Campus Ministry for Dummies

I know this comes as a complete shock to some of you but if you have not noticed I have not updated my blog in about three weeks!!!  My bad :(  Ever since the nailbenders got on campus I have seemed to have been swamped with a million things to do!!  Don’t get me wrong I loved every second I got to serve and serve with those guys!!  It was amazing to see how quick we got that building put up!!  You can go to the BCM webpage and view pictures of the building from start to finish!!!

Last week the roofers came down from Tennessee and in three days our roof had been completely done!!  I only got to help two days with these guys but it was cake compared to doing Justin’s roof this past spring!!  I never knew that he was preparing me for one day putting a roof on our BCM building…Thanks Justin!!!

So this brings us to this week.  Other than Bible study on tuesday night, Pancakes yesterday morning and Refuge last night, I seem to have found time to breath!!!  So now I sit here and update my blog for the first time in a month!!  Hopefully this can be recieved as a proper illustration of the life of a campus ministry assistant!!!

So my girlfriend has turned me into a softie…..seriously.  I have never liked small dogs or enjoyed their presence at all until Becca bought Ryker.  Ryker is a mixed bred of Shitzu and lopso apso.  When I first saw him I was like……oooo how cuuutteee, but I was really like….What is that little ball of fur that fits into your hand?

He has since grown to about four pounds and has grown on me as well!!!  Everyday while Becca is in class I get to keep Ryker over at the BCM.  I can honestly say I enjoy it!!!  I feed him, take him out for potty breaks, and hold him while he naps!!  Everyone around here loves him and helps out quite a bit.  I love being a doggie sitter.

Or maybe I just really love my girlfriend!!

So I don’t know if I have seen it rain this much in a long long time!!!  I can’t honestly say that I don’t like it though!!  I was supposed to have my first Chemistry test today but I lucked out and didn’t have it due to the electricity being out!!  My other class was canceled as well so I am currently going to have 6 days off from school!!!  Its kind of a mini spring break!!!

I do however have the utmost sympathy for all the families that have been affected in a not so good way from this current storm.  I also pray that the storm that is coming behind it will not be as large as Gustav.

Joe came to me yesterday and shared with me his concern and willingness to plan something for us to do for the evacuees that are staying in our town!!!  This made me smile on the inside as I wait to see his follow through.  Hopefully he will inspire some of our other students to get their face out of their lap tops and get our and do something!!!  I also loved how he seemed to be the only one who stood up for his idea when Justin put in his always pessimistic “2 cents”.

Joe is becoming….

I came across a blog listed on Michael Kelley’s blog today and I want to ask you guys to please be praying for Allen and Gillian.  Their son Joseph just recently died from a rare brain tumor.  Their words are so heart breaking and warming all at the same time(if that makes sense).  I left their site in tears and challenged to display that kind of faith that I am envisioning through their words.

They are trusting in the unfailing love of our Father through the tragic loss of their precious 4 year old little boy.  The lives that will be changed through this short  life and the continued life of Allen and Gillian is what I believe to be apart of the Glory that God will receive from the life and death and Joseph.

Check out the blog here.

Well after an uneventful weekend it is time to get back to work!!!  It was great to be back leading worship at Journey yesterday!!  It had been before we left for New Mexico since I had last been able to be there.  Jeff taught a great message on the “Harvest” which can be heard at Journey Churches website here.  

I actually have been being the model student as of late!!!  Entering my second go around with Chemistry I have decided to actually do homework!!!  We have had two assignments and I have turned them both in!!!  I was very discouraged to find out that I made a 10 out of 10 on my first assignment and she did not record it!!!

I am excited to see what God is going to do through the students this week!!!  I sure hope that we will be ringing that bell soon!!!  Pray for us!!!  Pray that we will be obedient to the call Christ has put on our lives to go and make disciples.

Well this is the start of day two of the fall semester!!!  It was so amazing to see all the new faces the past couple of days!!

Becca and I returned from Destin late sunday night and had little time to recover as we had the organizational fair on monday afternoon.  We had a sign-up sheet for all the incoming freshmen and advertised for a drawing for a Garmin directional system.  After drawing about fifteen names that weren’t there we finally called a young mans name that was there!!!

Refuge was awesome last night!!  The band did a great job and Tracy preached a great message on us being under construction.  Im so excited about what God is going to do through our ministry this semester!!

Well Becca and I made the 8 and a half hour trip to Destin, Florida yesterday after I returned home from the BCM leadership retreat.  The retreat was awesome!!  It was great to see the old gang and it was a great time of encouragement and a fan to the flame that was started at Glorieta.

I am with Becca in Destin for her sister Brandi’s wedding!!  She is marrying a great guy from Longview, TX named Jared Duncan.  He has become a good friend!!  We were a little worried after we payed a visit to the beach last night and were greeted with the sight of dozens of jellyfish washed up on the shore!!

No worries cause we had an amazing day boogie boarding and swimming and the only thing to a jellyfish sting is the welp I have on my leg from Becca popping me with a towel!!  

Well we are going to get cleaned up and eat and then go GO KART racing!!!  They are all going down!!!  In the morning we are waking early and heading out deep sea fishing!!!  I have been so spoiled by God’s beautiful creation these past couple of weeks!!!!

Well about 2,500 miles later I have made the trip from Monticello, AR to Glorieta, NM to San Angelo, TX back to Monticello.  Jeff and I started on August 2 and arrived back home last night at about 9:30p.m.

I had an amazing time but I was so glad to see the city lights as we pulled in(even though it was in the pouring rain)  We had such an amazing time at Collegiate Week and then had a great time at Carolyn’s families lake house.  We played on the jet skis and played with all the kids!!!  They were everywhere!!

I missed home though.  I realize that eventually reality was going to hit and I was going to wake up inside my tiny apartment at the BCM.  I did that this morning and I was almost relieved.  I missed Becca so much and the little time I got to spend with her last night seemed to make up for 9 days we spent apart.

So time to get ready for our leadership retreat we are taking on tuesday and wednesday!!  I can’t wait to see the students again and share with them what has been on Tracy and I’s heart.  What’s even better is that I get to go with Becca to see her sister get married in Destin, FL!!!

So when I get back from the beautiful beach…..it will really be time to get back to work!!!

I was reminded of something from a somewhat strange situation this morning.  I woke up and took as shower before I headed to the pond to do my quiet time before breakfast.

When I got to the bench in front of the pond I heard a strange noise from behind the canoes down by the water.  I stood up and walked to the edge of the water and saw what it was.  A goose giving himself/herself a bath.  I just sat there and watched in somewhat amazement!!!

This can be an important reminder of what we as believers should do to start our day.  You see the goose and I didn’t begin our day dirty!!  We woke up and immediately bathed and started our day clean.

The application of this is that we should clean ourselves spiritually every morning so we do not start our day spiritually dirty.  Preparing ourselves for the day ahead.  Praying for our daily bread and for our eyes to be opened to the divine appointments that He might have for us today.  

And for pete’s sake we don’t want to smell you!!!

Well I have been here at Glorieta since this past saturday.  God has been doing a major reconstruction of my heart and my soul and IT IS GOOD!!  

I have been listening to some of the most amazing and bold teachings my 25 year old ears have ever heard from the speakers David Platt and Michael Kelley and IT IS GOOD!!!

Basically guys and gals it has just been an amazing week of being in a beautiful place surrounded by Gods glory through creation and the gathering of hundreds of collegiate students and leaders to worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Today I had the honor to join two of my brothers Jackie Flake and Jeff Noble in prayer as we walked in the beautiful “Prayer Garden” that is located on the Glorieta campus.  We prayed for direction and guidance as the Lord is working in all of our lives in ways that we are not totally sure of at the moment.  

Prayer for me has always been something that I have always just have done.  I don’t believe as a young child and even as an adolescent I knew completely the power and the purpose as well as the honor that prayer all poses in a believers life.  It is my source of communion with my Lord.  It is my guidance.  I should awaken everyday and pray before I start my day.  How better of a way to start it than to consult the Father and ask Him to guide me through my day.

Wikipedia attempts to define prayer as the “attempt to communicate with a diety or spirit.”  This I believe is a slap to the face of our creator!!  Prayer is the communion with the Creator of the universe!!  It is the process of talking with the source of everything holy and good.  It is my way of knowing what to do.  I do realize that many religions pray to many different things but as a christian this is what prayer means to me.

Then why don’t I do it more?  Why do I spend next to no time consulting with the source of all good and perfect things?  Why would I step out my apartment in the morning without asking the Spirit to lead me as I go?  Disobedience is the only proper answer I believe.

I believe that if we as believers should be a people of prayer.  Praying for our nation.  Praying for our leaders.  Praying for our pastors and other leaders in our church.  Do we really have a just reason to complain about issues within our nation or business or the church if we are not daily praying that God will guide them and bless them?  I believe not.

I would like to encourage you that as you have read this that you will take the time to pray.  I would also be so bold to say that it will change your life incredibly if you commit to a life of prayer.  If you need special prayer I would be glad to pray for you.  

Be blessed and may you experience the great love from our great God today.