I've returned to my blog...
No, not because I didn't finish blogging about Africa (I didn't). I did return safely after two and half AWESOME weeks in Botswana. We went on game drives, ate really good food, slept in tents, and saw a lot of elephants and zebras. I loved it. Then I came home for three intense weeks of class and research projects, and then I graduated! I had two wonderful weeks between the end of class and graduation in which I spent doing all the things in Greenville that I never got to do (almost all) and spending time with friends.
I've returned to the blog to keep up with my next thing: the RUF internship!
Lord willing, I'm moving to Birmingham in August to be a part of the RUF at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. I spent approximately two years trying to decide whether to do this after graduation, until I finally realized this past fall that this is exactly what I wanted to do, and can do, and that I could trust the Lord to work out all the obstacles that I thought would make it impossible. I'll get to those later.
I'm really excited about this opportunity for a number of reasons. The first is probably really obvious to most of you who know me: I love RUF. It's no secret. Since the beginning of freshmen year, RUF has been my metaphorical home on campus. I found a wonderful community of friends and consistent teaching about the Gospel: my sin and Christ's righteousness. RUF does a really good job of not just providing Christian community on campus, but teaching that is aimed at the student's whole life. Following Christ is not just a college thing (which is what it often felt like at Furman), it's for eternity.
In the past couple of weeks, I've spent a lot of time telling people about what I'll be doing and why. And isn't that always the best way to figure out what you think about something? What I keep coming back to is the fact that I think college ministry is really important. More so, I think, than when I was in it.
College is when we might actually start to take the bigger questions more seriously, and to think about more than just ourselves. BUT, it's also when we don't want to hear answers that have already been said before-- which is good, and something really valuable-- but it often keeps us from the Church and from God's word. I think RUF gets this-- it loves church and wants students to love it, too.
I'm also excited because I'm moving to Birmingham! Alabama wasn't really on my radar when I was waiting for my placement, but since finding out, I keep finding more and more reasons why the 'Ham is a good place for me. (Immediate sources of joy: Courtney Cooper, Mary Ashley Underwood, and Mary Beth Moore... so many BFFs in one place) I'm excited about the things already going on on UAB's campus and about Joe and Melissa Dentici (The CM and his wife). I just want to move there now!
There are a lot of things that need to happen between now and Aug. 16th (when UAB's classes start and when I really want to be moved in by) and I'll be using this blog to keep up with it all.
Be back soon!
Laura
