Alive and well

Good news, I'm alive and well. Yet again I've let myself become MIA, but I am doing well. A BUSY Thanksgiving left little time to reflect and I'm coming back to a jam packed week. I hope to sit down soon and write! In the meantime...here is what I've been up to.

--Saw The Blindside, loved it. The best parts are in the preview, but its still worth seeting.

--Went to a Hawks and a Thrashers game while in Atlanta. I helped work the Thrashers game, but it was still worth it. Hawks lost, Thrashers won.

--Nearly cried when the Steelers lost their third straight. The highlight for me was that we hung with Baltimore, a team we are better than, even with our third string QB. Just wait until they play in Pittsburgh.

--Eaten way too much of everything. Thanksgiving is brutal.

--Saw the Rockettes in Atlanta, it was awesome!

--Visited my favorite stationary store ever and stocked up. Soooo, if you give my your address I'll send you some love.

--Contemplated how to react about the Dawgs beating Tech. I expect them to win that game, but this year is a little different. Still, good win for the red and black.

--Crashed. Its possible I've slept more in the last week than I have...well, in a long time.

--Went midnight shopping. I vow, never again. Its just not worth it to me.

Hope you had a great thanksgiving! I know I have much to be thankful for in my life. Blessings sweet friends.

Staff Conference in B'ham

I've been intentionally distant from my blog. Forgive me for not 'updating' you on what's going. I suspect many updates are coming soon, I have a lot on my mind and heart that I'd love to share.

I'm currently writing from the quiet of my hotel room in B'ham. We have our annual Fall Conference with staff from all over the South East. Its a privilege to join together for a long weekend with the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ and connect. The purpose of fall conference is to align and update, in my words. Its a time for old friends to reconnect and new friends to be made.

I spent the first day with other Missional Team Leaders, processing through our own personal walks with the Lord. It was great to have that time to look at our heart and put strategy aside. A few seminars took my time on Saturday, getting to be refreshed about working on support and what the reality of our region is with partnership campuses overseas. How exciting. Then came last night.

One of the reasons I love being with fellow staff members is that I feel so understood. There is an unexplainable feeling to be with a group of people who do the exact same thing you do.

Last night we had main meeting. That just means that we meet together for a few hours and have worship and a speaker. Well, last night I was consumed with the emotion of being in a room full exceptional people. We had just finished a time of updating, getting to hear about different things God has done throughout the semester. As I glanced around, I realized that I'm sitting with the best of the best. No matter which way I looked, I saw people who had given up dreams and jobs for the sake of the Kingdom. We ended the night in worship. I sat in silence listening to the voices of those around me. What a sweet sound to hear people I love and trust worship the Lord.

People are here not because Crusade was the best option. Nor is it the glamour of the job. We believe in the same mission. We all believe that college students are the most strategic place to invest our lives. We've seen changed lives and likely our life was transformed in college too. So we press on to the mission. To reach the campuses we are on, believing those students will reach the world.

The conference wraps up tonight and from here I'll head to Atlanta for Thanksgiving break. In the meantime I'll try to take everything in, process, and share with you...

Blessings.

Through the lens lately

This is long overdue. I'm not the best with posting pictures, this I know. Here are a handful of pictures from the last month or so, enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Sponsor a Bible

Some people walk into your life for a short period of time and you know it. God brought this sweet student from West Virginia into my life in the spring of 06. At the time, I was reviewing her summer project application for East Asia. She would come that summer with our team from Alabama and fit right in. Sarah is a complete joy to be around and has challenged me from the day I first met her. Really.

She is now over in Hong Kong for the duration of this semester. The adventure in her heart is contagious. I recently read about something Sarah felt led to do and was moved to the point of tears. Her faith for God to provide is humbling. Check out this story she writes about on her blog. What a privilege it would be to 'sponsor a bible'

Campfire thoughts

This weekend I went camping with a group of friends. Its always nice to get out into nature and camp. I love getting away from town a little bit and knowing that all I have is with me. We had 13 people there just sitting around the fire for hours on end. It was great.

I had a few thoughts while I was there. There is something about camping that I love. Its the simplicity thats appealing. Being away from the fast paced world, with nearly nothing with you, certainly no service on your phone, and likely being cold. I just got to thinking about those who are less fortunate that I. Those who live in the outdoors because thats what life has brought them, having next to nothing to their name, no cell phone to lose service with, and also being called. We call them homeless.

As I battled to sleep through the chilly night, I couldn't help but think 'when I get home I'll have a warm bed to sleep in. Tomorrow night you'll sleep just fine under the comfort of your heated roof' Those who are homeless don't have that luxury. Each night is just the same in the bitterness of the night. Its cold, and dark, its piercing and lonely. It made me sad. Sad mostly because the reality is that I could care less most of the time of that realty.

During dinner last night, aka making hotdogs and s'mores (some of my favorite things in the world) I kept thinking, 'man I wish I had hot chocolate.' Other things crossed my mind as things I wanted. An extra blanket, another kind of food, etc. It made me sick to think that I'm just never satisfied. I always want something else, even when abundance is at my fingertips. It was just good to evaluate my desires and see that I have plenty. I'm in the top percentage of wealth, even when I think I'm poor. I suspect you are too. Maybe I'll start thinking about others more often. Luke 6:30 continues to be my battle.

In a less serious way, camping was really great. We didn't talk about my thoughts, we just shared stories, played games, ate a looot, and enjoyed the company of good friends. What a nice weekend!

Blessings

English Class, the joy of simplicity

Ever since I was a kid, I thought I was going to be a teacher. The short story is, I became a Christian in college and God revealed to me what surrender meant. It means everything. Being a teacher was my plan. It wasn't a bad plan, but it wasn't God's plan for my life. As much as I resisted out of fear, God continued to press that I was going into the mission field. Thus, I'm here at Bama on staff with Campus Crusade. Its one of those hidden blessings.

I've come to know so much about my personality in the last few years and I honestly can't imagine myself being an elementary teacher. I have an enormous amount of respect for those who are, but I'd probably go crazy. I'm high change so locking me in a classroom for a year with the same schedule sounds like a nightmare now. I just didn't know that then. Although I still think it would be a privilege to one day teach. Its a funny contradiction.

Since being on staff, I've come to discern some of my natural passions in ministry. One of the things you do from the start is get your feet wet in everything, to decide what you love and can't get enough of. It was clear quickly that I loved international ministry.

This year we have started a new aspect to Crusade. Call it launching Bridges International, I call it finally going after another area of campus and taking advantage of the mission field at hand. God has given us great favor and connections with the international students. One of those students is Peter. Peter called me this summer and asked if I'd consider leading/teaching an English Class for a group of Chinese students. After working through my disappointment that it wasn't going to be a Bible Study, I said yes. With the help of dear friend Kathy, we have now met every Friday afternoon with a small group of Chinese students.

The time is intended to help them with their English, so we thought. Through relationships that have been built and trust that you could almost see if you walked into the room, hope that only comes from Jesus has been talked about. What I can offer them is not just a native tongue, but rather a genuine love and friendship. I'm honored to be a friend to these students and hopeful they will see the same thing I saw in my Jesus.

This simple english class has turned into moments of joy. Its filled with laughter and excitement. Friendships and anticipation. This....is breaking down cultural barriers. Oh how I long for that to happen everywhere.

Who would have ever known that when I said no to teaching and yes to ministry that in fact God would have this English Class all lined up. The Sweetness of God.

Blessings.

North Alabama geteaway

I've been looking forward to this weekend for some time now. Granted, I wasn't totally sure this weekend was going to happen about a week ago, but still, I can't wait!

Tomorrow afternoon I'm heading to Mentone Alabama and meeting up with my sister to stay in a cabin in North Alabama. We are staying for the weekend for a sisters getaway.

Heres our plan. Eat, watch football, talk, eat, lay around, hot tub, eat, sleep, more football, eat again, and mayyyyyybe go for a hike. It should be a great weekend. Jennifer and I get to see each other a good bit, but its normally when I'm in Atlanta for Crusade or some other random reason. So its nice to have a weekend where we are intentionally doing something together.

Should be a perfect time of year to be there with the leaves changing in the rolling hills. The cool crisp weather will make it perfect from running from the hot tub to the fireplace. And lots of great football is on this weekend. If only we had a personal chef this weekend, we would be set!

Blessings