This summer has been a whirlwind, to say the very least- between taking 3 summer school classes, working around 20 hours a week, raising financial support for an internship and looking for a new place to live, I have managed to save some of my sanity. Praise the Lord. It was all (almost) done by His grace, and His grace, alone.
I received an email from a friend about a week ago asking me to pray for him and his sister who is starting college this year. I was so encouraged by his caring heart for his sister, but it also got me thinking about other freshmen students that are entering into college this fall. Gosh, I remember being a freshmen and I don't think I fully understood what I was getting myself into, honestly, I think I was just excited to get away (sorry Mom and Dad). In thinking about my friend's sister and all the other freshmen coming to college, I was thinking about how many of them know Christ, how many don't know Him, how many may have heard of Him, how many may have heard lies about Him, how many are working and striving to do well in school instead of living in the freedom that only He gives. It kind of tears me up to think about some of those things, but I think it mostly gets me excited!
Freshmen are some of the most open people that I know. They are at such a vulnerable place, to make decisions that will effect them for the rest of their lives. Really scary, but what if it didn't have to be? What if the decisions that freshmen made allowed them to experience freedom instead of pressure, faith instead of fear and love instead of self? What if making a decision for Christ changed their lives for eternity?
For the past 2 years I have had the blessing to lead freshmen women Bible studies at UCI. Each of the women that I have the privilege to know and love during these past 2 years has created a special place in my heart for themselves. Their love for each other and for others and their fun personalities and honesty and desire to grow as a women and in their relationship with the Lord has been so encouraging. If you are one of them and you're reading this, I hope you know how much I love you! :)
But this brings me back to the freshmen that are entering UCI this fall... I am SO incredibly excited to meet them, to help them, to laugh with them, to show them where the beach is, to see them adjust to becoming adults- SO excited. But here's the catch, in order for me to be fully invested in doing all of this, I have to be at 100% of my financial goal. My internship with Campus Crusade for Christ, is giving me an amazing opportunity to invest in these students- and change their lives (hopefully) for eternity. Well I won't, but Christ will! I have just 9 days- that's all- to find people that are passionate about what I am doing and to give prayerfully and financially so that I can do this full time! I am trusting that the Lord will provide 10 people to join my team at $100/month and another 8 people join at $50/month!
This is crazy- believe me, I know it! But isn't it crazy to think that a Holy God would completely humble himself and become man to die for people that are not holy, sinful and selfish? Yeah, I would call that crazy too. But crazy good! And how crazy is it that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is in those that believe in His name?!?! The same Spirit that was able to do the impossible, made it possible. I'm trusting that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, is the same Spirit that will bring in all of my financial support so that I can invest in these students! Will you be crazy and trust with me? Will you be crazy and be one of the people to join my team at $100 or $50 a month?
Speaking of all this crazy, I am reminded of Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love". Its a must read. If you so choose to decide to give, you can do that here:
Or if you wish to contact me for more information or questions about that, you can get me at erinpfarley@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment