Breakthrough

Melissa (left) and her sister Melanie (right)

What I like about my job is that I get to experience the privilege of being a part of a person’s quest towards becoming more like Christ.

I have known Melissa since she was a freshman two years ago. It’s amazing to see how she has grown and matured in her faith. I can never thank God enough for the opportunity He has given me to journey life with her — to see her struggle and take steps of faith, and to see her rejoice over academic achievements and reach milestones in her walk with God.

I remember Melissa being the young fashionista who made an impression the moment she stepped in the dorm room where we had our first small group meeting in the Fall semester of 2007.

From the time I met her, I was convinced that she is a very bright, well-spoken young woman. However, so many hurts from her past prevented her from confidently voicing her thoughts. She used to just sit quietly and listen to the discussion during our small group meetings, and even during my discipleship times with her. Certain experiences in the past led her to believe that she is insignificant.

But God has definitely been working in Melissa’s heart.

After years of trying to mask her feelings of shame and insecurity, she finally unveiled her true beauty to me and to her friends who love her and want to know her deeper, hurts and all. She communicated how she understands God’s love even more now as she continuously embraces her freedom to express her heart to her family, friends and community.

I have been seeing how her interaction with people has been changing through time.  The girl I deemed as a bright, well-spoken young woman (but seemed reserved in the beginning) indeed has a lot of encouraging and significant things to say.  I think it’s safe to say that Melissa has been experiencing breakthrough — something I think we only experience through Christ.

Obligation of the Cured

A few years ago at a Fall Retreat, I heard a speaker talk about the “Obligation of the Cured” concept.  For cancer survivors, it’s the idea that since they’ve been cured (or are in remission), they feel a sense of obligation to do something, whether it’s helping with research through giving, running a race or just telling their story. Anyway, I’ve thought about this talk and concept many times since hearing about it but was reminded of it again last night at my small group study.  We are currently studying Ephesians 3.  One of the questions was “why do you think Paul was chosen to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles” and one of the students said “someone with the promise had to share it.”  It sounds so simple, doesn’t it?  I loved how it got the girls thinking about what they could be doing in their own lives to share Christ with others.  How often do I forget that I have something great that needs to be shared?  I have been cured (in a sense) from eternal separation from God- now what am I going to about it? Thank you freshman girl for reminding me of this truth.

Thoughts From eQuip: Heaven = London?

This is one of my absolute favorite moments of the week.  Last night, the Austin ESM team put on a training time called eQuip.  The topics vary every time, but last night’s was designed to help student leaders study Scripture for themselves and learn how to interpret and apply it with sound methods.  Joe Smith did a great job in communicating a method he has found effective for the last eight years, and also sharing the vision for studying the Bible, how it helps us know Jesus.

Toward the end of the night, he started to talk about Heaven and his old misconceptions about it.  What followed was hilarious.

Joe: “I used to think that Heaven was this hazy, foggy place that was kind of cool…”

Student (interrupting): “London?”

Wow, I laughed so hard!  Even after my “adult” side kicked in and I stopped laughing during what was supposed to be a serious talk, I was secretly really proud that the student was in my co-ed Bible study.

In all seriousness, though, eQuip is a great time for our students to be trained in different areas of life and ministry skills.  During the previous session, students learned some strategies for sharing their faith and were encouraged to reach out to their friends and peers on campus.  Each training time is great but last night’s was of particular importance because one of our main objectives this year is to see every student leader well-equipped to read and apply the Bible on their own.  In other words, we want to see them become “self-feeders,” which is absolutely essential in the goal of walking with God for a lifetime.

Please pray that students will develop a love for God’s word that would keep them turning to it and its Author for a lifetime!

Megan’s story and upcoming Retreats

 I am so grateful for how God is working in and through our students.  Megan is a junior, petroleum engineering major at the University of Texas and one of our core leaders within Epic.  As I’ve gotten to know Megan, I’ve seen a woman who loves Jesus and also loves to be perfect in everything she does– this drive to be perfect sometimes overwhelms her.  Through her summer internship, Megan experienced working as a petroleum engineer and how God revealed her purpose in studying this major.  She shared with some of her co-workers about God and, in the future, through her job will be able to gain access into many countries (especially China where she is from) where she wouldn’t be able to go as a missionary.  She also discovered that her drive to excel gives her a platform of integrity that could translate into more opportunities to share her faith.  Megan’s story encouraged many students who are still trying to discern God’s purpose for them in their studies.

 

Upcoming Events:

Destino Fall Retreat: October 16-18

 Latino students from all over Texas will be coming together to hear Biblical teaching, connect, and meet more students interested in expressing and experiencing the gospel in culturally relevant ways.   I am trusting God that through this weekend, our UT Destino students will catch a greater vision for how God can use them in the Latino community on campus.

Renovo ‘o9 (latin for restoration) October 23-25

It has been more than a year since Hurricane IKE devastated so many families in Galveston, and many have not yet fully recovered.  Restoration doesn’t happen in an instant; it’s a process and a choice.  We are choosing to enter into a process of bringing back the life that was once there by serving, working, and rebuilding.  But it is more than that: we will show compassion and love as well.  This is the beauty of restoration: moving from the physical to the spiritual.   We are praying for 75 students from UT, UT-San Antonio, and the University of Houston to attend with at least 20 of them being unbelievers.  Our hope is that we can interact with students who wouldn’t normally come to one of our events, but because of the service nature of the weekend, they will participate and in turn experience the gospel. 

 

Thank you for impacting Megan’s life as well as many other students through our partnership in ethnic student ministry!