last night was our first college ministry get together. tara and i cooked steaks, mashed potatoes, salads, brownies, and calamanci pie for anyone who wanted to show up. i forgot how nerve racking the first meeting or conversations are. i invited 5 or 6 people to have dinner at the house, made the plans for dinner, prayed a lot, started cooking, and then waited. that wait kills me. you know, the one where you're getting ready to throw the steaks on the grill when the first students show up so you're sitting (or pacing) watching the clock hit 7:00. well the clock hit 7:00. then it hit 7:03. then i started looking out the windows. as it turned 7:05 i half joked with tara that maybe her and i were going to eat 10 steaks and 3 pounds of mashed potatoes by ourselves. at 7:07 i worried we would have to do just that. 7:10 made me start pacing twice as fast, but finally at 7:13 i saw lights pulling up the driveway.
i got the oppertunity to eat a good meal with 8 other people who really might want to follow Jesus like he wanted to be followed. as the students introduced themselves and told how they arrived at this poiint in their lives i couldn't help but remember other introductions in ct. i began to get excited about conversations in the future or mission planning meetings with these 20 year olds. i noticed i was anxious to hear them talk about Jesus over coffee or to see them give shoes to a needy kid. i couldn't wait to hear them share jesus with a friend or hear them pray for their communities.
when it came my turn to share my story i couldn't help but grin as i talked about the strange road to connecticut from texas, centralpub from mystic, and guam usa from new britain. as i shared what i loved and how i genuinely like Jesus and the ideas spinning around in my brain for outreach and missions here on guam i got excited. i think i have a few people to follow Jesus with and im getting excited to share life with them.
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4 comments:
It excites me to hear how you embrace change so well! I'm sure Guam is different than any place you have been and I know you will learn so much about the culture from these students, as you did in connecticut to better relate and meet the needs (minister) of each student.
oh austin, i'm so happy that it went well!.... when i think about it, i'm pretty sure that the first time i met you i didn't even realize you were the pastor.
the wait is always the worst. but now that you had your first meeting, and are able to actually start getting to know, and build a relationship with these people, things will fall smoother into the places they're supposed to fall. and as you get to know them, you'll be given more direction on where to take this new ministry.
eee! it's going to be good. i'm sure of it.
Amazing! I am so happy for you that things are working out there. You and Tara are in my prayers.
~Laura
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