A Heart for the Nations

So much has happened since I last updated you all a few weeks ago!  I have traveled to Atlanta, GA for some fantastic shopping, quality time, and a huge laser show during our “D-Group Weekend,” learned about Biblical Disciple-Making from Soup Campbell and his wife Linda, mastered every type of combination offered at Shake’s Frozen Custard, met, prayed with, and attended the church pastored by David Platt (author of “Radical” and “Follow Me”), had a fantastic time on a redneck-themed group date (I felt right at home), and been continually challenged in every aspect of my walk with Christ!

For this update, I would just like to share a couple of the monumental learning moments that have really challenged me!

I have been so blessed by my past three years of involvement in StuMo because of the continuous focus on living out my relationship with Christ with an outward focus so that others can pass along the legacy of the faith, but this past week completely rocked my world on that perspective.  Soup Campbell, the man who discipled Kennon Vaughn (founder of Down Line Ministries of Memphis) and Lecrae (Christian rap artist), visited with our group last weekend.  The first talk he gave was during our leader training on Monday morning.  The theme seemed to revolve around the fact that the purpose of studying the Bible and learning is immediate obedience.  The process of making disciples involves: 1. seeing the masses through individual people (the countless people they will eventually have the potential to impact, 2. focus on building and equipping individual disciples, 3. those disciples going to the ends of the earth, 4. until the end of time.  

       He continually referred back to God’s Word and prayer being our “instrument panel” for accomplishing this purpose, and having an unwavering faith in God to use your life when you take bolder steps than you could do on your own.  I loved how he used an analogy of the fact that when you sit in a chair, you put all of your weight into it- putting yourself at risk of falling down if it does not follow through in it’s purpose.  In the same way, how are we putting all of our weight into God and trusting him to hold us up when we take all control out of our own reach?

My favorite (and most convicting) part of his talk was his focus on the world.  He specifically called our group out and asked why we didn’t have international students among us this summer.  It dawned on me that I say that I have a world focus, I pray for the world regularly, and even try to be intentional with international students in my classes at K-State... but why am I not putting a significant focus on getting to know and sharing the gospel with international students?  With over 2,000 international students at K-State, I have the potential to reach countries that I could never step foot in.  In fact, China and India are two of the most numerously represented countries on campus-- two countries that have the greatest need for the gospel.  If international students came to know Christ in Kansas, were established in the faith, and returned to their home country, they would have the capability to reach more “unreachable” people for the gospel!  Please join me in praying that I would do everything that I can to take advantage of this incredible opportunity on campus next fall, and that God would even put international students who are participating in work study programs here in Gulf Shores this summer in places where I can get to know them! I have never before been so burdened for the nations, and I’m so much more determined now more than ever to take immediate action!

“Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” Psalm 2:8

Also, here are a few fun pictures of our week!

(Posing for a picture while Redneck truck shopping during our D-Group date!)

(a cake I made at work!)

This week as you join with me in prayer, would you please remember:

-that my heart, as well as the women in my group’s hearts would continue to grow for the nations and we would see the masses through individuals

-continued unity of our group (we have had incredible synergy so far and are really getting to know each other deeply and just really enjoy life together)

-that God would open the hearts of women in AXiD during the summer and that they would be spiritually interested in the fall!

-that the rest of the summer would be just as refreshing and encouraging as the first part!

-safe travels as I step away from Kaleo for AXiD National Convention in San Francisco for a few days next week. Also that I could be intentional with that time.

Please let me know how I can be praying for you!

Sara

Beginning of the Third Summer of My Life!

Hello from Alabama!  Today marks day #8 here at the beautiful Wolf Bay Landing, and if the rest of the summer is even close to as encouraging and fun as this week has been- it really will be the summer of my life!  Here are a few highlights of my time here so far:

1. Our stop in Memphis:  All of the D-Group leaders left Kansas last Thursday (5/23) and stayed the night at a church in Memphis.  While we were there, we had the privilege of asking Kennon Vaughn, director of DownLine Ministries, any question we wanted for an about an hour.  We made great use of the opportunity to ask some tough questions about ministry, life after college, and just following Christ, and were careful to take detailed notes from his wisdom!  

2. Our summer home: We are absolutely privileged beyond belief to get to stay here at Wolf Bay this summer!!  Each group shares a condo with another group- which are stocked with a full kitchen, living room, and two bed and bathrooms, as well as a beautiful porch and view of the bay.  Check out these pictures! (Last night my group and I tried out our fishing poles on the dock outside of our room. Turns out I got lucky and caught the first fish of the summer!)

3. Leader Training Week:  As soon as we made it to GS, we hit the ground running with preparation for our D-Groups to get here! Emily (my co-leader) and I enjoyed processing through what it would look like for us to lead our group together while growing deeper in our own relationships with Christ.  It was reassuring to realize that we can’t pretend to be perfect, but the best thing we can do this summer (or just anytime we disciple women) is to be transparent and vulnerable about our mistakes and grow together.  It was also a blast to get to know the other D-Group leaders, and I’m so humbled to serve along side them!  I’m really excited for weekly training to continue every Monday this summer! 

4. My D-Group: Dana, Katelyn, and Carrie are so much fun to hang out with! Dana and Katelyn are both freshmen who lived in Goodnow Residence Hall this past year, and Carrie was a sophomore in Boyd Hall!  Their passion for growth pushes me so much every day.  Just the other day, Katelyn told me that she wanted to grow the most this summer in sharing her faith (her vision blows me away), and Dana talked about being worried that she wouldn’t have enough time in the day to do all that she wanted in going above and beyond what is planned with the project! Not to mention Carrie’s adorable compassion is infectious toward every person she meets! These women are world-changers, and I’m pumped to learn from them more this summer!

(We had a costume contest at our first social! Our theme was very fitting for Gulf Shores- tourists!)

5. My Job: This summer I’m working at Shake’s Frozen Custard (yes, it used to be called Shakies!).  Several really incredible things have already happened in just the first two days of work! Thursday night (our first day of work), Brooke (my other co-worker from the Kaleo project) and I helped make custard after our Kaleo “Thursday Night Talk,” because almost all of the project (about 150 people) stopped by!  Our co-workers were absolutely blow away by how friendly and fun our friends from Kaleo were, and begged us to let them join our group this summer to hang out!  We invited them to go to the beach with us, as well as come to some of our training sessions when they weren’t working.  One girl even pulled me aside and asked me to help share our faith with another co-worker, who she has been praying for!  We all exchanged numbers and have been texting back and forth since!  After seeing how interested our co-workers were that night, Brooke and I thought it would be cool to start an investigative Bible study among the group for the summer!  We’re looking forward to growing with and investing in these fun high school women we met.  It is also awesome that our boss follows Christ, and we have incredible spiritual conversations with him about how he and his wife have pursued Christ in their family and how he is using his job to influence the students he works with for Christ!  It’s incredible that all of this has happened in just the first two days of work!

                                                  

I’m so excited to see what the next week brings!  Would you please join me in prayer for:

-My D-Group (Co-Leader Emily, Dana, Katelyn, and Carrie) and I to not skip any opportunities to grow and set the bar high from the beginning.

-Deep relationships built in our group 

-Brooke and I’s influence at work and our Bible study

-Application follow through with our many talks, studies, and even casual conversations

-World Vision and heart to deepen in my life and our group

-That everything we learn will help us win people to Christ on campus

Thanks for your partnership with me in this adventure!  Please email me and let me know how I can be praying for you!

Sara