Just a Couch?

Just a couch? Or do you see something more? About a month ago, I threw out an idea to set up an old couch and offer prayer to students passing by in the Student Center to the Prayer Team. At first eyes darted away from mine and they shifted uneasily in their seats. Finally one student said, "Let's do it."

Our goal with "Free Prayer" day was simple: to encourage students at UCCS as well as get them thinking about eternal things. What better way than offering prayer to people right before finals, graduation, and summer transitions.

We set up shop on a Wednesday, dragging a slightly used couch to the center of the Upper Plaza. (Ok, so the couch had definitely been sitting in a garage and been sat on by many a dog, but after intense vacuuming and some lint rollers, we were good to go.) Taking hour long shifts, we each sat on the couch and invited people to come over and share requests.

Here are some highlights:
1. Nav students who volunteered were strengthened in their faith as they stepped out and engaged in prayer with fellow peers.
2. Two of the girls in my Investigative Bible Study came specifically to pray with me about difficulties in their lives.
3. We prayed with the new student body president who has had some misunderstandings about Christianity.
4. People were vulnerable with hurt in their lives.
5. We all got our first taste of the summer sun (ie we all looked like lobsters at the end of the day).

Lots of prayer, lots of interested looks, and even a guy who said we should flip a coin to see if we should pray for him; all in all a fantastic day on campus.

Next time you see an old couch, think beyond it's character, where it's been, and how to get it to Good Will; look beyond what it is. . .even an old green couch can bring God glory.

Jamie (my teammate) and I ready for some prayer at the UCCS Upper Plaza.

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

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.

Spahhhh Day

It only happens twice a year. . .you know, painting the toes. The first time celebrates the end of my beloved summer infusing a last bit of vibrant coral color into the more earthy tones of fall, and the second at the annual Navigators Women's Spa Day.

Spa day inserts an afternoon of tranquility into a hectic midterm schedule for the UCCS ladies. Stations are set up to encourage maximum relaxation and enjoyment including facials, nails, and even a quiet time room. I personally frequented the edibles station snagging cucumber sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies.

Rounding the corner into the evening we enjoyed a meal together cooked by two fantastic mom's of our students. I then had the privilege of speaking to the ladies about how to abandon the worries and anxieties of life, because, unfortunately there would not be a women's spa day every weekend to escape to. But I did get to tell them about God, and a few of his mighty attributes that can melt away any fear or stressor.

Out of Lamentations 3 Jeremiah shares how well he remembers all his troubles. With the pain and hardships fresh in his mind he says,

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning,

great is your faithfulness."

(Lamentations 3:21-23)

So many hard things YET he chose to call to mind the great and loyal love of the Lord, his unfailing compassion, and his strong faithfulness. Jeremiah put his hope in the Lord to act and carry him through troubling circumstances.

My prayer is that the women of UCCS Navigators would look to the Lord in times these times of worry and anxiety and put their hope in him. So many are chosing to do this already and it is a great source of joy (both for me and them).

My Village People

After Navnights end the after parties begin every Wednesday night at UCCS. It's been a point of joy for me to connect relationally with so many students during these late night shindigs.

This past Wednesday night we piled into cars and made our pilgrimage to the iconic late night diner wooing us into the parking lot with the soft glow of its neon orange piping. Figures of cookies and cream milkshakes frosting over their cute glassy containers had been floating through my head all day. I'm pretty sure I mentioned I was getting one of these to every person I crossed paths with that day (strangers not exempt from this information).

Food and people, what better two combinations? Our small army of collegiates commandeered half the restaurant and began the orders of pies and fries and pancakes and did I mention milkshakes?? I sat at the end of a long stretch of tables with three freshmen that fill my heart with joy. As the night progressed it only solidified my love for them as we laughed over knitting and accents and other less substantial subject matters.

After dropping my new UCCS friends back off at the dorms I praised God for the opportunity to be a part of their lives; to be a part of their journey of finding and holding tight to Truth. Before I knew them, I was praying for these three students, and here they are, gifts from God.

Starting with milkshakes, moving into trust, and growing into people who love Jesus.