Part of the reason I love my job is because I get to share the gospel over and over again. And while I know it is extremely important for the people I’m sharing with to hear the truth of the gospel I’m blessed to soak it up too. A verse I share every week is Romans 5:8 which says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It is easy for me to pass over verses I say and hear so often, but the Lord has been gracious to let that verse sink in fully these past two weeks.
While I was still a sinner Christ died for me. Not after I cleaned myself up or stopped doing that one sin or performed a ton of good deeds. Nope, while I was still a sinner! And the beautiful thing is that verse is true for me and for you and for all the students I sit down and share the gospel with. I’m thankful I serve the God that loved me at my worst and made a way for me to know Him. No matter how many years I spend on this earth I never want to become calloused to the truth of the gospel: that I am more messed up and sinful than I could ever imagine but because of Jesus I am more loved and accepted by God than I could ever dare hope.
My prayer for each of us (and the students I’m ministering to) is that Romans 5:8 sinks in and we praise God who loved us enough to die in our place… even when we were dead in our sins and completely unlovable. Praying that the gospel is just as amazing to us today as when we first believed.
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| Out to dinner with my lovely coworkers Michelle (center) and Carrie (right). |
The first two weeks of school for us are always crazy, exhausting, and exhilarating! I met A TON of people these past few weeks. While exhausting, it was super encouraging to meet students that 1) desired to truly live out their relationship with God in college or 2) were open to talking about spiritual things. Doing follow up our staff team has seen 19 student indicate decisions to follow Christ. I had the privilege of being there for a few of those. One conversation particularly sticks out in my mind. Lauren, a freshman who rushed a sorority, grew up in church but when I asked her if her life was truly surrendered to Christ she said no. We talked about what it meant to be a true follower of Jesus and Lauren said she definitely wanted that. Praise God for this sweet girl who wants to follow Jesus! Our first weekly meeting was on August 23rd. We had over 300 people! Numbers aren’t everything, but they do represent individuals that God cares about deeply so it’s exciting to see that many students at our meeting. The second week of school our small groups started. I’m leading a pair of sister dorms named Hammons and Hutchens as well as the athletes. We had 52 athletes come to the first Bible study. That is well above any number we had last year! School is in full swing and the Lord has already done some incredible things. I can’t wait to see God continue to work here at Missouri State.
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| Staff and student leaders preparing to hand out surveys |
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| Morgan, one of our student leaders, passing out Andy's surveys at Freshman Convocation. |
Praise God for:
· 1,400 students filled out contact cards at Freshman Convocation. We had the opportunity to have spiritual conversations with many of those students.
· 19 students indicating decisions to trust Christ already this semester.
· Over 350 people at our first weekly meeting (we had to bring in chairs to the auditorium because we had so many students).
· 52 athletes at the first athlete small group Bible study.
· Lauren, a freshman in the dorm I’m ministering to, who surrendered her life to Christ.
Pray for:
· The students that surrendered their lives to Christ. Pray that they would live out that decision and get plugged in to Christ-centered community,
· The athlete Bible study, Pray for one member from each team to attend next week.
· Follow up that will be continuing this month . Pray that students will be open to hearing the gospel.
· Fellow staff members Danny and Nicole. Their baby boy is due in October.
· Fall Getaway: our first conference of the year. Pray that students have the desire to go because it is a life changing weekend!
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| Our students are so talented! Here is one of the "chalkings" they did on campus to advertise for the very first Cru meeting. |
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