CSU '09

Today was the first full day of "CSU '09". . .this is what we call the Campus Crusade for Christ nation-wide staff conference that happens every other summer at Colorado State University (hence the name, not super original but it works!).  Somewhere around 8,000 of us staff (not including the crazy amount of kids!) have invaded Moby Gym and the surrounding areas.  What a family I have in Christ, and specifically within Campus Crusade.  I'm just loving it!  Here are some, well many since I know I won't be able to keep it short, highlights of the day:

- walking into Moby Gym for our first meeting, my first experience with so many people so in love with Jesus in one place, breathtaking!

- the worship, led by Key Note, the music ministry of Campus Crusade - rockin'!!

- watching all of my fellow staff members, with tears in my eyes, give Vonette Bright, the co-founder of Campus Crusade, a standing ovation. . .and then having her open our conference in prayer - just like she's done at every staff conference since it all began, such a legacy!  And such a classy lady, love her!

- The privilege of experiencing Tim Keller speak twice today, he brings the Gospel in such a humbling and powerful way, wow!  Excited about growing in my heart-level understanding of free justification and compassion toward the poor, the two topics he spoke on today (and he's speaking again tomorrow!)

- perusing the ministry fair. . .I just LOVE learning more about how God is using and blessing Campus Crusade in so many unique ways.  I am particularly excited about the things I got info and resources on to pass on to my former college roommates throughout the day (shout out to you! :))

- Barbara Francis, leading us in a time of prayer. . .I call her the Beth Moore of Campus Crusade, she's a feisty lady with a huge heart for Jesus - so thankful for her!

- free stuff!! :)  Seriously, books (I won one in a drawing and my name was on the big screen, wonder how many people tried to pronounce it for fun!), CDs and even a pedometer - thanks to our Health Benefits department's initiative to get us staff healthy, love it!

- Our conference MCs, especially Bob Horner.  He and his wife have been on staff almost since the beginning and he is one of the most hilarious men!

- A meeting about what God's doing in Western Europe and getting to talk with a national leader about what it looks like for me to pray and actively wait for the ways in which God might want to use me, and fellow staff/students, in Holland in particular - SO encouraging!

- Our leadership, I so appreciate the humility, honesty, and faith of the men that the Lord has currently placed over this ministry. . .I can hear and see Jesus working in them, a good sign.  Men like Mark Gauthier (who I got to have a neat conversation with about the role of women within Campus Crusade ministry a few weeks ago) , Steve Sellers, and Steve Douglass to list a few.  Also, Judy Douglass, our president's wife - during worship I saw her kneeling before the Lord, not in a showy way, but I just happened to notice.  Wow - these, and many more, are men and women who point me to Jesus, I am so thankful to follow their leadership as the Lord leads us.

Well, as you can probably tell I could go on and on but I'll leave it at that, especially since it's time for bed, tomorrow is another full day.  Hoping these highlights leave you feeling encouraged that God is moving in huge ways. . .and as you are praying, giving, and going according to God's call on your life you are a part of His story!

- 

Fairest Lord Jesus

I just love this hymn and was reminded of this a couple of weeks ago as we sung it at a church service here in Colorado.  God continues to do so much to show me His perfect character and power here, especially through nature.  It is such a joy to praise the Creator of it all:

1. Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature,   

O thou of God and man the Son,   

Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,   

thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown.  

2. Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,   

robed in the blooming garb of spring:    

Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer   

who makes the woeful heart to sing.  

3. Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,   

and all the twinkling starry host:    

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer   

than all the angels heaven can boast.  

4. Beautiful Savior!  Lord of all the nations!    

Son of God and Son of Man!    

Glory and honor, praise, adoration,   

now and forevermore be thine.

The answer

Well, I didn't get too many guesses from you on that riddle. . .but I think it's time to give you the answer.  Stop reading right now and scroll down a couple of posts if you still want to give it a shot.  Ok, so the answer is "nothing".

:)

My guide

My guide's name was Paul.  He knew the water better then anyone of us in the boat.  He made sure we had a thrilling adventure, while keeping us safe.  I was given the tools I needed to succeed - a helmet, life jacket, and an oar. . .but I would have never known how to properly use these things without my guide's instruction. He did a lot of the work - siting in the back, steering us left and right.  He called out commands at the perfect time, and we all joyfully obeyed because we knew He had our best interest in mind.  He didn't overwork us, he didn't underwork us.  He did what it took to get us to our final destination - and the journey to get there was exactly as it should have been, not easy but tailor-made to our strengths and weaknesses.  He never left the boat, though at times I felt like I was going to fall out and leave him.  If that would have happened I know he would have been right there, ready to pull me back into the boat.  My guide was human, at one point he even mentioned he was cold - although, us rookies were complaining way before he uttered a word.  Though human, I knew that he was ready and willing to sacrifice for our well-being.  The sheer power of the water could have overtaken us, and probably would have had Paul not been the one to see us through.

Ok - obviously this is an analogy. . .and like any good, and obviously bad, analogy (classify this one as you wish :)), aspects of it will break down.  The real thing is always better anyway! :)  So, while white water rafting on the Poudre (pronounced poo-der) River the Lord gave me such a sweet picture of His character.  He is my perfect guide through this life.  Not to say I won't make mistakes, because I have and will, but He will always be faithful to be in my boat, guiding and directing me as I live a surrendered life to Him.  Knowing more of who He is makes me want to joyfully obey Him all the more.  Especially in light of the fact that, though fully human,  He was not only ready and willing to make a sacrifice on my behalf- He actually did.  And the type of sacrifice He made is the most horrifically undeserved and desperately needed of them all - He endured all of our sins, thus reconciling us to Himself - so that, when I acknowledge my inability to charter the waters of this life on my own, I am placing myself in His hands, thus reconciling myself to Him - thanks to the grace of God this is the beginning of an adventure more amazingly thrilling then the one I had yesterday.  

My rafting experience was phenomenal!  I so savored the beauty that surrounded me, in awe of God's creation at every bend of the river.  We even experienced a good deal of thunder and lightning during our time, reminding me even more of God's power and majesty.  There were times that were quite scary and nerve-wrecking, and other times that were gentle and peaceful - as this picture of Jesus as my guide came to me I was so humbled to remember that He is right beside me, desiring to lead and guide me through every aspect of life, both the scary and the peaceful, the uncertain and the calm.  Would I, by the power of the Holy Spirit, daily walk (or ride :)) in step with my Savior, asking Him to lovingly guide me through this temporal earthly life - for His glory!

"And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail" (Isaiah 58:11).  

Humility

A passage that has been churning around in my heart the past coule of weeks is this:

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

 ⁷Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,⁸"When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, ⁹and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. ¹⁰But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. ¹¹For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

How I want to be the one who takes the lowest place and goes along for the ride.  As the ESV Study Bible (all of us at NST got one, so awesome!) notes say, it is better to be humble then humiliated, in this life and especially at the final judgement.

Now I'm asking God what it looks like to be humble while still asking Him to do great things for His glory in and through me - I would just love to be used in anyway, big or small, to see His name lifted high.  Sometimes I wish I could fast forward my life now in order to see what He's going to do. . .but God knows that I probably wouldn't, by the Holy Spirit's power, strive for an attitude of humility or faith, definitely not to the degree that would honor Him.  Yep, once again I am reminded that it is always better to wait on Him to lead and direct every aspect of my life.  So thankful that I serve a God who's completely sovereign and in control!   

A riddle. . .

What is:

- better than God

- worse than Satan

- dead men eat it

- if you eat it you'll die

any ideas? Our theology prof passed this one on. . .

:)

Colorado

Hello from Fort Collins!  I'm siting in a dorm room, on a college campus, studying (well, taking a break :)) for a final tomorrow, while waiting to head to the cafeteria for dinner in a bit.  Ah, to be a (temporary) student again!

New Staff Training has been incredible so far.  I have been here a little under 3 weeks.  Got here on a Tuesday, the rest of that week was spent in meetings and trainings.  A highlight was meeting Vonette Bright, the wife of the founder of Campus Crusade - precious.  There are 240 of us, at times I get emotional looking at everyone - knowing that the Lord has called us to work with such an awesome worldwide organization to bring Him glory.  I am so thrilled to see, in part and one day fully, the impact that the class of '09 is going to have on the Kingdom.

The past 2 weeks have been spent taking 2 graduate level seminary classes - we even get credit, yipee!  Seems well deserved for all the reading, writing, studying, and projects we've done - it has been intense but I've loved just about every moment.  The final I'm studying for is for the Intro to Christian Theology class.  The prof has taught this class twice a year for 35 years and has not lost (probably has gained!) an ounce of passion, sincerity, and sweet love for Jesus.  He came to know the Lord in college, makes learning from him even sweeter.

The other class we took is called Bible Study Methods.  It was awesome and obviously VERY applicable to my personal walk with Jesus and in ministry in general.  We learned awesome tools for studying the Word and then put them to practice in Ephesians 2:1-10.  One of my biggest take-aways is to remember to ask 2 questions when studying any passage: 1. What does this passage reveal about my brokenness and rebellion that requires the redemptive work of Christ?  2. How does this passage point me to Christ and His redemptive work?  I love that God's redemptive plan has been in place for an eternity and can be seen throughout the entire Bible!

Well, this aspect of New Staff Training will wrap up after our final tomorrow morning.  Then a big group of us are going white water rafting (excited and scared!) to celebrate.  Tomorrow evening we'll be hearing from our president's (Steve Douglass, heard from him during the first week, so great) wife - looking forward to that!  Everyone will be getting their final placements in terms of the campuses we've been assigned to serve the Lord at.  No suspense for me, I've known for a while that I'll be back at Cal - neat to be a support to those who will be excited/shocked/sad/glad about their placements.  The rest of the week will be spent in more meetings and trainings and then Friday begins an intense week of Ministry Partner Development training.  

Good thing I've been swimming here, all this sitting AND the great food would be bad news after a while!  Side note, I'm really enjoying a band called Tenth Avenue North right now - check them out.  I'm excited because they're coming to do a concert at the gigantic nation wide staff conference here at the end of the month.  Have a blessed week friends!