Here is a Valentine's Day post from a girl I meet with regularly. I thought you would be encouraged to see it. 

"Ok, so guess I'll go along with the facebook trend and make a status about my 'valentine' and post a picture of the awesome gift I got..

So, last year I gave my heart to the greatest Man ever and He has been changing my life for the better ever since, every second of every day! I love you, Jesus! 

And here is a picture of the amazing gift He gave me! :)"

Burn the Process

Years ago when I first arrived at UK, my friend, director, and trainer with cru told me "you will never arrive. Process is a part of life and you will never arrive at a  point of perfection or completion until you are with Jesus." Still very green in my adult life and ministry I looked at her in disbelief thinking, "You mean I will never get past this sin, or 5 years from now I still will be worried or feel like I don't know what I am doing?"

Now 5 years later I can agree. There are still many moments in my job where a student tells me something or asks a question and I frantically search my brain for an appropriate response while remaining on the outside still somewhat calm, cool, and collected. Fear, doubt, worry, time or money management are still often a struggle. While it is evident that growth has occurred, the process is not over.

Sometimes this is maddening. I want to shake my fist at the process of growing up, at learning life, and becoming who God has called me to be. And then I realize that all of life points to process. I was not born a grown up. My mother might have wished that I popped from the womb ready to take care of myself, but it didn't happen. And the Bible speaks of process. If I was perfect and had it all together on my own then I would not have need. That is what many of us hope and pray for isn't it? To be in a place where we have no needs and can quickly overcome every obstacle on our own. That desire is like looking God in the face and telling Him "I don't need you." "You are not necessary, and Jesus? He was an unfortunate casualty." Wow,
what pride fills my heart.

The gospel recognizes my need and imperfection. It is God looking at our brokenness and moving towards it to heal it and restore us to the relationship with Him and others that He created us to have. The gospel is I am more flawed and broken then I can ever imagine, but I am more loved then I can ever dare hope.

Although I know this, I still have to repeat it to myself. "Reality is my friend. Embrace the process." It has become a new mantra. Inevitably, some event or surprise pops up in my life and immediately I am back at it again. Dad is sick, when is he going to get better? What will the outcome be of his health and all the needs that my family has. I have a new friend, what is going to happen with them? Friends move on. Will they still be my friend in 5 years? or will they move on without me as others have? God is providing the funds I need to be on campus. Great! I still have more. When will I be done? Who will it all come from? What will the rest of the semester look like? I enjoy my job, should I stay in this role or choose another? What will the outcome be if I stay? What will the outcome be if I move? The questions never end.

I am so caught up in arriving at the end of the process that I miss the journey. The delightful moments where God blesses me with a sweet conversation with my Dad or a note from a friend are lost in my scurry to prevent myself from loss or uncomfortable situations. I have a great time in God's word and He reveals how I have grown and then some flaw surfaces and I immediately scramble to fix it myself. No wonder I often struggle with contentment and joy.

Once again a previous lesson returns only in a different light. Not only do I have to embrace the process, but God is teaching me to lean into the moments involved in it. Many of them are good. Many teach me about God's character or myself. As I look at the obstacles or unknowns in the face I can release them to God believing that He is at work. Someone in my church Bible study said recently in regards to a stressful UK basketball game, "it doesn't matter who is ahead now, all that matters is who has the most points at the end of the game." Scripture says that in Jesus death, brokenness, and separation have come to an end. In the end all people will know Jesus is God and there will be a multitude of nations worshiping the Lord together. So to rephrase my friend from church, all that matters is who has the most points at the end of the game and I know that God wins. The process is what makes the outcome even better.

"But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

54Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die,^j this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.^k

55O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?^l”

56For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless."

                                                                                           ~ 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Get to know the leaders of Cru

I love working with people who are committed to experience life change personally and in the lives of others. Only Jesus provides hope and ability to change. Check out the first installment of a new video blog from Mark Gauthier- the Executive Director of the Campus Ministry. Check out his Facebook page for future videos!
Here is the link to his first blog. Enjoy!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rd4ptGmoGc

Humbled

Two and a half years ago I joined 4,000 students and staff of the University of Kentucky in a large field to go out and serve the needs of the community in Lexington. That day I helped lead a group of 17 or so students that randomly chose to sign up and come to a nursing home with my co-leader and I.

Although the people in my group were random to me, they were not random to the Lord. Through this event he led me to meet a bright-eyed freshmen named Jen. A new tri-delt pledge and pre-nursing major Jen was excited about the beginning of her college career. I shared with my group how I worked for a campus ministry that loves to talk with students about how they can know God and share with others about Him. After the project was over and students were beginning to leave I ran up to Jen and asked if she would be interested in meeting for coffee and hearing more about Cru. She passed me her phone number and we set up to meet later in the week.

A couple days later my co-worker and friend Laura joined me as I got back together with Jen. We learned about her life and past and were able to share with her about the Love of Christ. Later Laura and I were to learn that Jen realized then that although she had been raised in a religious family, she had never made a personal decision to accept the gift God was offering her, Christ's death, the payment for her sin and brokenness and eternal relationship with God in exchange for committing her life to following and loving him.

Now years later I have seen grow to a women who is deeply in love with Christ and eager to share about Him with others. She joined me in Senegal for 6 weeks talking to college students from another world about Jesus. This year she is leading her own Bible study and mentoring young women as well as caring for international students on our campus and active church involvement. And last Sunday I was able to join 20 friends from Cru as we celebrated her baptism, a public declaration to her church and friends that she is a follower of Christ.

As I sat and listened to the pastor share her story I was humbled. How did I come to a place where God has chosen me to be one of the many people who had the privilege of pointing Jen to Jesus. And I was thankful. Thankful to each of you who are committed to giving and to praying for me so that this young women's life and others can be transformed.

ProVISION for the Nations

Provision comes in many ways. For some it is in starting a new job, for others it could be a friend calling at just the right time. The holidays brought opportunities for God's individual attention and provision for my personal needs. In the midst of financial crisis, interpersonal conflict, unsettling news about our health or the health of someone we love it is easy to lose sight of the greatest provision of all. God's provision to heal the brokenness in our lives called sin and to reunite us in our relationship with Him through Christ's death on the cross. 

If you live in America this may feel like old news. But what about the millions of people in the world who have never heard. During the week between Christmas and New Years I had an opportunity to be part of a conference called Vision. Located outside Washington D.C., it was created to bring in the nations who are currently living and studying on American soil. This year 1300 international students from 60 countries traveled from across the US to learn about Jesus, the Bible, and to see our nations capital. 

University of Kentucky, where I spend most of my time, has a large international student ministry. In the past we have had difficulty bringing students. This year 41 students from UK, Transylvania University and Campbellsville University hopped on a charter bus and joined us for the week. Twenty-two of these students were from countries in the middle-east where Christianity is non-existent and persecution of believers is high. 

Students were divided up by religious and geographic boundaries to be in discussion groups. I had the privilege of walking through the week with our sisters from the middle-east. It was such an awesome time of learning from each other and introducing them to the concept of a loving God who came to rescue them from the sin and death they deserve if we will surrender our lives to him. The week was spent in large group and small group meetings, meals with everyone in our hotel, praise and worship, coffee house time and games, sight seeing in D.C., wrapping up with a talent show and new Years eve party. 

God provided finances, transportation, and even a wonderful volunteer who spoke Arabic who could share with our friends about Jesus in their own language. 

Since returning from the Vision conference in Washington, 2 of the E. Asian students have made decisions for follow Jesus. When asking them about it, they shared that it made a huge difference to see people from their culture who love and follow Jesus. They weren't just an outsider choosing Jesus. Jesus included them all along. 

On the final night of the conference I was blown away by participating in a choir of people singing of how great God is. When most of them would ordinarily not be able to hear of Jesus much less worship him in their country. They knew the sacrifices that might be required of them but they came to learn and worship anyway. 

During the bus ride home a Nigerian student from our group stood up on the front of the bus. He shared over the microphone a summary of how the conference talked about knowing God personally and being with him eternally, and explained and sang a Nigerian song about what would it profit a man to gain the whole world if he lost his soul."

Please pray for each of these precious students. Pray that they will come to walk closely with Jesus and to be bold with their family and friends. Pray for their safety from those who would desire they not know the love of Jesus and walk with him. Pray recognizing that one day you could be sharing the floor with them as we bow and worship before Christ. For God's provision is for eternity. 

UK Student leaders and some of our international friends. The young man in the middle of the photo is now our brother in Christ!

 Ice skating with my new friend. She expressed that in her country women are not allowed to figure skate. She was so excited about being able to go that we payed a crazy prize just to celebrate and enjoy this experience together.

In the evenings all 1300 people gathered together to worship God and to learn about Him together. It was beautiful.

The hotel and catering staff provided meals for 1300 people in the hotel every evening. There were people and tables everywhere. I was able to enjoy Mediteranian food of hummus, pita, rice and lamb or kabobs with my friends at dinner. It was delicious!