I apologize that it has been so long since my last update. I'm about to send out my next newsletter so I'll keep this brief, but I wanted to let you know all the amazing things God has been doing these past few weeks.
I moved in to my beautiful new house along with 5 other girls. We call our house the Manor. We've been busy unpacking, organizing, and painting. I absolutely love my roommates. It's such a blessing to be surrounded by girls that love the Lord and help me grow in my relationship with him.
The past few weeks have been filled with a lot of planning for the first week of school. I've come to appreciate our staff team so much (they are pictured below). Each person has been blessed with unique gifts and talents. It's fun to see the different parts of the body of Christ come together and work to make a difference at Missouri State. My role will be leading the athlete's Bible study and in a pair of sister dorms called Hammons and Hutchens.
School at Missouri State started last week. It was both exhausting and exhilarating. On Sunday we did our big contact gathering event. In exchange for a free Andy's custard (the best ice cream on the planet) students filled out a quick survey. This year we gathered 1,400 contacts which was way more than last year. The surveys are a really good way to 1) get in contact with people who want to be involved in a ministry right off the bat and 2) meet students who are open to talking about spiritual things.
The first week consists of following up those contacts. I spent all week in Hammons and Hutchens meeting girls who said they were interested in Cru or willing to take a spiritual survey. A few times I was able to transition in to sharing the gospel. Over the course of the week our staff saw 12 people accept Christ and many more seeds being planted! The Lord is already working here and I'm excited to continue pressing out to reach more students. We had our first weekly meeting on Thursday. We had so many students come we had to bring out extra chairs because every seat was full! I understand that numbers aren't the main goal, but numbers represent individual people that God loves and desires to know him so a lot of people was really exciting!
On Friday night we had a party at our house which was really fun and a great place for students to continue building the relationships they developed this week.
Roommates minus one who was at home visiting family.
Playing a game called mafia.
Student playing Apples to Apples.
So like I said: both exhausting and exhilarating! I absolutely love my job. I kept realizing over and over again how amazing it was that I got to sit in girls' dorm rooms and talk to them about Jesus. I got to encourage them. Ask questions. Pray with them. Learn about their lives. I am so thankful for your support, without which I could not do these things. So thank you! Please continue to pray for me this week as our small group Bible studies and discipleship appointments start this week.
Ways you can pray:
- Hammons/Hutchens Bible study is tomorrow at 8:30 PM. I will be starting us off in Ephesians.
- My devotional with the volleyball team also starts tomorrow at 2:15 PM. Please pray that God will be working in the hearts of that team.
- Our athletes' Bible study is on Wednesday at 8:30 PM. A former NFL player is coming in to speak. Please pray the word gets out and that God brings many athletes to the study so that they may hear the gospel.
- You can also pray for the follow-up I will be doing with MSU athletes. I will be giving spiritual surveys to the athletes this week and hopefully sharing the gospel with them.
- 2nd Cru meeting on Thursday. The second one is almost just as important as the first! Pray that students meet Jesus there and get connected into good community.
- And as always, "pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel... pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should" Ephesians 6:19-20.
