Flowers in the In-Box

Yes, I am a girl, but I did grow up with a brother and one Christmas he received one of those matchbox car tracks that had these little battery operated rubber wheels that provided continual propulsion of the miniature vehicle through the course. For hours you could watch the little red convertibles and the yellow dump trucks cruise the track and just when it would lose a bit of momentum, the little rubber wheels would send it speeding forward once again.

I believe God is always with us and he is always at work, but sometimes we forget it or we don’t feel it. And we slow down, but at just the right moment God lets us in on a little work that he’s been doing that fills us with courage to keep running in life.

If you’ve been a part of my life and ministry you have heard about Christina, my UCCS friend, who came to Jesus last fall and is beginning to walk a brisk pace down his path. God gave me a little push this morning to remind me, and hopefully you, that our labor in Him is not in vain.

Hey Lauren-I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you meeting with
me one on one to learn more about the bible and Jesus. I know that life is busy
for you and I so greatly appreciate you taking time to meet with me!! I love our
time together and I have so much fun with you!!! Thank you so much again for
meeting with me and taking time to hang. I have learned so much from you and
your different lessons and for that I am forever grateful. Thank you for
everything that you do and I love chilling with you!! You are one of the most
amazing people I have ever met. Enjoy your Sunday and get some sunshine today!
(it will remind you of FL...he he he) Christina

This email was more delicious to my soul than a Sunday morning large buttery Lucille’s biscuit (even with rhubarb jam). It was like a bouquet of flowers in my in-box from God telling me, I love you, and I am using you to bring glory to my name.

God, thank you for the flowers, and may you continue to send them my way and the way of my friends at just the right time

.

Summer Time: Bite-Sized Highlights

Describing the events and of Snow Mountain Ranch Summer Training Program 2009 would certainly send anyone into a spiritual coma and make them late to work, so I've decided to boil down STP into a few bite sized highlights to encourage you and get your heart racing down the track of thanksgiving.

Highlight One: The Students!!

I had the privilege of training 75 students from various college campuses! They were hilarious and so much fun to be around. They also possessed incredible hearts and teachable spirits.

I loved sharing meals with them!

Highlight Two: Hannah and Laura

These are the women I met with one on one all summer. They were Team Leaders and had a great responsibility in passing on all the tools they learned to their team members. I loved meeting with Hannah and Laura and discussing life and the Bible with them over icecream and walks.

Highlight Three: Serving the Students!

Here Jamie, Leigh Ann, and I are making S'mores for the students. Our campfire got rained out but that didn't ruin our fun! I also helped run our student ministry Nav Night and set up various events all summer to encourage and bless the students.

Highlight Four: Baptizing Robyn!

Robyn is a freshman from UCCS who just became a believer this spring. She decided to come to STP this summer to learn more about God and at the end of the summer she approached me and my teammate, Jamie, asking us if we would baptize her. Robyn is a joy!

Highlight Five: UCCS STUDENTS!

We had 14 UCCS students come to STP this summer!! How fantastic is that! I was praying for four to come! These students learned incredible tools on how to disciple, serve, lead, share Christ, and work hard and now they are back on campus living out what they learned.

Summer Time: The Great Outdoors

Oh the places we go when in Colorado's back country!

This summer has been nothing short of outdoor adventures. There are plently of miles to log in the National Forests and Parks surrounding us and it's a blast to take students along. Our conversations have roamed the great expanse of the mind including topics of God, life lessons, dating, embarassing moments, and maybe an occasionaly corny joke.

The Invitation

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat was is good and your soul will delight in the richest of fare."

Isaiah 55:1a-2

The ever present invitation to come be with Jesus; the invitation for the thirsty to drink, for the hungry to eat, for the laborer to find satisfaction.

The invitation had been sent over and over to Christina. She usually stamped it, unopened, with a "return to sender" label and put it right back in the mail. Sometimes she'd open the invitation and glance at the letters, and set it aside, eventually thinking that party had long since happened.

But God kept sending her invitations to come to Him, and last week she responded.

I got a text from Christina on Monday: "Hey, got anytime this week that you would want to do a quiet time with me or just get together?" A quiet time?! Quite surprised Christina initiated with me the desire to read the Bible, I texted her back a time and place, curious to hear about what was going on in that heart of hers.

Sitting across from her at Starbucks yesterday, she began to pour out her story between sips of hot chocolate, about how she discovered God in a real way last week.

"Lauren, no one notices when I'm missing; missing from Navs, missing from rugby, missing from class. . .all these things that I thought would fill my life are disappointing me. And then I realized, Navigators won't satisfy me, rugby won't satisfy me, class won't satisfy me. I need God, and I never thought I'd say that."

Ha! Neither did I! I've been praying for Christina, meeting with her, trying to make the Bible as exciting and clear as possible (without having to pull out felt-board Jesus or break out the tap shoes), and nothing has seemed to click. But all this time, God has been faithfully sending Christina invitations to come to Him, and she is finally responding.

I sat across from Christina and sent silent praises to God, as I listened to this 21 year old spout off these new epiphanies. We read Isaiah 55 together and she wrote in her journal.

She finished her hot chocolate and made a comment about having too much caffeine, and then we planned out what to read this week. And I am still amazed. God is so kind to constantly be sending out invitations to come to Him. To have relationship with him and discover what truly satisfies.

Me and Christina at the Valentine's Dinner this past February.

Road Trip: Part Two, Service with a Smile

On Sunday we took the troops to a Cambodian American church in Long Beach to help clean their facility by window washing, gardening, cleaning, and all the other various things 20 year olds can be entrusted to do without leaving permanent damage to the property.

I really treasured our time here because not only did the students get to give their time and energy to helping out fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, but they were exposed to the nations, right here in America. When we arrived we were able to listen to a few stories of the difficult and tragic journey Cambodians have been traveling for the past thirty years. Lukina, a church member, said that most Cambodians have been exposed to at least 13 tragedies in their lifetime including death, starvation, rape, murder, prison, labor camps, and more. Many Cambodians escaped to the United States to begin new lives, but only if they were fortunate enough to get a sponsor to pay for their way over. And Cambodians are so hungry for good news, and respond quickly to the Gospel message.




Here were are, post work, in front of the Cambodian American church!


The next morning we were out the door before the sun woke up and headed to downtown Los Angeles to help Project Angel Food in the kitchen. Project Angel Food cooks meals and serves 1500 clients in the LA area who cannot afford proper nutrition and have medical problems.

After dressing up in the fashionable kitchen attire including, hair net, apron, and gloves (unfortunately no booties), we jumped right in making gravy, packaging meals, and slicing up anything they put in front of us.

After we sliced and diced and packaged and at some snacks, we went out and delivered the very meals we made! Our students were able to meet face to face people who relied on the love of others.
Here I am slicing up a honeydew. Gotta love the hair net!

We're about to go out into the community with our food!!

Giving your Life Away

It is Christ's love that compels me, for I am convinced that he died for all, that everyone who lives, should no longer live for themselves but for Christ, who died and gave himself up for everyone. Jesus Christ died for me, that I might be free from the bondage of sin here on earth, and free from eternal separation from God. This grand and unrepeatable act of love is what drives me to give my life away everyday.

EDGE Corps is the current avenue of which I am giving my life to others. To help college students grow in their faith and for me to learn to walk more closely with God has been one of the greatest privileges in my life thus far.

December 14-16 college students and young adults from all over the country gathered at the Glen Eyrie Conference Center for EDGE Preview to hear more about how they can give their lives away while in college, after graduation, and in their careers. At any given moment you'd see students with paper and pen, eyes squinted, searching for God in the pages of his Word.

The Lord also affirmed me in the significance of spending your life on behalf of the Gospel, through encouraging statements of women I have influenced in these past two years. Kari Weiss, a West Texas A&M student who I mentored at a 2007 Summer Training Program in Missouri, stood up and shared how I helped her learn the benefits of daily time with God, and never gave up on her even though she struggled with consistency and early mornings. Coele Stone, a student in my ministry at UCCS shared that I helped her learn how to share her faith and read the Bible with a co-worker. God even let me be used at the conference with Emily Jones of the University of Dayton, by spending some time with her praying over difficulties back home.

Sometimes I don't want to give my life away. Sometimes I want to keep it all to myself and do the things I have my heart set on (like attempting to bake the perfect biscotti, or searching for the perfect winter shoes, or even just laying around). While these things aren't inherently wrong, they can stem from selfishness, a stubborn heart, or even lack of discipline. I can't replace loving others and helping them on behalf of myself all the time. Jesus says those who want to save their lives will lose them.

Remembering what Jesus did for me produces motivation to go and do the same for him. Right now that looks like EDGE Corps, and for many of the students who came to EDGE Preview, the next two years will look similar to them. But for those in the full time work force, student-dom, or professional diaper changing, you too can give your life away right where you're at. Think of Christ and what his love for you accomplished on the cross. Then say, "Jesus, my life is yours, how should I live today?"

He will probably want you to spend time with him, and he will probably give you opportunities to love, serve, give, and share truth with others. Will we take hold of these things? Or will we keep living for ourselves?

Christ's love compels me. . .may it compel you too.

Jamie, Leigh Ann, myself, and Meredith all are serving with EDGE Corps currently. We are grateful for the opportunities to pour ourselves out to colleges students, that they may know Jesus.

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.

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.

Meaningful Conversations

Nav Nights, late night shin-digs, BBQs, the hallways in dorms, Tuesday Lunches. . .


With so many opportunities to connect with people relationally all these Navigator "social" events can be a spring board into deep heart felt conversations. In Proverbs 20:5 it says "The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of wisdom draws them out." It became clear to me that every event hosted an opportunity to reveal deeper things within the people in the ministry if I engaged purposefully with them.

It became my prayer before every Nav event: "Lord, let me have a meaningful conversation with someone tonight." My discovery: God is faithful to answer beyond my expectations, and people crave intention and care of another.




A glimpse into the meaningful:



Bowling.late night.
Between frames April (freshman at UCCS) and I talk about our faith journeys. April and I begin to meet weekly to discuss God's Word and his purposes in our life.


Relay for life.even later at night
Walking a track to support funds for Cancer Research, Megan (Navigator sophomore) dialogue with two students about the validity of the Bible, the character of God, and how prayer works.


BBQ.afternoon
Over triple layer chocolate cake and raising our voices over the music and festivities, a student in my Bible Study shares about a painful relationship and walking the path of forgiveness.


Under an oak tree, on a park swing, in the food court of a mall, in a car ride to Ft. Collins, await opportunities to think of someone else and what may be going on under the expression on their face.

Change a life between frames!