Fall Staff Conference

I'm writing from Campus Crusade's Fall Staff Conference in Black Mountain, NC. This weekend provides a chance for all staff in the Mid-South Region (NC, SC, TN, KY, WV) to come together for a weekend of fellowship and refreshment.

For me, it's been a weekend of realization of how the Lord has changed how I gain my energy over the past few years. When I was in college @ App State I LOVED being around people. The more the merrier I said! I was the emcee of our roughly 500+ movement of Campus Crusade students there. I loved organizing parties... two of my favs were the "Were you cool in middle school?" and our vogue party (which included a photoshoot area). I considered the event a success if there were more people there than the previous party. I was the perfect example of a social butterfly. Spending no more than 3-5 minutes with each person at the party.

Then I went to Sweden on STINT for 2 years with Crusade. There I was introduced to my introverted self. Better yet my deeper self. In Sweden, the ministry was completely relational. Building friendships with students and spending literally 2-4 hours with them a day... in a coffee shop... talking about deep things. I had never done that... I retaliated at first... usually in the form of bathroom breaks and coffee refills to take a break. Slowly, I found myself loving these conversations.

As I've been in the US for over a year now, I've found it true here as well. I would so much rather spend a long amount of time with one person in great real conversation than surface conversation with many folks. I gain my energy through individuals not groups. Now we don't have to talk theology the whole time... there's lots of laughter... I especially love the people in my life I can just sit in a room with in silence and just enjoy their company.

Through this process I've leared two things:
*I enjoy really knowing people... one on one or small groups... cooking dinner, grabbing coffee... that's where my refreshment comes from.
*I used to be afraid to go deep with folks... to be known by them.... yeah vulnerability is a scary thing (still is at times).... but so worth it. That's why I did the social butterfly thing for so long.... talk a few minutes... let people think everything's great... but no investment.

It's fun to step back at this conference and realize how I've changed in just a few years.

I love self discovery :)

My girls...

As many of you know, I've been off campus now for 6 weeks working on finding folks to partner with my ministry both prayerfully and financially so I can return to campus. The girls I have the priviledge to work with are my continual motivation for working on support, as well as all those who still haven't heard how they too were created to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ! This week, I was allowed to meet with each of them once to see how they're doing.

Yesterday I met with 3 of them. It was incredibly refreshing to sit down with each of them and hear what God's been doing in their lives. It's a constant reminder that God DOESN'T NEED ME at all. He will and is working in their lives without me. But praise God He allows me to journey alongside of them. Hearing how their Bible Studies are going that they're leading, what God is teaching them, how they're growing, things the Holy Spirit is bringing into the light.... it's so encouraging!

It's apparent God is moving in each of their lives and they are running hard after Him. I am overwhelmed by these girls' maturity and desire for the Lord and for TRUTH! That was just 3 of them! I'm so excited I have 10 more girls to meet with in the next 3 weeks!

God knew I needed this. It was completely given me another "push" of motivation to make the calls, set up appts and invite people to invest in eternity!

Thank you for your prayers and support during this season... it is needed and felt!

Until all have heard,
Lindsey