The semester has now come to an end, but my life feels like it is moving at an insane speed. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing year. I learned so much, and was stretched an equal amount (that sounds so cliche doesn't it?) If you receive my prayer letters, you know that God has been moving on our campus, lives of near 20 students have been changed for all eternity, and I have made relationships with people that I will never forget. This year had so many accomplishments, as well as failures. Our team suffered severe grief and loss, but because of Christ, we had joy and peace to cling to. We closed out this semester by saying goodbye to the Peltons, who will be leaving NMSU's staff, and hello to the Robinsons, who will be joining. It has just been a year of transitioning. I have also transitioned from a girlfriend to a fiance, which is pretty stinkin cool! :)
So what's next on my agenda? Well, besides planning a wedding, I am preparing for my final Summer Project with Cru, in Kake, Alaska. More to come on that though. :)
Stories from my life as a missionary
Friday, June 8, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Missional Communities
This semester our main focus for our students as well as the interns is on missional communities, meaning, finding a group of people on campus that we are somewhat involved in or interested in them, and then intentionally hang out with them. If you are wondering what the purpose of this is, well than I will tell you. At NMSU there are 19,000 students, roughly, and about 400 of those are Christians that are involved in some type of fellowship (church or college ministry). Each year each college ministry (RUF, AFC, Cru, BSU, etc...all of them) fight over those 400 people...which is only 2% of our college population. We really want to reach out, get to know, and do life with that 98%. So by immersing ourselves in the community that is already going on around us, gaining their trust and then being intentional with them by starting up a Bible Study or a weekly forum to talk about spiritual things, we will reach that 98%.
It is a little unprecedented, and a little unscripted since we haven't really done this before, but we are excited and fully faithful that this is where God is calling us. So we have students who are going to be missional in the: drama and theatre department, graphic design department, fraternity and sorority, the Stonewall Coalition (Queer and Straight Alliance), international students, and the CA/RA departments in the dorms. We are giving the missional community leaders a little bit of spending money each month that they can use to spend time with people within their community, to plan a get together, etc... We are so excited to see how God is going to move! Could you please keep our students in your prayers?
It is a little unprecedented, and a little unscripted since we haven't really done this before, but we are excited and fully faithful that this is where God is calling us. So we have students who are going to be missional in the: drama and theatre department, graphic design department, fraternity and sorority, the Stonewall Coalition (Queer and Straight Alliance), international students, and the CA/RA departments in the dorms. We are giving the missional community leaders a little bit of spending money each month that they can use to spend time with people within their community, to plan a get together, etc... We are so excited to see how God is going to move! Could you please keep our students in your prayers?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
DCC 2011-Going "All In"
From December 27-January 5th I was up in Denver, Colorado with 40 students from NMSU, and about 1500 students from other Universities! We all had one mission, to see God move in our hearts and help prepare us to "go all in" for the plans He has for us. Our students were encouraged, challenged and absolutely flourished during this time. Each day there were a myriad of speakers covering different topics, preparing our students for the following semester. There definitely were some highlights of the Denver Christmas Conference as well...and those were Outreaches.
Our students had a chance to spark up Spiritual conversations with their friends, family or acquaintances over social media (facebook). They also had the opportunity to go out on the 16th street mall and serve/minister/bless the large homeless population. Finally, on New Years Eve, 1500 students went out into the 16th and "Tebowed" ( a reference to a position Tim Tebow, the quarterback for the Denver Broncos, makes after a touchdown) for 7 whole minutes. As you can imagine, this caused a lot of attention from everyone around them. The students, after rising and walking around like normal, were able to start spiritual conversations with random strangers about Tebow's faith in God and by asking them how they felt about it. At the end of the night, it was reported that 15 people came to Christ. How awesome is God!?! The students then spent the next few hours singing in the New Year by worshipping the Lord.
Now that we are back at school, you can see the effects that the conference had on the students and just how much God is working in their lives. Please continue to pray for our students' grow and maturity in their faith, and pray for the students who came who are not yet believers in Christ...that He would continue to draw them closer to Him.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Just Plain Sick
My apologies for not posting sooner, but I have been sick. I have tried to stay at work for as long as I could, and just tough it out, but I woke up last Wednesday down for the count. I have been sick now for 10 days! I started back to work three days ago, still sniffling and coughing...but my personality will not let me just rest for that long without going crazy. Anyways, enough about me.
Here is what is going on with our students and our ministry. Honestly, there have been ups and downs. I'm not going to use this blog to paint a picture that is all rosy, because it's not. We are in ministry, which means we are dealing with people, and people are messy, sinful and flawed (including myself).
So first with the lows. It is very near the end of the semester, which means students start to "coast". They coast on everything else in life because they are tired, because it is almost Thanksgiving break and then Christmas break and the end of the semester. All that is left to do is finals and then they are done. So why is this frustrating? Because they kind of give up spiritually, or maybe it just drops much lower on their priority totem pole. Our student leaders just aren't pursuing new students at Cru or even non-believers like they were before. Also, last week it seemed like we had hit a wall, when NONE, not one student signed up to do that weekends service project. That was devastating to me! But, God is good... :)
Now for the Highs! This week, we started promoting a service project that will take place the first weekend of December. We only needed three guys and six signed up. Praise the Lord! Our students have become very good at community. We have a constant 50 or more students coming every week to Revolve, and the great thing is, it's not the same 50 every week. The students that attend vary, which is refreshing because the last thing we want is a Christian clique. It is also huge to see new students coming. That means Jesus is ministering to more people than the week before. Also, this last week, Nations (the Native American group within Cru) saw two more of their students come to the Lord. That is a total of five students just within Nations that have given their lives to Christ. We have had Mayra and Dillon accept Jesus as well, so that is seven! We are very excited and expectant to see what God has in store for Dillon's roommate who has been attending Cru and other outside activities.
All in all, it has been a great semester. God has done more than we could have ever imagined, and now there is so much more I want to pursue and see happen in the Spring! Thank you all so much for reading this, for praying for us, and for your support! God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!
Here is what is going on with our students and our ministry. Honestly, there have been ups and downs. I'm not going to use this blog to paint a picture that is all rosy, because it's not. We are in ministry, which means we are dealing with people, and people are messy, sinful and flawed (including myself).
So first with the lows. It is very near the end of the semester, which means students start to "coast". They coast on everything else in life because they are tired, because it is almost Thanksgiving break and then Christmas break and the end of the semester. All that is left to do is finals and then they are done. So why is this frustrating? Because they kind of give up spiritually, or maybe it just drops much lower on their priority totem pole. Our student leaders just aren't pursuing new students at Cru or even non-believers like they were before. Also, last week it seemed like we had hit a wall, when NONE, not one student signed up to do that weekends service project. That was devastating to me! But, God is good... :)
Now for the Highs! This week, we started promoting a service project that will take place the first weekend of December. We only needed three guys and six signed up. Praise the Lord! Our students have become very good at community. We have a constant 50 or more students coming every week to Revolve, and the great thing is, it's not the same 50 every week. The students that attend vary, which is refreshing because the last thing we want is a Christian clique. It is also huge to see new students coming. That means Jesus is ministering to more people than the week before. Also, this last week, Nations (the Native American group within Cru) saw two more of their students come to the Lord. That is a total of five students just within Nations that have given their lives to Christ. We have had Mayra and Dillon accept Jesus as well, so that is seven! We are very excited and expectant to see what God has in store for Dillon's roommate who has been attending Cru and other outside activities.
All in all, it has been a great semester. God has done more than we could have ever imagined, and now there is so much more I want to pursue and see happen in the Spring! Thank you all so much for reading this, for praying for us, and for your support! God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Goodbye Jude
If any of you have been following Mandy Pelton's blog about their son, Jude's, fight for life, you would know that he passed away. Jude met Jesus on October 22nd. It has been a tear-jerking journey, but now as we morn and grieve with the Peltons as they miss their baby boy, we rejoice that all this are made new. We know that Jude is no longer suffering, and that his body has been redeemed. There is no more precious a thought but to think of Jude with a perfectly healthy body, able to move freely, to cry and to laugh. I know we all look forward to the day where we can see Jude in heaven.
God has been holding Mandy, Brandon and their 5 year old son Caleb, close to his heart and He has been encouraging them every step of the way. It is bittersweet to have the Peltons back to Las Cruces, because although I am overjoyed to have them physically here, to work along side and do community together; it is at the same time heartbreaking to know they are here and not in Albuquerque because Jude is gone. God is a God of wisdom, love and justice. He did not allow Jude's life to be as it was by accident; but He orchestrated it, and planned out how to use it for his glory and blessings to his children. So many people's lives have been touched and even changed by Jude's story, and we are all excited to see what God will bring from all of this.
Please continue to pray for Mandy, Brandon and Caleb Pelton, and follow along their blog for updates!
God has been holding Mandy, Brandon and their 5 year old son Caleb, close to his heart and He has been encouraging them every step of the way. It is bittersweet to have the Peltons back to Las Cruces, because although I am overjoyed to have them physically here, to work along side and do community together; it is at the same time heartbreaking to know they are here and not in Albuquerque because Jude is gone. God is a God of wisdom, love and justice. He did not allow Jude's life to be as it was by accident; but He orchestrated it, and planned out how to use it for his glory and blessings to his children. So many people's lives have been touched and even changed by Jude's story, and we are all excited to see what God will bring from all of this.
Please continue to pray for Mandy, Brandon and Caleb Pelton, and follow along their blog for updates!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Worship Through Service
I am very excited to announce that October has kicked off the Service aspect of Cru. All of the staff members, including myself, have a huge place in our heart for bringing the Kingdom of God to others by preaching the Gospel, living the Gospel out in our everyday life, and service. As an organization, we have done a decent job of the first two, but have been lacking in the latter. It just so turns out that the latter is something I am passionate about, and so I was given the responsibility to set us in to motion.
Our vision is to find ways and places that the students involved in Cru can physically serve NMSU and also the entire Las Cruces community. We are searching out local ministries, such as The Gospel Rescue Mission, El Calldido Soup Kitchen, Los Pelligrinos Orphanage, La Casa Battered Women's Shelter, etc...for ways we can partner with them in the good job they are already doing. We also are asking churches to give us projects that they may need help in, or introducing us to people in their congregation who need help so that we can provide aid in any way. Our heart is to not just write checks or donate money, but to get our hands dirty. So far we have found a few needs, and have had a blast!
*Just to give an idea of what has been done so far:
*We have had students help two couples from different churches move into new homes.
*Cru bought pairs of shoes for the Soles 4 Souls shoe drive, which buys pairs of shoes for local elementary students whose parents can't afford to buy them new ones.
*Students helped out a local church's Harvest Festival
*A huge number of students came together to prepare and set up things for Jude Matthew Pelton's service
*We baked 20 dozen chocolate chip cookies for Kairos Prison Ministry
This is just the beginning. My greatest desire is that this would not be something that the students do every once in a while, when asked, but that they would develop a heart of service. Serving is something that should come naturally to us when we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and it is something that we should do out of obedience, because it was asked of all of us. Serving, just like sharing the Gospel, is something that God commanded of us (like the Great Commission). I am hoping and praying that the Spirit transforms all of our hearts, and that we would become so sensitive to the need around us. That we would not hesitate to help, give, love, forgive and serve any and everyone around us if needed.
Matthew 25:35-40: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
Our vision is to find ways and places that the students involved in Cru can physically serve NMSU and also the entire Las Cruces community. We are searching out local ministries, such as The Gospel Rescue Mission, El Calldido Soup Kitchen, Los Pelligrinos Orphanage, La Casa Battered Women's Shelter, etc...for ways we can partner with them in the good job they are already doing. We also are asking churches to give us projects that they may need help in, or introducing us to people in their congregation who need help so that we can provide aid in any way. Our heart is to not just write checks or donate money, but to get our hands dirty. So far we have found a few needs, and have had a blast!
*Just to give an idea of what has been done so far:
*We have had students help two couples from different churches move into new homes.
*Cru bought pairs of shoes for the Soles 4 Souls shoe drive, which buys pairs of shoes for local elementary students whose parents can't afford to buy them new ones.
*Students helped out a local church's Harvest Festival
*A huge number of students came together to prepare and set up things for Jude Matthew Pelton's service
*We baked 20 dozen chocolate chip cookies for Kairos Prison Ministry
This is just the beginning. My greatest desire is that this would not be something that the students do every once in a while, when asked, but that they would develop a heart of service. Serving is something that should come naturally to us when we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and it is something that we should do out of obedience, because it was asked of all of us. Serving, just like sharing the Gospel, is something that God commanded of us (like the Great Commission). I am hoping and praying that the Spirit transforms all of our hearts, and that we would become so sensitive to the need around us. That we would not hesitate to help, give, love, forgive and serve any and everyone around us if needed.
Matthew 25:35-40: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
Saturday, October 15, 2011
The "New" Birthday
If you have been following my blog, or have read my newsletter, you will be familiar with my friend, Mayra. I have some amazing news to share!
For her birthday, we (20 students and myself) took Mayra to White Sands National Monument-it was her first time there!
God's hands were all over the that day. We grilled burgers, played games, ate cake, and just had a wonderful time. At the end of our day, Mayra asked everyone to come over into a group. It was there that she shared with everyone how great Cru has been, and how she had never experienced such a loving community as she had with us. Then she said that she wanted to make this decision with everyone there, and she prayed to accept Jesus. We circled around her, laid hands on her and each one of us prayed for her, her relationship with the Lord, and her journey as she walks with HIM.
It was the most amazing thing I have been apart of since being overseas. God just keeps overwhelming me with his Faithfulness, Provisions, and Sense of Humor. So Mayra's eternal birthday now falls on her earthy birthday. :)
For her birthday, we (20 students and myself) took Mayra to White Sands National Monument-it was her first time there!
God's hands were all over the that day. We grilled burgers, played games, ate cake, and just had a wonderful time. At the end of our day, Mayra asked everyone to come over into a group. It was there that she shared with everyone how great Cru has been, and how she had never experienced such a loving community as she had with us. Then she said that she wanted to make this decision with everyone there, and she prayed to accept Jesus. We circled around her, laid hands on her and each one of us prayed for her, her relationship with the Lord, and her journey as she walks with HIM.
It was the most amazing thing I have been apart of since being overseas. God just keeps overwhelming me with his Faithfulness, Provisions, and Sense of Humor. So Mayra's eternal birthday now falls on her earthy birthday. :)
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