Week 1 (Beginning anew)

I was telling my staff team (Ryan, Dave and Val) the other day how as the semester starts, I feel like Sisyphus at the bottom of the same hill with that same heavy stone. I didn’t mean it to come out quite as hopeless as you and they maybe imagined it. I think it was just the nature of college ministry finally hitting me. And it only took 15 months. A new class of students were coming in; our seniors had graduated. We now have maybe a week to comb through the incoming 15,693 students trying to find anyone with a hint of interest in exploring God’s Word with us. Then I realized it’s not college ministry that’s cyclical, it’s just ministry. It’s the life from here on out. The rest of my life I will be meeting people who need help becoming mature believers. Lord willing anyway.

As my Dad constantly reminds me however, I’m never going to run into one of these folks at the wrong time or on accident. God’s been waiting until the perfect time to introduce us.

So as I sit at the bottom of another hill with a boulder that gets bigger the more I look at it. It’s really quite a bit of pride to even assume I could move a Sisyphus class boulder. Only the incomparable being who “declared the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done” could move it. And He will move it because “His purpose is established, and He will accomplish all His good pleasure’.

I’m not at the bottome of a hill really, I’m actually here:

At the top of a roller coaster. Unable to fight gravity having already strapped myself in and committed to the ride. It’s only day 3 and so far He’s shown me a ride well worth the price of admission J

Waterskiing and Discipling

Starting in ministry really reminds me of my experience water-skiing. At least it does after some reflection of a full semester on campus. The Conferences and trainers tell you all the things you should be doing, "keep your feet together, lean back, don't cross the ski's, get in the dorms, disciple these guys to become laborers, and don't forget to keep up your own walk." But sometimes you still can't get out of the water and on the skis, and it feels like sometimes they give you advice like my Dad gave me when I was trying to water-ski. "I not really sure what you’re doing wrong, I got up on my 3rd try. You just have to have the feel it." Probably true, but mostly frustrating.

Thankfully I’ve had a lot of chance to “feel it” and I think I am starting to get an idea of how to stand up. And as I was reminded by a friend the other day, I should stop trying to stand up, lean back in faith and let God pull me up. In plain terms, I desperately needs the Holy Spirit's help when reaching the guys. Pretty simple, but for a prideful person it's hard to remember and swallow.

P.S. I should be back into posting updates, so look for about a post a week giving some kind of update on how I, or the ministry is growing....I haven't really nailed down the specifics of the content yet. But I'll try and keep it short. No exegetical discussions of Isaiah or Jeremaiah, I promise.