff, volunteers, and interns, who helped make this conference happen
12 - school represented, including students from Missouri State and Missouri S&T, where there is currently no InterVarsity work
9 - Mizzou ACF student leaders who led our 28 students in attendance during small group time
4 - students from Mizzou who made re-commitments to Jesus
2 - ACFes who made first time decisions to follow Jesus
1 - crazy awesome God who showed up BIG.

Friends, God is good, isn't He?!  Praise him for a wonderful weekend and for new life in the kingdom.  Angels are partying hard right now in heaven.  =0). 

In a few days, after I clear it with some students, I hope to post a story or two about how students learned to dwell with God.  I promise, it'll be good. 

Please pray for the students as they return to campus and "real life" tomorrow.  As I was praying last night I got the sense that the prayer we need for them is not protection but boldness.  Please pray that they will be bold in owning what happened this weekend and unashamed to proclaim the Gospel. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Time, time, time...

Hello, friends!

First of all, Happy October to you all!  Here's hoping that this month is your best yet.  =0).

October means that Megan and I have officially been at the team leading thing for 3 full months now entering our fourth.  As I have been reflecting on what the differences are between being a Team Leader versus being a Campus Staff Member (CSM) the one big difference that jumps out to me is this: I have to be more intentional with my time.

Back in the day, things were a lot simpler.  I only had to worry about one chapter and one staff.  The chapter was Mizzou ACF and the staff was me.  If I didn't have something prepared in time or forgot to do something, I could adjust my schedule to prep it with minimal effort and minimal collateral damage.  Improvisation was a virtue because it allowed me to get stuff done as it came.

Now that isn't the case.  There are too many moving parts for improv to have the same effectiveness.  There are too many campuses, too many staff, and too many students for it to be a fly by the seat of my pants.  Everything has to be calculated and planned out weeks in advance because if it isn't too many things (and people) suffer.  Add that to the fact that Megan and I are co-Team Leading and things get even harrier.  Making unilateral decisions on the fly is not a good way to build trust with your co-leader (or your wife).

The simplest example I can give is with this blog.  When it was just me, I could blog whenever I wanted and usually had the time to do so.  If I wanted to hit pause on the day to write down something about what has happened then I could do that.  Now, Mid-MO is a fright train that will not stop easily.  I am going to have to be a lot more intentional about carving out time to blog and let you know everything that has been happening here in CoMO.

It doesn't stop there though and it certainly isn't just about team leading.  Intentional time is one of the things that I am learning about when it comes to being an adult.  I have to carve out time for friends.  I have to carve out time to recharge my batteries.  I definitely have to carve out time for Megan.  There is a lot of carving and not as much time to make sure all the pieces fit.

So, friends, please be praying for me as I continue to navigate new responsibilities and adulthood in general.  Please pray for wisdom and intentionality as I invest my time, resources, and energy in things that matter.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

For My Wife...

Hello, friends!

Guess what today is!  It is Meg and my anniversary!  One year ago today, I was a nervous wreck, praying that I wouldn't throw up or forget the chords to the song that I was going to play at our wedding.  One year ago today, Meg and I started on a crazy adventure that I don't think either of us truly anticipated.  One year ago today, I made one of the best decisions of my life, second only to my decision to follow Jesus.  One year ago today was kind of a big deal, eh?  =0).

As I look back at this past year, I am so thankful for Meg.  Words cannot describe how much I love and appreciate her.  I may not show it all the time but I am so thankful that we get to spend the rest of our lives together.  She has inspired me to be a better husband, a better staff, a better man, and a better follower of Jesus.  She has dealt with my selfishness, my pride, my corny jokes, and my various quirks.  She is an incredible cook, an incredible co-laborer, an incredible wife and an incredible woman.

Last night, I asked Meg what her favorite memory from the past year was.  We both had a hard time thinking of one that was not related to our honeymoon, which seemed a little like cheating.  =0).  Thinking about it now, I don't know if I have a single favorite but I do have an event that I love whenever it happens.  We'll be sitting on the couch watching a movie or something and it will hit me that the gorgeous and wonderful woman sitting next to me is my wife.  That moment is my favorite.

I won't lie to you amends diary that it has been all rainbows and butterflies the entire time.  Over thing I have learned is that marriage is hard work.  It takes a lot of communication and humility, two attributes that do not come naturally to me.  There have been some rough spots but the good has definitely outweighed the bad.

I could keep typing but it would probably start to get a little uncomfortable so i think I will stop here.  My prayer, and hopefully UI ours too, is that I will be able to show Meg how much I love her every day, and not just a blog post once a year.

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

The Silly Season...

Hello, friends! 

As most, if not all, of you know, I am a HUGE baseball fan.  Seriously, a HUGE baseball fan.  But, it isn't just about baseball, although that is my favorite.  I'll watch and participate in anything where folk are competing.  I have favorites in MLB (Cardinals), NFL (Dolphins), NBA (Spurs), NHL (Blues), NASCAR (Matt Kenseth), EPL (Tottenham Hotspur), and the USA in all international competitions.  Besides being athletic in nature (yes, NASCAR takes athleticism), all these sports have one thing in common: They all have really long seasons. 

In baseball, it's called the Dog Days of summer.  In the NFL it's the mid-season lull, and in the NBA it's the pre-All-Star Break part of the season.  It's the time of the year when you've been at it long enough that the season doesn't feel new anymore but you're too far away from the end for there to be any sense of urgency.  My favorite name for it is when NASCAR calls it the Silly Season.  This is when the play gets a little bit sloppier, the tempers are a little bit feistier, and you can tell that everyone would like a few days off to recharge their batteries. 

Speaking from a Campus Ministry standpoint, we haven't entered the silly season quite yet but I can tell that we are getting into that range.  New Student Outreach isn't quite over but getting students (or staff for that matte) up for tabling or meeting new folk doesn't have the same appeal, especially when there are already new students to be investing in right now.  School is just about 4 weeks old so no one has quite found their rhythm yet but folk are starting to feel the pressure of the first round of tests.  Yet, we are still early enough in the semester that no one is starting to freak out about their finals or graduation.  (Ok, there may be some who are freaking out but those folk probably started the semester that way, right?)  =0). 

The dangerous thing about the Silly Season is that it leads to complacency.  When things get a little boring the temptation is to take your foot off the gas and coast for a bit.  The problem with that is that there is no guarantee that you'll be able to kick things back into gear later.  The best teams are the ones who find a way to fight through the temptation to let things ride and are always looking for ways to get better. 

Honestly, there is still a lot of work to be done.  There are still students to be reached.  There are still leaders to be developed.  There are still opportunities to be seized for the kingdom.  There are still new places to scout and interns to train.  There are still ministry partnerships to be developed.  There are still conferences to plan and to recruit for as well.  Now is not the time to be slacking.  It is the time to be preparing things for the home stretch, even if it is still 2 months away. 

Friends, please continue to pray for us during this season, or as we enter this season.  Pray for Megan and me, that we will lead well and continue to go to Jesus for our strength.  Pray for the students, that they will continue to be inspired by the Gospel.  Pray for our interns and volunteers, that they will see our example and continue to move forward with the good work set in front of them.  Above all, please pray that God will continue to move in Mid-Missouri and that we will get to partner with him in that good work. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Highs and Lows...

Hello, friends! 

What a difference 7 days can make, yeah?  Last week was one of those weeks where it seemed like everything was going right and things were really starting to hum here in Columbia.  This week was one of those weeks where you are reminded that in college ministry, or life in general, things can go south just as quickly as they start going good. 

I haven't decided if I am one for hyperbole or not (I probably am), so I don't want to say that this was one of those weeks where EVERYTHING went wrong, but it sure did feel like there were more downs than ups.  If I had to categorize this past week, I would call it the "Buffet of Bad Deals."  Nothing was overwhelmingly bad but there was a nice sampling to go. 

You may be asking yourself what goes into a bad week in campus ministry.  Usually it means:
- Conversations that go poorly (or at least not as expected)
- Low turnout for events
- Lack of time that leads to lack of preparation that leads to less than stellar teaching
- Getting stood up/having to cancel meetings with students
- Having your bike stolen (oh wait, that may just be me). 

Here's the thing about campus ministry: you can't ride the highs or the lows and you have to remember that no matter what, God is good.  If I got down every time a student left me hanging or our event didn't have as many people as expected, I would never leave the house.  No matter what, God is good. 

So, please be praying for me, that I will remember God's goodness.  Already this next week has started to move in the right direction, so here's hoping I post (sooner rather than later) with a great update of the ways that God is moving on campus.

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam