Lord give me faith! I long to develop new partners in the gospel!

I just realized today that outside of InterVarsity alumni I haven't really developed or invited people to start partnering with God's work with CU InterVarsity and the part I am playing in a few months.

I have been so blessed by people from my family, friends from college, and people from church who believed in me. It was awesome to see people say yes as I took risks and asked friends and people I didn't know well. I really saw God's provision through that. Last summer Ivanna and I took a risk and trusted God to do a new thing leading students to cross cultures and cross the world following Jesus. That also meant most of my summer was focused on that project and I had little time to do fundraising. But God and his people continued to provide: this past fall I was really encouraged that many partners continued giving and I was able to continue part time.

A big challenge has been getting more connected with people and finding partners in Boulder. Joining a new church and even making friends is a challenging thing for all of us outside of college! I have been blessed with the young adults community there but have faced obstacles and fears as I tried to connect to people in the church outside of the young adults group. The reality is I have not been able to find more than a few new partners in Boulder.

God I ask that you would give me faith that you will continue to provide. I believe you will and often in ways I don't even expect. Lord I hope to find new partners who can partner in prayer and service as well as financially. I dream of having a team of people in Boulder praying together and partnering with us to see your Kingdom come to CU!

I specifically want to ask God:
For prayer warriors that can meet and call upon your name and pray for your work at CU!
For partners near Boulder who want to serve and encourage us as students and staff.
That you move your kingdom forward at CU through students and staff and partners. I long to be on campus but even more I long to see you show up on campus!
That you give me faith, courage and strategy to connect with new people and invite people to partner in different ways.
Amen

Reflections: How God showed up today as I tried to start new things

Thank you God for hearing my prayers.

I feel like I did find a person of peace in the Latino student group and I learned a lot. And unexpectedly before I even started the day I met a Chinese international student who was very hospitable. 

I also faced a little rejection today as a Chinese student and I had a great conversation but was not interested at all in the vision I had:

To start a group for international students and American students to meet to share culture and together to learn about Jesus who lives all people.

I got pretty discouraged, I am not sure why. 

But it continues to push me to ask: how best to do evangelism and planting? Do we first build relationship and then share Jesus? Do we bring up Jesus and then invest in the ones that stick around. Do we do both? God speak into this for me and for students. But also help me to just keep going and not get stuck in atrategy and discouragement. Give me faith to face 100 rejections so that one student will hear the gospel of Jesus and get to respond and maybe enter the kingdom and follow Jesus and make him known in their world the rest of their life!

I am trying to learn the discipline of reflecting and learning. I often just try to do more things. But out of that often comes pursuit of success instead of faithfulness. I want to know what God has sent me to not what will make me feel like I am accomplishing something.

As I am reflecting on this idea of being a sent one an apostle a missionary as my identity: What does that mean? How is that different than something I do? I think even today what hits me most in that is that whether anyone responds or not I am sent to them. But if its a function or a job then I might move on or give up. Bu tif its who I am what I am made for then I am called to endure in love to the end. Just as Jesus loved those who were his own and his disciples to the end in John 13.

Even as I don't have any new students who want to do these new things really yet: how do I go in with the mindset they are seeds to be scattered: that every follower of Jesus has the full potential of the kingdom of God with them. Just as in Acts when the church is persecuted and scattered they actually begin to grow and new people enter the kingdom and become a church in the cities they were scattered to. How in the midst of going to students where they are do I bring Jesus to them and not call them out of where they are to join a group that hangs out with Jesus. I want Jesus to walk into their dorm room and communities not just to invite them out of their dorm for a bible study.

God continue to teach me and help me become your sent one just as you sent Jesus into the world and he sends us. Send me to whomever you want! Help me to be faithful and by your power and your gospel and not my ability to seek to bring your kingdom!
Amen

Prayer for new things

God I thank you for your love for CU and for each student here! I thank you that you see their heart and their potential even when they don't. 

I long to see your kingdom come to new places on this campus and for people to come to know you and receive your love and look to Jesus and believe in Him that you sent him and that He died for them.

Guide me today as I keep seeking to plant something new! Help me meet Latino students and international students of peace and partners. I ask that you would connect me with Latino students who would have a heart for creating a community for other Latino students to follow and investigate Jesus as Savior and Lord. Help me have eyes to see and ears to hear! 

Inspire me of how to start international student ministry and reach those that aren't reached!

Also I ask for you to be at the center and it not to let the groups or heart of the outreach stray from you but to help me empower students and groups to follow you in their community and culture and ways. Let it be about your gospel not the worldly hope or even just good things primarily but about you Jesus the best thing. Help me to love students well and disciple them well!

God help me to balance these new things and lead CU IV well! I long to help them be who you made them to be and be missional from the way you made them Asian missional and awesome!

Fundraising: A big thanks to my partners!

When I talk to my friends about doing campus ministry fundraising usually comes up as what people think is the hardest part of doing what I do.

What I have found over the past 3 years is that fundraising and campus work for the gospel really parallel each other. In both cases I am inviting people into a vision of the kingdom of God through Jesus. On campus I invite students to be a part of something that matters to be a part of our vision as CU IV of knowing Christ and making Him known on every corner of campus at CU. That's really the same vision I am inviting people to give financially, serve with time and pray for when I meet with people or contact people when I fundraise. Sometimes I lose sight of the vision and like the students I lead our invitations can look more like: hang out with us we are a great community and we are Christian. And when I lose sight of the vision in fundraising my asks sound sad like: I really need your help so I can have more hours on campus to meet with students.

We always have to come back to our vision. I work for InterVarsity because I believe Jesus is real and I want every student at CU to be invited to make an informed decision yes or no for Jesus. First we have to go and bring the gospel to every corner and every community and people group, every dorm, and every student on campus. And then those that say yes or who want to join us we disciple so that they begin to Know Christ more. And as they do we challenge them into the mission of Jesus: to go and be sent into their world to make more disciples. Some of them do and I get to see as they thrive in Christ growing in character, faith, vision, sacrificial love and they get to see people they invest in take steps towards Jesus. Then every four years we send these students into the world and they go to many corners of the US and the world. God is the one at work at CU: but I love that together we get to plant seeds and water them and watch as God grows students into His disciples!

This is the vision I want to invite people to give financially, with time and prayer towards!

I am so thankful for the people who have supported me along the way. So many people have believed in me and this vision. Even in the hard times on campus and in fundraising a team of people have given and prayed for CU and me and encouraged me. I just want to say Thank you! You are changing my world and the kingdom of God is coming at CU breaking in one student at a time as they take a risk for Jesus or take a step towards Jesus. Your monthly and recurring giving especially has made a huge difference.

My prayer is that each one of you would know the difference you are making and that you would in heaven see the eternal treasure of people who are there in heaven because of your partnership in this ministry!

God I ask for continued partnership and new people to partner with you and me and CU IV in this vision!

Thank you God and Thank you CU IV partners!

Preach the Gospel though the world considers it foolishness

Ivanna and I are reading through the bible together and we are just starting 1 Corinthians.

As I prayed and talked to students today dreaming of starting something new and reaching more students at CU of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds I was both encouraged and discouraged.

And I longed to hear from God in the midst of it. Then I looked back at what we had read this morning in 1 Corinthians 1.

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c]

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Preaching at CU often seems like foolishness but I have to remember to many it is foolishness but to those who will believe it is the power of God. And some will believe at CU. The gospel needs to be preached there at a place where freedom, pleasure, success, tolerance, moral relativism and general spiritualism (basically believe and do whatever you want) dominates. God help me to believe the harvest is plentiful. God teach me to preach the gospel and invite people to respond again and again with hope and not discouragement. God please confirm your gospel with a demonstration of your Spirit's Power. 

God I long for students at CU to come to follow Jesus the way the truth and the life to you. I long for more Asian American students, a new thing with latino students, an exponential growth with international students, a transformation of the gospel reaching South Asian students, native students and black students. God send me and others to them especially the ones who aren't being reached who are alone and ignored at CU. Help me find them, help me love them, raise up leaders amongst them to reach even more than I could ever reach. Please Lord show me where to start. Latino, International, Greek, a renewed emphasis on intentionally reaching Asian American students? 

God I feel weak and small and inadequate. But you seem to choose the lowly things of the world the people who feel small. So if you want use me, if not don't use me. 

1 Corinthians 1

6 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d]

Lord may your kingdom come at CU! As it is in Heaven. And regardless of my role let me boast in you alone Lord!

Amen

Gods provision for his work

Exodus records this beautiful picture of his people joyfully providing for the work of the building of the tabernacle financially and in people with skills to do the work. This is the picture of partnership and joyful giving from each as they are willing and gifted in different ways. Each gives different amounts of different resources they have and some give money and others give time and their skills and gifting a for the work.

This was the invitation God gave through Moses to the people:

Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; (Exodus 35:4-11 NIV)

Then the people responded joyfully!

Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do. Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, (Exodus 35:20-30 NIV)

And what happens is beautiful the work and the abundance for the work from the people giving freely and joyfully!

They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.” Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work. (Exodus 36:3-7 NIV)

Wow God really provided through is people. And not just enough but more than enough. So that Moses even had to command the people to stop giving!

Lord God I pray for faith that this is the picture that could be of joyful partnership and abundant provision in your work. Each had their own role but all are important and part of this great work for God!

Let it be so in my ministry in your time God!

Amen

Leaders Meeting! Important, hard, challenging, rewarding . . .

Here is a picture of last Friday’s leaders meeting. 10 student leaders and staff come together once per week for 2 hours to be trained in Christian leadership and together as a team to set the direction for the whole fellowship!

This is one of the most important meetings we lead as staff. Student leaders are usually the students with the most ownership and action in seeking God and living in God’s mission to the campus. Yet it is also one of the most difficult to figure out how to lead this group in ways that help equip and mobilize students who are volunteers.

Please pray for my staff team to have wisdom in how to lead this meeting weekly in a way that is powerful and helpful to the student leaders in leading your movement at CU Boulder! Pray for leaders to choose in and engage and get all that they can from training and being united with this team of other leaders!