Longwood's Longest Slip-n-Slide!

We had our first weekend event for the semester today: Longwood's Longest Slip-n-Slide! I was kinda suprised we were able to do it, but all the right people said yes, so... We bought 3 tarps and Lindsay duct taped them together. She also got some stakes, but they were too big, so we improvised with small bungy cords (worked pretty well though; it gave the tarp a little give). We found a hill in front of one of the dorms and secured a water hose, nozzle, and water keys from Longwood's maintenance department and off we went! Here are some pictures from our event:

Wow...

So it's pretty late, but I really wanted to share this with those of you that are keeping up with me through my blog. We had our first Thursday Night Worship (TNW) tonight at 8pm. After talking with many students over the week, we had nearly 40 students (not counting 4 staff members) at TNW tonight. We had a great time of worship and our campus pastor shared with us, beginning a theme for this semester, "Love God, Love People". He shared from Mark 2:1-12 and talked about the three types of people he saw in the story. At the end, Gil shared his testimony and how he came to know and accept Christ as his Savior during his freshman year at Longwood. He also prayed and with everyone's heads bowed and eyes closed, he asked if there was anyone in the room that wanted to accept Christ. We had one student raise her hand and accept Christ. I knew by listening to Gil's reaction there was a student there who raised his/her hand and later, as some of the students were helping us unload the equipment, Gil told me who the student was. I believe she's a freshman and this was her first night at Chi Alpha's TNW. I find this so amazing: that God is definatly working on this campus and through our students and staff.

Thank you guys so much for your support and prayers. Please continue to pray for our campus and students as we continue to reach out to them this year.

Busy Week!!

Since my last update, freshmen and upperclassmen have moved in and started classes. Last Thursday, the freshmen descended upon Longwood's campus to begin their four year college journey. Chi Alpha set up a table in front of the bookstore with information for students who were interested in joining a Christian group on campus. We talked to several people that day, all girls. We also set the table up for a few hours Friday and Saturday. In those three days, we talked to about 15 people. Saturday afternoon, campus pastor, Gil, and I left with our student leaders for an overnight retreat at a camp in Amelia. The purpose of this retreat was to help our student leadership reunite with one another after the summer, catch up, and spend some time planning events and praying for the campus, students, and professors. It was an amazing retreat and we are very blessed with an awesome student leadership group. We returned to campus Sunday morning, dropped the students off, then I came back to my house long enough to unpack my car, check on my cat, check the important websites (email, Facebook, news), and eat lunch before returning to campus for the community involvement fair. This was a requirement for the freshmen and transfer students to attend as part of their New Lancer Days orientation. We set up a table with our Wii, fliers, and contact cards. We got the Wii up and running and Gil and I began playing to draw students over. During the hours we were there, we talked with a lot of students and got contact information from about 50 of them. We took that stuff down, returned to our houses for a few hours, then Gil, his wife, Lindsay, and two girls, and myself went to represent Chi Alpha at a pool party for international students. Gil and Lindsay's girls, Emma (3) and Adison (1), were pretty popular and a lot of the international girls wanted to take pictures with them.

Beginning Monday, we set up a table on campus with free, bright orange water bottles for the students. We filled them with either water or lemonade. We did this to bless our campus and the students as the last few days have been rather hot. We also wanted a chance to talk with the students, answer any questions they may have about Chi Alpha, and become known as a group that gives away something without wanting anything (you would be surprised at the number of people that will turn down a free water bottle). Over the last three days, we gave away 400 water bottles and went through more gallons of water and lemonade than I care to count. We also were able to get contact information from several of them as well. By doing this, we are able to send them e-mails about our meeting, events, and Bible studies that are starting soon.

Tomorrow night is our first main weekly meeting. When I was a student, it was called Journey, although few students referred to it as such. Most of us (myself included) referred to it as Chi Alpha, but as it was pointed out to me recently, the meeting isn't what Chi Alpha is...Chi Alpha is made up of the students and staff serving the campus and showing Christ through our actions. We decided to re-name our weekly meeting Thursday Night Worship (TNW- see photo). I am really excited to see what God is going to do through Chi Alpha and Thursday Night Worship this year. I am also really excited to see how many people come to TNW and see what Chi Alpha is all about (and then continue to come).

In addition to the outreaches on campus, we also had a Welcome Back party at my house (also known as JAM, the initials for us who live here). We didn't have very many returning students come, but those that came had a great time. Tuesday was full with the outreach on campus, a stiff meeting (a very giggly staff meeting with a very tired staff...but we got stuff done), and meetings with students. I am meeting one-on-one with a student that I began meeting with last fall. Both of us enjoyed meeting each week and discussing the book, Hope Lives. This student spent last semester studying in Argentina, so we were not able to meet. I am very excited that I am able to continue to meet with her and watch as God is working in her life. She has a heart for missions and a love for the Hispanic culture (her major is Spanish). It was nice to talk with her and hear a little about her experiences in Argentina. I also met with the student that I will be co-leading a Small Group Bible Study with every week. I am excited to work with this student, teaching her how to plan and carry out a Bible study. She is nervous, but I know she will do a great job.

Well, this blog is longer than I planned, interrupted a few times by chasing my roomates cat, Tiberius, aka Demon, away from my cat's bag of food and all around the living room, as well as the internet going out and having to retype some of this. Please pray for our student leadership, our students, and our staff. This has been a very busy week, but I know that God is going to use the seeds that have been planted this week for His glory.

INTERNET!!

Finally! We have internet connection! I felt so cut off from the outside world (aka Facebook) without it and after spending 30 minutes on the phone and being transferred 4 times, it's now up and running.

Quick update: Support raising has gone extremely well. God really blessed me with a wonderful church family that allowed me to share with them last month about how I became involved in Chi Alpha (XA) and why I decided to give a year to campus missions. I don't have my full budget raised yet, but I'm confident that God will continue to provide. Came down last Thursday and moved a bunch of stuff into the house I'm renting w/ two other girls (friends I met through Chi Alpha). Mostly stuff like sheets, other bedding, clothes, and kitchen stuff...whatever I could fit in my car. Helped campus pastors get ready for golf tournament the next day folding some pretty cool golf towels...a lot of them. Went to golf tournament Friday and helped greet and register people. Had 17 teams and made some pretty good money for XA to use throughout the semester. Also got to ride on the back of a golf cart, in the bag area...fun, but hard to hold on. Found out it's better to stand and hold on than sit. Parents brought furniture Saturday morning. I was soooooo glad to see my bed!!! Sleeping on a hardwood floor for 2 nights isn't all that fun... Got everything in and unpacked throughout this past week.

I'll be starting XA stuff seriously next week. This week has been getting settled into my house and meeting with my campus pastors to go over my duties and the schedule for the next few weeks. Beginning Thursday with freshman moving in, it's going to be BUSY, but I'm sooo excited! We have some pretty cool events planned for the students including a retreat for the student leaders, a cookout for the returning XA students, a possible water war (I'm really hoping we can pull this one off...it would be so much fun!), and Zip lining in September.

Well, I guess I better close for now...I'll defiantly try to update this more often and let you know what is going on here with XA. Please say a prayer for our students, returning and freshmen, and professors...pray that God will raise up strong student leaders so that we may reach out to all of this campus.

And here we go...

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).

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

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.