So it's definatly been a long time since the last time I posted and a lot has happened. Graduated college...check, 5/9/09...hot, sweaty, and, well, rather miserable for me (try sitting in direct sunlight with a black cap and gown...). Moved back home and returned to work at the daycare. Attended Reach the University Institute, a conference to prepare future Chi Alpha interns and missionary associates. I had a lot of fun there, being surrounded by other people mostly my age and having the same goal: to reach university students for Christ. We were given a lot of great resources and ideas to take back to the college campuses with us...ideas I can't wait to try. We also learned about confusing things like ministerial taxes and support raising. After returning home from RUI, I met with my campus pastors and discusses support raising (I missed that part of RUI because I didn't realize it was seperate from the new missionary track). Last week, I sent out two types of letters, pre-call letters to people I will be calling and asking for an appointment and ask letters, people that, unfortunally, live too far away for me to visit and talk to face to face.
This week, on vacation with my family. It's been a good one...stayed in a cabin on the Shenandoah River and did a lot of canoing and fishing. Went shopping in Harrisonburg today and heading home tomorrow.
Next week will be calling those I sent pre-call letters to and asking to meet with them face-to-face to explain to them what I'll be doing with Chi Alpha next year and asking them to partner with me, both in prayer and financially. It seems pretty daunting at times, asking people for financial support and hoping they will be willing to help, not only me, but help college students learn the love of Christ. In a country-style store today, I found a decorative board that says "God does not give us what we can handle. He helps us handle what we are given." I bought it and plan to hang it in my room to remind me that God will always help me (thank you, Jesus).
Aside from all that, I'm really, really, really excited about going back to my alma matter and sharing with the students the love of Christ. I'll also be able to work with students who were there when I was (not that I've been gone or anything :)).
Well, guess I better wrap this post up. Updates on how the support raising is going coming soon (I hope).
Friday, July 10, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Simple Thoughts??
I was going to write about this yesterday, but my orginial blog ended up being longer than I intended, so I decided to wait until later. Why name my blog Simple Thoughts?
Well, I was trying to decide what to call my blog and a verse of scripture kept running through my head. Isaiah 55:8 says "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anthying you could imagine"(New Living Translation; emphasis mine). So the reason for me keeping this blog is to write about what God is teaching and my thoughts over the next year (or possibly more). And my thoughts, when compared with God's thoughts, are quite simple and finite. I'm so glad I serve a God whose thoughts are nothing like mine and who's ways are far beyond anything my finite human mind can imagnie (and I tend to have a rather active imagniation at times). And His thoughts and ways are always far better than mine could ever be, no matter what my finite mind may think at the time.
Thank you, Jesus
Well, I was trying to decide what to call my blog and a verse of scripture kept running through my head. Isaiah 55:8 says "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anthying you could imagine"(New Living Translation; emphasis mine). So the reason for me keeping this blog is to write about what God is teaching and my thoughts over the next year (or possibly more). And my thoughts, when compared with God's thoughts, are quite simple and finite. I'm so glad I serve a God whose thoughts are nothing like mine and who's ways are far beyond anything my finite human mind can imagnie (and I tend to have a rather active imagniation at times). And His thoughts and ways are always far better than mine could ever be, no matter what my finite mind may think at the time.
Thank you, Jesus
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Why?
Why set up a blog?
Well, I'm getting ready to graduate from Longwood University and although I will be returning to Farmville, a lot of my friends who are graduating will not. Also, because I will still be in Farmville, this will be an easy way for people at home to keep up with what I'll be doing next year. Also, because I will be in a non-traditional job, I want to keep this blog more for myself than anyone else. This non-traditional job will be a great learning experience for me and I want to remember the things God is going to teach me though it.
Said non-traditional job is titled "Campus Missionary Associate." I will be serving alongside my campus pastors for Chi Alpha Campus Missions to reach out to the students of Longwood University, to show them the love of Christ and to help them develop a deeper relationship with Him. This organization helped me so much during my 4 years at Longwood and this is the best opportunity for me to give a year back to them.
God has been teaching me a lot over the last year. I remember last summer, while I was working at a daycare, wanting to work there so bad after I graduated, but there were no benefits (insurance, etc.) available. I remember laying in bed one night just praying that God would show me what He wanted me to do. I also remember getting this response from Him "I have you right where I want you." Thinking about it then, I took it to mean that I was supposed to work at that daycare after I graduated. But now, looking back, I realize that God meant I was right where He needed me to be to grow me and mold me for His wonderful purposes.
Over the next few months, I began to realize that maybe I wasn't supposed to teach immediately after graduation. I talked with a very trusted and wise friend and she encouraged me to pray about it and instead of asking God "What should I do?", ask "What do you want me to do?" I prayed this many, many times, sometimes wondering if I was ever going to get a response from Him. Then one night, after falling asleep in prayer, I awoke to a voice saying "Missions." I knew this was an answer from God about my future, but this still required a lot of prayer. Where do You want me to go? Who do You want me to serve with? While I was still praying about this, an opportunity was mentioned to me: Staying at Longwood for an extra year and helping my campus pastors with Chi Alpha. Since Chi Alpha has been such a huge part of my life since coming to Longwood, I eagerly began to pray about and research this opportunity. After much prayer and talking with my parents, I felt this is what I was supposed to do for the next year of my life. Of course, I had (and at times still have) some reservations and concerns for this job. There are times (and I'm sure will be times over the next year) that I wonder "What have I gotten myself into?" and "How am I going to get all this stuff done?" But I also know that God is awesome and He will supply all the needs I have. He won't leave me wanting for any needs and He has taken care of me thus far.
So, since this is a bit longer than I originally planned, I'm going to leave it at that. To all of those that have helped me in anyway over the last 4 years, thank you so much. I couldn't have made it through college without ya'll.
Well, I'm getting ready to graduate from Longwood University and although I will be returning to Farmville, a lot of my friends who are graduating will not. Also, because I will still be in Farmville, this will be an easy way for people at home to keep up with what I'll be doing next year. Also, because I will be in a non-traditional job, I want to keep this blog more for myself than anyone else. This non-traditional job will be a great learning experience for me and I want to remember the things God is going to teach me though it.
Said non-traditional job is titled "Campus Missionary Associate." I will be serving alongside my campus pastors for Chi Alpha Campus Missions to reach out to the students of Longwood University, to show them the love of Christ and to help them develop a deeper relationship with Him. This organization helped me so much during my 4 years at Longwood and this is the best opportunity for me to give a year back to them.
God has been teaching me a lot over the last year. I remember last summer, while I was working at a daycare, wanting to work there so bad after I graduated, but there were no benefits (insurance, etc.) available. I remember laying in bed one night just praying that God would show me what He wanted me to do. I also remember getting this response from Him "I have you right where I want you." Thinking about it then, I took it to mean that I was supposed to work at that daycare after I graduated. But now, looking back, I realize that God meant I was right where He needed me to be to grow me and mold me for His wonderful purposes.
Over the next few months, I began to realize that maybe I wasn't supposed to teach immediately after graduation. I talked with a very trusted and wise friend and she encouraged me to pray about it and instead of asking God "What should I do?", ask "What do you want me to do?" I prayed this many, many times, sometimes wondering if I was ever going to get a response from Him. Then one night, after falling asleep in prayer, I awoke to a voice saying "Missions." I knew this was an answer from God about my future, but this still required a lot of prayer. Where do You want me to go? Who do You want me to serve with? While I was still praying about this, an opportunity was mentioned to me: Staying at Longwood for an extra year and helping my campus pastors with Chi Alpha. Since Chi Alpha has been such a huge part of my life since coming to Longwood, I eagerly began to pray about and research this opportunity. After much prayer and talking with my parents, I felt this is what I was supposed to do for the next year of my life. Of course, I had (and at times still have) some reservations and concerns for this job. There are times (and I'm sure will be times over the next year) that I wonder "What have I gotten myself into?" and "How am I going to get all this stuff done?" But I also know that God is awesome and He will supply all the needs I have. He won't leave me wanting for any needs and He has taken care of me thus far.
So, since this is a bit longer than I originally planned, I'm going to leave it at that. To all of those that have helped me in anyway over the last 4 years, thank you so much. I couldn't have made it through college without ya'll.
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