....I am sorry this is being communicated via blog and facebook for all ya'll and not in person these last weeks have been incredibly tiring and amazing at the same time. I have been at new staff training for two weeks and it has been such an incredible growing process for me. The community here has been so incredibly loving but this has been one of the most tiring and stretching experiences of my life. Don't get me wrong the time has been punctuated by fun things like water gun fights and hilarious dinner conversations (I may be a bit of an instigator at times), but it has been really hard too. I think I have spent more time in the library and studying the past week than I did my entire last semester at Vandy. The classes are great and stretching and I am really meeting God in a so much of the material. In one class we are doing a detailed exposition of Ephesians 2:1-10, and it has been so great and informative, I never realized quite what detail one could go into for two weeks with just one passage though. It has been amazing what God has been revealing to me through that though and just how important a careful study of his word is. In another class, we just had to do a paper/project on an attribute of God, and I did it on his providence. Providence was the one I least wanted to do because in some ways I struggle with it, so I figured it was I probably should do. It was just so incredible how God showed up and met me in that and just the peace I had from seeing all the different ways God was working to achieve and sustain his glory in the universe, and seeing his loving provision. I am currently in my second week of classes right now, with the first week we were here before class was spent casting vision for the ministry. It was so cool to see how God is using all the various facets of this ministry to further his kingdom. I just learned so much and grew so much, hearing all these incredible stories of how people were trusting God and how He showed up in just incredible ways. Being here has really confirmed my passion and call to ministry to college students.
One cool thing is this idea of 100% sent that we were trained in. Making sure all students left college feeling equipped to further God's Kingdom in whatever their chosen field is, not just if they are going into a "ministry position". It made me think of all ya'll, though I know some are going into ministry jobs, most of you aren't. But I know that God is going to use all of you in incredible ways to further his kingdom. I have such amazing friends who God has gifted and given visions to for some really cool ways to serve. I sat there in the auditorium thinking of all the ways you were using your gifts to serve God in such incredible ways, and I was so proud of all my friends. I just wanted to let you know how thankful I am to have been surrounded by you these past years, and I am so excited to hear about all God is doing in your life, and the amazing adventures he is taking ya'll on. (and if you all are curious about that ministry idea there is a website called allcallings.com that you might want to check out for resources on cultivating a kingdom vision in the field God has called you to...)
So anyway, on to the part you actually wanted to hear about, where I was placed. So as many of you know, I felt this entire past semester God was placing one campus on my heart. So I get to my placement meeting and they tell me that while that was originally where they thought I was going was that campus. However over the last winter they had just placed a couple there and weren't really sure about the team dynamics, but it was still a very definite option, but there were a few other campuses they wanted me to pray about. The campus that had been coming up as they were praying was not one that was super high on the priority list, but it had a need that they felt I could specifically fulfill. It was the University of Kentucky. While it was not on my radar, so I was a little thrown I was very open to praying about it. The vision they cast for me there was that I would be doing primarily Greek ministry, and there was a Delta Gamma chapter there too. Additionally the campus would allow me a bit more freedom in terms of creativity and initiative in ministry compared to some others, which is something I really would enjoy.
So I came back from the meeting, still a little thrown but as I sat down to pray about it a peace just came over me and I started to get excited about it. So I let the placement people know I was open to it if that was where they felt God was calling me. I just got to a point where I really just wanted to do God's will, and left it open saying to God if UK is where you call me I will go. I just wanted to be where he wanted me, where ever it was I just wanted to be sent and to glorify him. So when I got the placement email, I was not too surprised when it read the University of Kentucky. However, I know none of the staff there (slash no one really in lexington), so I was kind of like ok now what? However, Adam Strouth is down here taking classes (He and Haley graduated from UK), and he knew a couple down here also taking classes who were on staff there. So I got to do dinner with them tonight, and they are really sweet. Then I got to talk about an hour with the campus director, and she is so nice and I got really excited after talking with her. The campus is actually about 30% Greek and there is currently very little outreach into the Greek world. So I would in some ways be pioneering that ministry, which I am so excited about.
So what will the next few months look like? Well I am down here around 3 more weeks for training, and then I begin ministry partner development, which is the support raising process. I will be doing that the next couple months until I reach my monthly support goal, and then I can go on campus. So just be praying for me because I am so excited and scared at the same time to start this. Pray that God will raise up a support team for me to partner with me in reaching students at Kentucky, and also to give me a vision for the campus. Please let me know if ya'll have any questions about this I would love to answer them....
And though some of you may hate me for this, I have to say it.....GO WILDCATS!
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