Walking by Faith

I must admit my thoughts were skeptical....will college students really come to a pumpkin carving contest? However boy was I wrong! More students came to this event than we've had at anything! AND everyone had a really great time! The best part was that we were able to meet and connect with many students and are hoping to build on those relationships....for the sake of the gospel!

The first ever south alabama football game! We got to tailgate and spend time with students which was fun....here are some pics!


YAY!

This is Shautoya one of our students.

The band...

Katherine is a USA and campus outreach alum....great to see her!

This was maybe the second week of school when I was just getting to know the students. It's a little late putting them up I'll admit

Laura Jo, me and Brynn (these girls are leading a bible study in chi o (their sorority)

Guys cooking

Everyone playing catch phrase
!
Richard and Derek two of our student leaders

Chillin

Recently I went for a professional development day with other staff girls on different campuses for campus outreach. A lady named Colleen who was on staff in the 80s during the first years of the organization gave us some talks on different subjects and I learned so much! One of the talks she gave to us was on the subject of contentment.
Here is one of the most significant things I walked away with in how to worship God no matter what the circumstances are that I am in.

“Let me say I am here 1) by God’s appointment 2) in his keeping 3) under his training 4) for his time.”
-Robert J. Morgan in “Red Sea Rules”

Christ died to give us life and life abundantly so Colleen challenged us to remember in all circumstances to have the perspective of being here by his appointment, in his keeping, under his training, and for his time.

At a recent workshop we were asked to think of scriptures that describe what in life that you know for sure. The only stipulations were to focus on God’s character and how he relates to you. Here are the verses I came up with. It was a refreshing time with God if you want to try to make your own list of “What you know for sure”

Things I Know for Sure
Isaiah 43:11
Isaiah 43: 1, 2, 4
Romans 5:8
Psalm 73:25-26
Psalm 73:28
Romans 8:28, 31-32
Philippians 1:6
1 John 2:25
2 Corinthians 5:17

So Sorry it has taken me awhile to update. It's partly because so much has been going on that I don't know what to tell you about. Her are are a few highlights and things you can pray for from the past few weeks at South!

Highlights

1. We had almost 100 students at our Tuesday night meeting. I was able to share my testimony and my staff partner Jeffrey gave a talk about "broken cisterns" which don't hold water and how we give our lives to things that don't satisfy rather than to God who is the fountain of living water. We were able to follow up with many conversations afterward and this week asking what are the broken cisterns in your life that you turn to instead of God? 2 students Jacob (guy) and Logan (girl) became Christians this week! Yeah!

2. God provided an opportunity for me to share my faith with Alexa a new freshmen at south. We happened to run into each other each with an hour to spare and nothing to do yesterday...(It was a God thing) as we were talking I was able to share the Gospel with her...although she would call herself a Christian (Catholic) she later became vulnerable admitting that she wasn't sure if God would really forgive her of her sin and was just hoping that when it came time that he would hopefully let her into heaven. I was encouraged because she seemed amazed to understand the gospel for the first time and it was huge in her life to understand that a relationship with Christ is not about what we do but it's about what he did for us on the cross.I challenged her to make a decision about giving her life to him that day (yesterday) then her boyfriend walked up and interruppted...oh no! It's ok though God's perfect timing has her wrestling through this decision and taking some more time. Please pray for her that she gives her life to him soon! I was encouraged to be exactly where God has placed me in that moment!

3. South is getting a football team! The first game is on saturday! We are using the tailgating experience to get to know more students.

Things to Pray For:

1. The university has decided to not give non-university faculty and staff I.D.s...this means that we are unable to go to the rec center where many students go throughout the day, get parking passes (and I have already gotten a ticket), and the athletic games(well we just pay to get in). A new person just got this job and is worried about liability for the university but he is open to hearing a proposal. Most universities allow this so all the campus ministries together are working on a proposal to share how we add to the life of the university and how other universities handle this....we are praying to recieve university IDs soon!

2. We are praying that at least 15 people would become believers through this ministry this semester!

3. I'm having a game and icecream night in the hallway of the freshmen girls dorm next wednesday...the goal is to build relationships and get to know more students that we can share our faith with and push towards Christ. We are planning on starting some evangelistic bible studies in a month but right now the goal is to get to know as many people as we can, build relationships, and share our faith. I've been getting to know a few girls on the track team as well so I'm praying for an oppurtunity to have them all over for dinner and get to know them better.

Ok so maybe I can't keep it short....but these are all things that are going on because you make it possible! Thanks for investing in me!

This is Jeffrey, Ben, me and Tony. We are the Campus Outreach staff for South Alabama!