A Glimpse of Need

It is so, so good to finally be making a post from the City of Roses! Hello from Portland! 

The past few days have held many little conversations, new directors' training, friendship building, and campus exploring so we can know where we are. Students will begin moving in on Saturday. I move into my dorm on Monday. Though I absolutely LOVE my host family, I cannot wait to be on campus! 

Today Joshua and I explored the inside of several buildings. One of the rooms we discovered was the meditation/prayer room. Going there was the most sobering part of my day. Around the room, there were various meditation stations. Many of the tables included notecards where students could ask questions or post their spiritual thoughts. As I read them, the Spirit was so sad within me yet so glad. Sad because of the deep lostness that saturates this campus like no where I've ever been. Glad because I have the Truth and a mouth and hands and feet to share it with! How much confirmation of my call these provided!

I took pictures of some of the cards so you can get a feel for some of the lostness as well. These are just a few; there were 100+ more notecards like these. I only saw 2 that actually spoke truth. Please join me in praying over these precious, confused ones! 

Interview on Victory 91.5/Moving Update

As you might remember from reading A Series of Divine Appointments, the Lord gave me an opportunity to share my Portland story on Victory 91.5. Here is a recording of the radio broadcast. Please share it with family and friends!

As for a moving date update, I am still hoping to leave for Oregon on the 15th but still need to raise 24% ($720/month in commitments) between now and then. Please be praying that He will provide in crazy ways through His people! I am in contact with several churches and individuals but I will need a few more contacts before this is complete. I will need His provision, direction, and wisdom very much in these next seven days if I am to reach Portland by Sunday a week from tomorrow!



(Credit for the radio broadcast goes to Victory 91.5 and David and LeAnna Stein; you can visit their webpage at: http://victory915.com)

Let Wisdom Serve the City

The first thing I noticed on the Portland State campus when I visited was this:

 

In bold caps was the university's motto: "LET KNOWLEDGE SERVE THE CITY."

I remember talking with Jesus as we walked under it, thinking that the phrase was reflective of the hopelessness on campus, as if knowledge was the highest thing one could obtain. I knew right then that I was supposed to go to this place.

However, I hadn't really thought much of  that phrase until this past Monday night, when I had a chance to go back to the campus ministry I interned with this past year and be a part of their summer Bible study. Ken, my campus minister, shared about wisdom and the fear of the LORD.

He focused in on Proverbs 1: 7: " The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." Some people buck a bit at that verse. "Fear the LORD?" they say. "We shouldn't fear the LORD! God is loving and kind. He is forgiving. He wants us to experience joy and peace." Others say, "Yeah! That's what we need to do! This generation doesn't fear the LORD enough! They are all going to experience God's wrath!"

Both extreme attitudes are not what the scriptures are pointing us to. The no-fear, freedom model puts us in a position that disregards the need for the gospel, takes for granted the sacrifice of separation from the Father that Jesus made for us on the cross, and makes it easy to sin for we disregard it's weight by saying, "God will forgive me."  The all-fear model puts us in a position that disregards the beauty of the gospel, sends people running from the Father, and makes us judgmental, legalistic, and full of bitterness and anger. 

Think with me for a minute. 

The first word to ponder is FREEDOM. Make a mental list of some characteristics of God that give us freedom, that make it easier to trust in Him and be in relationship with Him.

Got your list? Well, here's some of mine (maybe you have others; please comment and share them!)...

I know I can have FREEDOM because God is:
Loving, gracious, merciful, kind, patient, peaceful, gentle, forgiving...

Now, another word for you--FEAR. Make another mental list of some characteristics of God that should lead us to fear Him. 

Here's my list:
I know I must FEAR because God is: 

holy, just, sovereign, perfect, righteous, my Maker, Sustainer of all life...

The Hebrew word for "fear" means to stand in awe of the Exalted. It doesn't mean to shake in dread and flee in terror. If we have that proper understanding of the word, we can understand how having the "fear of the LORD" doesn't separate us from a loving relationship of freedom in Christ Jesus. Rather, it gives us a proper perspective on Who the Father is as the perfect balance of Awe-Inspiring Exalted King and our Heavenly Daddy.

What does this have to do with Portland State, you ask?

Well, it is my great desire that students at Portland State come to know Jesus Christ and walk in a right relationship with Him. I Cor. 1: 30 says,

 "And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption."

If the fear of the LORD--the attitude of reverence for the LORD we obtain as we rightly know His character--is the beginning of wisdom and the Wisdom of God is Jesus Christ and "Him crucified" (I Cor. 1:23), then our foundational principle as a campus ministry (and as believers in general) must be to teach the character of God.

And so I begin, as any writer would, to create a Bible study to use in the fall. Please pray for me as I brainstorm, write, edit, and prepare. My goal is to create a Bible study that would grab the attention of unchurched nonbelievers who have little to no knowledge of the scriptures, much less wisdom from believing the God of the scriptures. I want to answer the question, "Who is God?" and tell the attributes of God through story, incorporating both O.T. and N.T. stories in a narrative that teaches God's character, ultimately culminating with God's character of being "righteousness, sanctification, and redemption" (I Cor. 1:30). I've never written a Bible study for non-believers before. I know it is going to be quite the challenge for this Bible-belt, raised-with-Christian-jargon-from-the-womb, Southern girl to set aside all of that and try to imagine what is like to not understand who Abraham is or what the word "sanctification" means. I know I'm going to have to watch every word and tone I use; I don't want to talk over their heads or down to them. I need prayers for a lot of balance! It will be a challenge, but I know that I need this tool (and the practice) for the fall and so I begin!

And so I need your help! What is your favorite attribute of our God? And why? How does that attribute point toward the cross? Please comment and share, even if your favorite attribute is the same as someone else's! You never know how your comment might help jump-start my thoughts and set me off on a journey to tell some precious students about Jesus!

By the way, I got one more major thing out of Ken's Bible study the other day. I had been praying about a motto for our campus ministry. Now I have it!

"Let Wisdom Serve the City." 

"...We seek to impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.  But we impart a secret and hidden Wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages ... As it is written, 'No eye has seen, nor has ear heard,  nor has the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him!"  (I Cor. 2: 6-7,9)

Yes, and Amen.

The Skeptic's Club Encouraged Me In Campus Ministry

"If someone had taken the time Freshman year to explain to me how God could actually be real or answered my questions about science and the Bible in Sunday School, I might still believe. But now? Now I have science; that's all I need."
~Elgin, Atheist from the North GA Skeptic's Club

Few moments have confirmed my call to campus ministry to me more than the moment when Elgin shared the above statement with us in Skeptic's Club a few weeks ago. I first decided to go to Skeptic's Club back in January when the Lord told me I was supposed to go "outside the camp [my comfort zone and Christian bubble], bearing His reproach." (Hebrews 13:13) I went to listen at first, just to give them a section of my day and understand why they believe what they believe. Then the Lord opened doors to share the gospel in crazy ways!

Skeptic's Club discussions

This was the last meeting of the semester and my friend Taylor and I expected there to be a large turn-out for Skeptics, as they were picking their officers for next year. Instead, God had a different plan. Only Elgin showed. So we sat and talked about science and God for the next two hours with this Atheist who had once led worship at his church as a youth but had been disillusioned by his upper-level science classes. All I could think as I sat there was "if someone had taken the time Freshman year...if someone had taken the time Freshman year....if someone had taken the time Freshman year...I might still believe." 

This is who the Lord has called me to go to. Those mold-able college students who have never heard the truth and who need REAL answers.  Those precious Freshman who have grown up in church but are struggling to make sense of how the Truth of the Bible and the World's Philosophy fit together (or don't). Those seeking Sophomores who are beginning to grow cold toward anything religious because no one will take the time to explain or talk to them like they are adults. Those stretched Juniors who are feeling the pressures of upper-level classes, relationships, or family life. Those stressed Seniors who are choosing their life work, who want to do something that matters in this world but aren't really sure if anything truly matters anymore.

These are who God has called me to love. And I'm so very glad!

I never thought when I began going to the N. GA. Skeptics Club that I would one day say I'd miss those rascals. But I do. They have taught me more than they know about how to defend truth and how much I need Jesus! God has used them to break down pride in my life and to show me that I didn't know what I was talking about so He could rebuild me by His Word. They have helped me learn a small piece of what it means to be Jesus' hands and feet. I have loved it!

I recently joined the Facebook page for the Portland State University Skeptics Club. I know what I'm going to be doing with Wednesday afternoons come September! I couldn't be happier!

Pray for:
--those who heard truth in Skeptics club this year, knowing that the Lord's word does not return to Him void.
--those students who will continue to reach out in Skeptic's club next year. Pray that not only would he prepare those who are willing now but also raise up more people to love on them for the kingdom!
--those in the PSU Skeptic's Club whom the Lord will give me opportunity to engage with in a few short months, that He will already begin preparing them to hear and receive the truth.
--me as I prepare to be "ready to give an answer" over the summer. I am currently reading a book called 5 Minute Apologetics for Today and studying the scriptures and science topics found within it so I can be better able to share answers from both a rational and Biblical, informed perspective.

Support-raising lessons from Haggai

After taking time to pray and prepare for support-raising, I officially began contacting churches and individuals two weeks ago. Today I had the opportunity to have my first official support-raising meeting; I met my church missions committee to discuss my calling to Portland and vision for PSU. Please be in prayer for them as they make decisions in the next week or so about how the Lord may lead Concord to support me next year and be a part of the immeasurably more that I know God has in store for Portland!

Before the meeting, I was rather nervous and shaky, just because I was unsure of how the meeting would go seeing how it was my first. This morning, I was in a hurry to prepare for our meeting, so rather than read in the Minor Prophets like I have been in my regular Bible study, I only read a Psalm. Though that was very encouraging, I knew I needed to spend some more time with the Lord before going into the support-raising meeting. The Lord brought to mind that I was supposed to be in Haggai this morning as well as the Psalm and said, "Read Haggai." And as many of you might think as well, I was sitting there thinking, "Haggai?! Out of all the books in the Bible, I'm supposed to read Haggai?"

But let me tell you, I think Haggai might just be one of my favorite books of the Bible, now! Because Haggai rocked my world!

At first, it was really discouraging, because the people of Israel aren't listening and so the Lord is telling them He's going to take all their wealth away in chapter 1. And so I was sitting there wondering what in the world the Lord was trying to do. But then I got to chapter 2! I'd like to share verses 4b-9 with you:

"'...be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!' “For thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this place with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

From these verses, the Lord reminded me that I needed to take my focus off of me and my needs and focus on the ministry He has called me to and His glory! And why need I worry about His glory? His glory as the Great I AM is already in existence--always has been and always will be!

That is my confidence. He will never lose the glory. He can't. He IS Glory.

The Great I AM.

Praise Him with me, won't you?

AAAHHHHH!!!

I JUST BOUGHT A PLANE TICKET TO VISIT OREGON!

In the past few days, several pieces of the puzzle have begun falling together. I will be raising support through NorthWest Collegiate Ministries (NCM), a non-profit, tax-deductible organization (a 501C3). On March 7th and 8th, the NorthWest Baptist Convention is hosting a support-raising school which will teach me valuable information about the process. I will also get a chance to visit and explore this city which is soon-to-be my mission field! I will be in Portland from Wednesday night the 6th-Sunday evening the 10th. Please pray for safe travels and that my time there would be fruitful. Also pray for me as I prepare and do the homework pre-travels--both that I will learn all that I need to and that I will know the balance between preparation for the future and being "all in" with my ministry here at North Georgia; these next few weeks promise to be full and stretching ones!

Still can't believe I'm bound for Oregon two weeks from tonight! Our God's plans are CRAZY sometimes!

Introduction

Precious friends,
As many of you know, I have been serving as the Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) intern at the University of North Georgia this past school year. In November, the Lord confirmed my call to campus ministry and began laying the Western region on my heart. Throughout ministry this year, I have realized how very blessed we are here in the South with 55 BCMs in the state of GA, numerous churches, and multiple, willing servants. However, the Western region is not only the most unreached but also the most understaffed. Collegiate ministries are scarce.
In recent months, I have specifically been praying about the state of Oregon, specifically Portland State University. In Oregon, there are approximately 650,000 college students, 80% of which do not claim to have any religious beliefs at all. The culture is very much "pre-Christian" (will be explained in a later post) and approximately 1 gospel-preaching church exists for every 36,000 people. The most wide-spread religions of those who do claim affiliation with church are Catholicism and Mormonism. 
On Friday night, I finally surrendered to the Lord's leading in this area after weeks of fighting with Him over fear of support-raising. Because of a the lack of believers who live in the Pacific North Western region, there are no funded positions available for campus ministers filling open positions in Oregon. Please be in prayer for me as I begin this long and learning-filled process! Many crucial conversations will be happening in the coming days. Though I know that I do not fully understand yet what I've been called to, I trust that when I humble myself in the sight of the LORD, then He will lift me up! (I Peter 5:8)
Love you all and appreciate each one of you!
That His glory might be revealed,
Miriam