Sojourner

Expectancy, a word that I can define, but know very little about. This afternoon I lead my team in prayer for our campus. During that time we prayed through scripture, and 5 areas that we have felt God lay on our hearts to emphasise in the ministry. The value that stood out the most is "Expectancy", and our definition is attitudes and actions that reflect God bringing about results. The passage to pray through was Matthew 9:35-38 where Jesus paints a mental picture of those who are ready to receive Him being a field ripe for the harvest. It, and consequently "they", is ready to be picked and is waiting for someone to come and gather it.
As we prayed I realized that my actions often appear as though I am expecting God to bring about results, but my attitude does not. My heart reflects that I am walking through a field in drought. I think people will not be open to hearing about Christ, or that because they don't know this "harvester" they won't respond.
After prayer, my teammate, Laura, and I headed to Blanding tower to call girls who had expressed interest in Bible study during an outreach earlier in the semester. After setting coffee dates with about 6 of them for later this week we headed to North campus in order to spend some time sharing the gospel together. Since we work on opposite sides of campus we often have students come with us, or go alone. We prayed as we went, asking the Lord to go before us and provide people to talk to.
It was a beautiful day and we found 2 girls sitting at a table outside Jewell Hall enjoying the weather. We asked them to participate in an image survey where we learn what students at UK are experiencing as they connect their thoughts about life and spirititual things to images. Both of them agreed and we spent the next hour getting to know them. It turns out that although we had never met in person until today, I had prayed for one of the girls a few weeks ago when I went to her room to meet her roommate. I had been facinated by her name then and hoped that at some point we would have a chance to meet. Emily chose a picture of someone in darkness holding a lantern and said that she wished she had some light to illuminate her spiritual path. Alexis chose photos of paths wishing that she new the destination of her path and had people to support her along the way. I was able to share the gospel with the two of them through photos of my own spiritual experience. God was moving and Emily shared through tears about her past and her desire to make a decision to follow God. Neither of them prayed with us, but Laura and I prayed for them. They are probably coming to Bible study tonight and we set an appointment at Starbucks for later in the week.
I walked away amazed by our conversation. Emily and Alexis are part of the harvest. They are ready and needed to have someone come gather them in. As we parted they expressed several times how they usually push thoughts of spiritual things and uncertainty asside and they were really glad that we chose to stop and talk with them. Please pray that God continues to work in their hearts. Pray that they make a decision to follow Christ and that they come to Bible study and to meet with me Thursday at 5:30. Thank you for harvesting the fields with me as we labor and pray.

Blessings,

Abigail

"And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 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; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." Matthew 9:35-38