Campfire Thoughts: Trusting God

The temperature quickly drops out here in Colorado as soon as that sun sinks below the mountains. With the chillier weather comes the much anticipated campfires. A few weeks ago a ton of UCCS Navigator students piled into cars after Navs and headed to Glen Eyrie for some s'mores and to absorb that delightful hot dog campfire smell into their clothing.

Prior to catching marshmallows on fire, we heard from Glenn and Margo Balsis on the topic of trusting God-a topic that will always intrigue me, always challenge me, and always give me hope. They listed three things that derail our trust in God and three things that deepen our trust in God. I thought I'd share them, as they were a delight to me.

How to quickly derail your trust in God:

1. Doubting that God cares about you

• Take the disciples caught in the storm while Jesus slept-they woke him up saying, "Don't you care?!!" Of course God cares, but when we doubt that he does, we stop trusting him.

2. Insisting on having clarity

• Think about Abraham who went to a land he did not know. If we waited for every detail to surface before we moved ahead, we'd be in the same place forever.

3. Indulging in wishful thinking

• When God calls us to a certain task, we need to march forward with boldness and not squander away time and emotions on what could be.

How to solidly deepen your trust in God:

1. Remembering God and the way he's helped you

• Remembering how God's helped you will refocus your attention on his character and ability.

2. Commit concerns one by one to God

• Voice every concern to God because he cares and wants to help. It also helps us let go and let God work.

3. Depend on the gages of God's Word

• Just like a pilot depends on his gages because his eyes cannot always understand, so we need to fix our eyes on God's word, which help us gage situations and circumstances when we don't understand.

This topic stirred up a lot of great conversations at the campfire. Some of the girls in Navs shared with me what makes it difficult for them to fully trust God. What a precious moment to get a glimpse inside their personal walks with the Lord.

Trusting God is a daily decision. What an honor to be a part of helping and watching young women make the choice to trust God!

How we feel when we don't trust God



How we feel when we do trust God

Larry, the (not so scary) Leviathan

In a recent bunny trail of cross references I landed in the last few chapters of Job. Hesitant to read it because I myself might suffer tumultuous times (you undergo the same superstitions, I sure, in fact I still avoid revelation thinking the end time will come as soon as I read it. . .hmmm), I skimmed the material with eyes half closed. There, written in well crafted descriptions, an incomparably fierce beast lives.


I will be the first to admit my unhealthy fear of the long dead dinosaur. One look at the cover of the Jurassic Park DVD will make me believe raptors are living in my basement, thus another room rendered obsolete due to dinosaur habitation. So reading a story about a "leviathan" whose description sounds about as close to a sea dwelling dinosaur as I've ever heard, made my palms a little sweaty.

This mighty beast cannot be caught, it will not beg for mercy, and it certainly cannot be put on a leash as a pet. "If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the struggle and never do it again!" (Job 41:8) Any hope of subduing him is false, and even the sight of this creature is overpowering. In the midst of describing the leviathan God says, " No one is fierce enough to rouse him. Who then is able to stand against me? Who has any claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me." Job 41:10-11

After picturing the matchless strength of this created being, God notes that he is more powerful. If there is not a contender for the leviathan, than certainly there is no contender before God. I was humbled as I meditated on God's power and strength. How foolish I am to try and contain God or manipulate him, as if I actually could. Pride and arrogance have run ahead of me blazing my path, going my own way, believing I know what's best, good, and right. I've lived moments of attributing any success to my own abilities and spoken opinion as if they were God's. Now I realize that when I've done these things I am standing against God.

In the final chapter, after God reminded Job of his incomparable power, Job replies, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." Job 42:2 I cling to the might of God. How good it is to remember that no on can stand against him; no one can thwart his plans; no one can match his abilities.

One difficult thing about being in full time ministry is to try and not formulate the "perfect plan" for each student. This means a delicate balance of praying for wisdom to guide them, and pushing them to consider opportunities that will encourage their growth. I know many times I have wanted a student to make a decision about their summer or semester so bad that I almost make it seem that it's the only way to know God better. It's in these times of control that I stand against God thinking I have the best plan for the student, rather than letting God work in their hearts while using my efforts as a mentor in their lives.

It is so good to know that God's power is at work in the lives of my students and my personal life. Living in the reality of who we are in comparison with God instantly humbles the prideful, with the reminder that he calls the shots. Growing in the knowledge of his power will also put perspective to any situation or circumstance placing peace in our hearts. I am so thankful for a God who's power surpasses even the sharpest teeth and fiercest prehistoric attitudes.

My less than intimidating rendition of the leviathan. . .he looks sorta furry and kind.

Transfer of Kingdoms

Think back with me to Spring Semester 08 at UCCS. The cold claws of winter tearing at my pink puffy vest, snow on the ground crunchy from the few warm rays that broke through the frigid atmosphere, and me and a UCCS student with a small white sheet of paper. Scribbled on it, a name and dorm room number, and an open door to come talk about the Gospel.

Knocking on that dorm room door that night connected me with an intelligent and fiery sophomore named Christina. Full of facts and figures and equipped with a scientific brain that defies my overly gooey feelings and emotions, we embarked on a friendship based on a mutual love for Panera Bread.

Each time we approached the topic of religious items, doubt extinguished any truth that approached the vicinity of her heart. It was like a wet blanket draped over her heart, weighing it down and preventing access to it.

After nearly eight months of praying for Christina and trying to explain God in scientific matters (which for me is like a four year old trying to explain how a microwave works, actually as a 25 year old, that still remains a great mystery to me), she asked to go to The Navigator collegiate fall conference called, Journey. Thrilled, I spilled the logistics over the phone and got her signed up for some stellar workshops.

This weekend, Christina went to Journey and the wet blanket of her heart began to dry up and dissolve. She said she felt numb and longed to experience what the other 500 students were experiencing when they talked about their relationship with God and worshipped him in song. On the Sunday morning, hours before the end of the conference, Christina and I read God's word. I challenged her to believe with her heart and not just rationalize with her brain.

That morning the speaker, Johnny Square, gave a powerful message and an invitation to receive God's love. In that auditorium, the Holy Spirit was working, people were praying, God was drawing Christina to himself and there, she walked down the stairs and through faith said, I want Jesus Christ in my life.

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14

Christina, once captive to the darkness, now stands in the kingdom of the Son of God, redeemed and fully forgiven.

Please pray for Christina as she grows in the knowledge and love of God, and as she reads and memorizes the Word of God.