If you didn't know, my hometown is in a semi drought. We have water restrictions and the rain showers always seem to split right around our town. This has caused quite a bit of stress around my house and things get tense at times. So driving home for those two weeks, I prayed that God would let it rain just twice. That's once a week. I know God can do that! Meanwhile when I was home, I had a feeling of semi anxiousness/ helplessness because I didn't have as many appointments that I had thought I needed and felt like I wasn't doing enough to fundraise. I felt like God wasn't listening. Think again, Elizabeth! Well, not only did it rain twice while I was home, it rained four times in those two weeks. It was so great just to have rain that had it not been lightning outside, I probably would have gone and danced in the rain. God was listening to me, and answered in fine form!
Another way he had shown me he was listening to me and would provide all I needed was at the very beginning of those two weeks. A woman at my church had the great idea of having a garage sale that took place the first Saturday back in town. Friday night when I went to go help my mother set up, I was overwhelmed with the amount of donations that were given. With all the stuff that was there, I had prayed that God would provide $1000 from the garage sale including a matching donation from a church organization. Never thinking that a garage sale could actually bring in that much, I guess it didn't cross my mind "wait, God can bring in that much." It was almost as if God was like "watch this!" After the day was done and the money was counted, it actually turned out to be just a few dollars over $1000. Praise the Lord!! I was speechless, humbled, and overwhelmed!
After the two weeks, I was able to go to campus at 66% funded. I was still a little discouraged because I wouldn't have time to really fundraise while on campus for two weeks while we were doing all the welcome to campus activities and I knew I wouldn't want to leave after starting on campus. More on the beginning of school after this, but for now a large announcement: drumroll...........I am 75% funded and haven't had an appointment in the last two weeks, which means I am able to start full time on campus!!!!! It also means, more importantly that God has done everything. I came home this weekend for one appointment. After making a little more than 30 phone calls, I got one appointment . Feeling dejected Friday night I was talking to my parents, and the comment was made by my father "how are we going to get you to 75%?" Cue God again with his "watch this, you don't do anything!" Through a series of blessings the next 24 hours the funding came in! Thank. You. Lord.
Now for being on campus. I. love. these. people. That pretty much sums up my experience so far! I love my staff that I work with, the returning students who are so passionate about our ministry, and the freshman who have shared their heart with me these last two weeks.
God has been working in people, just by observing the response we have gotten from the many outreach activities we have done: handing out freshman bags, giving away free popsicles, and several other get to know you events. We had a good turn out for our first NavNite (sorry Tim if you read this, that's how everyone spells it). It was encouraging to see the number of freshman looking into our ministry.
However, numbers is not the basis of the ministry. A community of love, grace, and fellowship is what I would say is. And boy, do we have a great community!! Returners wanting to welcome new brothers and sisters to the ministry, wanting to show them what a relationship with Christ looks like, and also just the passion that they have for each other and Jesus. The openness of newcomers to sharing their lives with us. I have gotten such good time with old friends and new ones that at times I was so overjoyed and at rest with the Spirit! I wish you all could experience these people in our community!
Our staff: is great! God definitely had plans when he put us all together. We all think differently, but mesh well together. The four EDGErs had an especially great time bonding while learning a dance for an introduction video we played at the first NavNite. It was a hit! I don't have the final cut of the video with interviews beforehand, but I can show you the video that was recorded. I will apologize for the quality, there are times when you hear the amazingly cute three year old son of some of our EDGErs. The original video is by OK Go, A million ways. Here is our version (you only get the link until I figure out how to embed the video on here):
After that little gem I don't know if there is much to say to capture your attention again, but I will leave you with a piece of some fellowship time I had recently. We were discussing how nothing in this life matters without Jesus. How nothing is certain; no absolute safeplace. It sounds like a scary thought, but it was actually comforting to know that Jesus is the ultimate safeplace; the only thing that matters. No anxiety, no worry, and no care matters. In the words of The Message translation:
"It's all smoke, nothing but smoke. The Quester says that everything is smoke." Ecc. 12:8
More to come on being on campus soon!
