We had our first RUF large group of the year last night and I think it was a huge success! I think we counted 60 students!
This week was a lot of firsts for RUF at UAB:
First week in a new, bigger room in Heritage Hall,
first time with a leadership/ministry team,
first time to have more than 30ish students attend (and we doubled!),
first time to have a totally student-led worship team,
first time with an intern (yay),
and the students got to finally find out that Joe and Melissa are having a girl!
After we met, we hung around and had ice cream and played kickball. I think everyone had a fun time and it was good for me to finally see the group all together.
I'm so excited for the week ahead with small groups starting up and lots of hang out times with freshmen girls already planned!
In other news, I finally went grocery shopping....
P.S. I'm supposed to write a short bio for the website-- anybody have any good ideas?
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
I'm moving to Birmingham!
Today I got the green light to move to campus! I can't even begin to tell how mind-blowing and unreal it is to know that this is actually happening.
I am so thankful to the many people who have told me that they're praying for me and for my support to be raised. It's been the most unforeseen source of encouragement this past week and summer, and such a reminder of God's goodness and faithfulness to me.
How do I tell you how thankful and blown away I am by the sheer number of people who are supporting me? And so generously! I'm undone by how my church family and friends have come around me and encouraged me in this, and by my peers (college students and recent college grads!) who have given SO much you wouldn't believe it. I've struggled a lot this summer with coming to terms with asking people to give to something that I'm doing while also seeing so much of my sin and faults through this process. I keep thinking, I'm not qualified, I don't deserve this and .... I don't! What a freeing realization. I don't deserve what's been given to me. I've asked people not to be a part of Laura's deal, but Christ's work on UAB's campus. And thank goodness that He is the Qualified and the Worthy one!
I am so thankful to the many people who have told me that they're praying for me and for my support to be raised. It's been the most unforeseen source of encouragement this past week and summer, and such a reminder of God's goodness and faithfulness to me.
How do I tell you how thankful and blown away I am by the sheer number of people who are supporting me? And so generously! I'm undone by how my church family and friends have come around me and encouraged me in this, and by my peers (college students and recent college grads!) who have given SO much you wouldn't believe it. I've struggled a lot this summer with coming to terms with asking people to give to something that I'm doing while also seeing so much of my sin and faults through this process. I keep thinking, I'm not qualified, I don't deserve this and .... I don't! What a freeing realization. I don't deserve what's been given to me. I've asked people not to be a part of Laura's deal, but Christ's work on UAB's campus. And thank goodness that He is the Qualified and the Worthy one!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Study Program
Part of the internship involves doing a study program-- usually two books a month and book reports on each. So for July, I'm finishing up Putting Amazing Back into Grace, by Michael Horton, and The Enduring Community, by Brian Habig and Les Newsom.
My favorite of the two was Enduring Community because its on the subject of the Church. The authors go into what the Bible says about Church and why we need it so much. I found it really helpful because questions of how to do church, and whether or not it's important is kind of a hot topic with college kids. There are lots of ideas out there about "reinventing church" and this book really answered a lot of those controversies, and more importantly, put Christ at the center of the discussion. It also helped that one of the authors is my pastor from Greenville and I think he's awesome and his church was one of the best parts of my last two years at Furman.
Support update: As of today, I've raised, $18,003 and need to raise $9,515 to move to Birmingham. Please consider being a part of this ministry by giving!
In the words of Tracy Tina of youtube fame,
"Peace and blessins, peace and blessins"
Laura
Monday, August 8, 2011
Nashville Wedding Weekend
All that aside, the real reason that the wedding was awesome was that we wrote a song and dance toast for K&M at the reception and we pretty much stole the show. Video to come.
An added bonus to the weekend came when we visited Kelsey's church on Sunday morning, Christ Community, where they were having an RUF sunday! Kevin Twit led worship, along with Emily Deloach, who has a beee-yoo-tiful voice. If you haven't heard of Indelible Grace Music, you should look into it!
We sang this song:
This hymn has been very close to me this summer, as support raising has turned out to be a huge lesson in trust and patience. God seems to be teaching my that when we ask to grow, he's not going to do it the easy way, or at all the way we want it.
Also, when fellow RUF intern and bridesmaid for the weekend, Catherine, and I went to look for the RUF support table outside, we found three fellow interns from our intern class! We thought we wouldn't get to see you guys til October!
The weekend reminded me that I have so much to be thankful for! It felt like we were receiving one blessing after another! I got to spend one last weekend with my Furman besties and roommates before we all went our separate ways, was hosted by an incredible family that took us in as if we were their own kids (shout out to Kaka Ray!), and was given a beautiful reminder of how Christ loves us.
Friday, July 29, 2011
RUF Training
I just returned home from spending a week at RUF staff training, which is just in Atlanta, about 30 minutes from home. I love everything about this week, from spending time with interns, meeting other staff and campus ministers, and learning!
Throughout the week we attend sessions led by different campus ministers, beginning with the "state of the union address". The interns' sessions were mostly about RUF's philosophy of ministry and about putting it into practice on our respective campuses. Some of my fears going into this week were that I still have a hard time imagining what my job will look like and that I don't know how to prepare myself for the day to day life of an intern. These sessions really helped me get what it looks for a ministry to be driven by the Gospel, even in one to one conversations. I wasn't handed a daily job description, but I realized that I have all the tools to do my job. We had sessions focusing on each of the principles of the "P.O.M.", which are Scripture, Justification, and Sanctification. At first, I thought, "really, we're being taught about justification again? I get it!" But that's the thing, I really don't get it, I need to be taught about forgiveness and grace EVERY DAY.
Throughout the week we attend sessions led by different campus ministers, beginning with the "state of the union address". The interns' sessions were mostly about RUF's philosophy of ministry and about putting it into practice on our respective campuses. Some of my fears going into this week were that I still have a hard time imagining what my job will look like and that I don't know how to prepare myself for the day to day life of an intern. These sessions really helped me get what it looks for a ministry to be driven by the Gospel, even in one to one conversations. I wasn't handed a daily job description, but I realized that I have all the tools to do my job. We had sessions focusing on each of the principles of the "P.O.M.", which are Scripture, Justification, and Sanctification. At first, I thought, "really, we're being taught about justification again? I get it!" But that's the thing, I really don't get it, I need to be taught about forgiveness and grace EVERY DAY.
In other news, I think I've reached about 42% of my support... which means I'm halfway to moving! It also means that I'm still far, and that I still need so many supporters! Please pray that God would provide! Classes start at UAB two weeks from tomorrow, and I want to be there!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Just for fun!
Sometimes this blog is really serious.... I'm going to post today to share some things I'm really thankful for!
1. Starbucks and Mary Beth Moore. She's sat with me twice this week as I read for the study program, make phone calls, and waste time on the internet. What a friend! I'm so thankful for you, MB, and for our mothers' friendship that keeps us connected when we get bad at keeping up with each other!
2. DIY blogs. Very rarely do I actually get around to making anything that I see, but it's cool to think that I could be a crafty person.
3. Books that I don't have to read. Oh, thank you, summer, for reconnecting me to one of my favorite past times ever! Let's keep this up past August this time.
4. Daniel 3! Have you read this recently? I know we all heard the story in Sunday School, but verse 25 gives me chills when I read it now. King Nebuchadnezzar saw one "with the appearance like a son of the gods" walking around in the fire with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Let's take a second and imagine what that might have been like.
1. Starbucks and Mary Beth Moore. She's sat with me twice this week as I read for the study program, make phone calls, and waste time on the internet. What a friend! I'm so thankful for you, MB, and for our mothers' friendship that keeps us connected when we get bad at keeping up with each other!
2. DIY blogs. Very rarely do I actually get around to making anything that I see, but it's cool to think that I could be a crafty person.
3. Books that I don't have to read. Oh, thank you, summer, for reconnecting me to one of my favorite past times ever! Let's keep this up past August this time.
4. Daniel 3! Have you read this recently? I know we all heard the story in Sunday School, but verse 25 gives me chills when I read it now. King Nebuchadnezzar saw one "with the appearance like a son of the gods" walking around in the fire with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Let's take a second and imagine what that might have been like.
Monday, July 18, 2011
What is July for anyway?
Something I mentioned in my last post is that I'm spending my summer raising support for this internship. This is the part of the deal that took me a long time to come to terms with and REALLY freaked me out. The truth is, it has turned out to be an incredible learning experience and something I feel really wholehearted about (truly the work of the Holy Spirit in my heart, that's not how I felt two months ago).
In order to move to Birmingham, I need to raise 85% of $33,787. I'm not even half way at this point, but I'm still really excited to see how it's going to come together. Okay, that last thought changes every couple of days or so. This summer has definitely taught me how much I let my circumstances determine my attitude. At the end of the day, I know that God can provide the support and that He loves to give his people good things, so I can trust him to bring me to the end of this summer, whether that means with support or without.
This process has been really hard for me for two reasons. First, I am always really reluctant to share how I feel about things and I hate to make people uncomfortable. This is not helpful at all when it comes to support raising because it is good to share my love for UAB and RUF and for sharing the Gospel with students and it is good to ask people to partner with me! It has really shown me how I need to learn to be less afraid of others and more concerned with sharing the really good things that God is doing in my life right now. Something that has helped me appreciate the support raising process is that it is really about relationship building. I have been blessed to deepen my friendships with so many people in my life by sharing with them about this internship and I've overcome a lot of fears about other people and what they will think of me. I have such a long way to go towards loving people the way Christ loves me, and he is graciously showing me that so much this summer.
Another reason this process has been difficult is that it has shown me that I am not a very self-motivated person. Support raising involves a big goal, with a deadline that's not exactly close and the reasons I want to do it are people who I don't actually know yet and are not around me everyday. I'm kind of excited about support raising next summer, because I'll be able to tell stories and share about individuals.
Training is next week! I'm excited because I love being with the other interns, and because the campus ministers will be there this time! I'm also anxious, though, because I know that I don't have very much support raised, and this training marks the beginning of the end of summer...
Until next time,
Laura
In order to move to Birmingham, I need to raise 85% of $33,787. I'm not even half way at this point, but I'm still really excited to see how it's going to come together. Okay, that last thought changes every couple of days or so. This summer has definitely taught me how much I let my circumstances determine my attitude. At the end of the day, I know that God can provide the support and that He loves to give his people good things, so I can trust him to bring me to the end of this summer, whether that means with support or without.
This process has been really hard for me for two reasons. First, I am always really reluctant to share how I feel about things and I hate to make people uncomfortable. This is not helpful at all when it comes to support raising because it is good to share my love for UAB and RUF and for sharing the Gospel with students and it is good to ask people to partner with me! It has really shown me how I need to learn to be less afraid of others and more concerned with sharing the really good things that God is doing in my life right now. Something that has helped me appreciate the support raising process is that it is really about relationship building. I have been blessed to deepen my friendships with so many people in my life by sharing with them about this internship and I've overcome a lot of fears about other people and what they will think of me. I have such a long way to go towards loving people the way Christ loves me, and he is graciously showing me that so much this summer.
Another reason this process has been difficult is that it has shown me that I am not a very self-motivated person. Support raising involves a big goal, with a deadline that's not exactly close and the reasons I want to do it are people who I don't actually know yet and are not around me everyday. I'm kind of excited about support raising next summer, because I'll be able to tell stories and share about individuals.
Training is next week! I'm excited because I love being with the other interns, and because the campus ministers will be there this time! I'm also anxious, though, because I know that I don't have very much support raised, and this training marks the beginning of the end of summer...
Until next time,
Laura
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