The next way AgIV will be "setting the table" together is our Christmas party on Friday. Pray for God to help us to invite our friends to the table, and that they actually come! Pray for logistics as we prep. Pray we would be welcoming to newcomers and risky in sharing our faith at the party. Pray students leave with fond memories of what God is doing in our community, ready to come back in the spring to invite others to "set the table" with them as family.
Also, I'm headed into an intense time of fund raising over the next month and a half, especially the week of Dec. 12-16. Please pray for me to be diligent and faithful to what God calls me to do, and to trust in God's faithfulness to provide for my ministry. Also, pray for some new monthly donors. This semester, God has increased my monthly support with gifts from generous donors, but I still need to raise $7500 by July 1st to be fully funded for the year. Would you join with me in praying for $650/month in new giving? It feels too big to ask, so I need some partnership in the faith. Thank you!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Giving Thanks
Praise God! He moved mightily at our camping retreat, Word in the Woods. Nov. 11-12 we studied the book of Jonah. We were able to find a solution to our cooking concerns with some creative meals. We had 14 AgIVers, several freshmen and transfer students new to our fellowship. We camped at Lake Somerville. Sadly, we couldn't see the lake from where we stayed because of the severe drought we've had. But we did have fun playing soccer in the lake bed and exploring the campgrounds.
Students identified with Jonah, how they run away from sharing God's good news. They identified with the Ninevites' desire to turn away from sin and turn towards holiness and God. And they received God's grace and power to head back to campus and respond to his invitation to mission.
Kyle and I drove to the Dallas area the Friday before Thanksgiving. We stayed with my parents and brother for the night, then flew into Birmingham, AL. We got to visit with Kyle's sister and brother-in-law, Allison and Tag, and our 2 nieces Emma and Aubrie. The girls were sick, but still adorable. After a few days, we flew back to Dallas, stayed with my family overnight, then drove to Texarkana, AR in time for Thanksgiving. We stayed with Kyle's mom, Robin, and her fiancee Floyd. Kyle's brother, Jason and Jason's girlfriend Kristal came to see all of us Friday. So it's been a family-filled week, catching up and eating tasty food.
Thank you for your prayers!
Students identified with Jonah, how they run away from sharing God's good news. They identified with the Ninevites' desire to turn away from sin and turn towards holiness and God. And they received God's grace and power to head back to campus and respond to his invitation to mission.
Kyle and I drove to the Dallas area the Friday before Thanksgiving. We stayed with my parents and brother for the night, then flew into Birmingham, AL. We got to visit with Kyle's sister and brother-in-law, Allison and Tag, and our 2 nieces Emma and Aubrie. The girls were sick, but still adorable. After a few days, we flew back to Dallas, stayed with my family overnight, then drove to Texarkana, AR in time for Thanksgiving. We stayed with Kyle's mom, Robin, and her fiancee Floyd. Kyle's brother, Jason and Jason's girlfriend Kristal came to see all of us Friday. So it's been a family-filled week, catching up and eating tasty food.
Thank you for your prayers!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Boundaries
I just finished reading Boundaries, by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend. I wanted to loan it to a student, but I’d only read the first half several years ago. So I reread it.
I know some who think it goes too far, that it’s not Biblical to set boundaries, and that the ideas in the book have been used to hurt people. I can see how that last one is possible, but the second half of the book focuses on ways to set boundaries slowly with lots of different relationships and areas of your life. The authors explained a balanced, Biblical understanding of healthy boundaries. I think what they challenge readers to do is a much-needed correction to our society’s way of dealing with conflict. And the church’s way of demanding more, more, more. The trick is balancing hard and fast boundaries with grace and love.
It was good for me to be reminded of areas of my life I need to set boundaries, especially with work and with myself. But I was also encouraged by how God has grown me in boundary-setting in various relationships.
I've been using some of the truths with students in discipleship. One student needed to hear that healthy anger is supposed to be a sign that someone has crossed a boundary and hurt me. Several others needed to know they were responsible to people, but not for them. I was happy to hand this book to my student, and I think many of us could benefit from the truth in Boundaries.
I know some who think it goes too far, that it’s not Biblical to set boundaries, and that the ideas in the book have been used to hurt people. I can see how that last one is possible, but the second half of the book focuses on ways to set boundaries slowly with lots of different relationships and areas of your life. The authors explained a balanced, Biblical understanding of healthy boundaries. I think what they challenge readers to do is a much-needed correction to our society’s way of dealing with conflict. And the church’s way of demanding more, more, more. The trick is balancing hard and fast boundaries with grace and love.
It was good for me to be reminded of areas of my life I need to set boundaries, especially with work and with myself. But I was also encouraged by how God has grown me in boundary-setting in various relationships.
I've been using some of the truths with students in discipleship. One student needed to hear that healthy anger is supposed to be a sign that someone has crossed a boundary and hurt me. Several others needed to know they were responsible to people, but not for them. I was happy to hand this book to my student, and I think many of us could benefit from the truth in Boundaries.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)