For those of you who don't me really well, I have a small obsession with the Duggar family. I was trying to think of a title for this post and I thought of the one above and immediately thought that sounds like a title for an episode of 19 kids and counting!
That was just a little random tidbit! But since I posted last we have:
- Moved to Jonesboro
- Unpacked all of our things (for the most part)
- I went to Murray, KY last weekend for one of my disciple's wedding
- Traveled to Memphis, TN for a seminary class on apologetics
- And had our first house guest, my best friend Katie Sparks, come and stay with us for the weekend!
So we have been busy busy busy! And this coming up weekend, we will be driving to Tampa, FL for something called Return Training. As most of you know, Campus Outreach has multiple summer projects all over the world. However, many of the students involved in the ministry here at ASU have spent their summer in Tampa, FL growing in their walk with the Lord. Tampa Project, also known as TP, is a ten-week training program where our students come down to Florida and get full time jobs. During the night they attend multiple seminars and rallies that develop them in their walks' with God. It teaches them how to walk with Him for a lifetime, to be constantly growing Christians who love the Lord and love others. So, Return Training is the last week of the project where we as the staff go back and help to spring these students back onto the college campus. It's an exciting time to think and plan and put all that they have learned over the past ten weeks into practice!
When we get back from project, we as staff will be in full planning mode. We will be thinking and praying and discussing our strategy on campus this year. And in only a few short weeks, the students will be here and we will be ready to roll! One of our favorite verses to recall about being here at ASU is "When He saw the crowds He had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few." Matthew 9:36-37
This is what the college campus represents to Brett and I. Thousands of 18-22 who are harassed and helpless and looking to find the way. The harvest is so plentiful meaning that there is an abundance of people in need, but those who are seeking to give them the truth are few. We are excited to be the people who will be doing that and who will be training up others to do that as well.
There are people who are close to Brett and I who don't agree with what Brett and I have given our lives to and think that we are living in sheer arrogance to say that our way, is the only way. But yes since I do believe God's word to completely true and inspired and breathed out by Him, I take it very seriously when Jesus says that "I am the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through me." See he did not say that I am a way a truth or a life, but THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE! It's as though we have the lifesaving medicine for your cancer and we are refusing to give it to you because we don't feel as though we know you well enough or maybe it will be awkward. No, that would be hatred for us to withhold that from you. So yes, because we are completely convinced that Jesus is the way we want to tell others about Him, we want Christ to be most glorified here on earth. And, He receives glory though people living for HIM! We have seen God change hearts and minds so many times, and we know that His word is the one and only authoritative word. We desire greatly for those who are living "according to the price of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:1-10) to know that there is a one true God and He is mighty to save. We find it a great privilege to be giving our lives to this on the college campus.
