We wanted to let you know about a couple of things happening in our little corner of the world. :)
1) I (Lindsay) had a great time visiting my old group in Pomona. Those Cal Poly students are still close to my heart and it was a joy to share some new things God has been showing me. God has provided for them where graduates left gaps in leadership and on the worship team. Under the covering of another Southern CA campus pastor, they have maintained the ministry and continue to draw in new people. As I taught from the book of Jonah, I shared reflections on the not-so-popular part of his story where he expresses anger at God for showing compassion on the undeserving. As I received feedback from students, I saw that God was able to show at least two important things from that story: 1) that God delights in showing compassion even when the recipient is undeserving and 2) that God can handle his people's honesty, even in expressions of anger. Students picked up on the fact that we are all the "undeserving" recipients of compassion and that God is not a God who condemns honest expressions of the heart.
2) One of our beta groups is just about finished with their series of class sessions on Biblical Global Justice (what Randy has been working so hard on for so long now) and the feedback we have received is so good! Students are really grasping the issues, Scriptural understandings, and are hungry for more of this type of academic/practical/spiritual dialogue. This particular Chi Alpha group is a sort of campus-church and while students are gone for the summer, the whole church will be going through the material again.
3) We ask for your prayers. Randy has been through quite the life/world change in the last year -- moving across the country, starting a new school, working this new/different chi alpha assignment, being married, etc. The combination of both of our academic work, as each of us have a full-time load of classes, and ministry along with other adjustments with being married and doing ministry together presents new and different challenges (and blessings). We appreciate your prayers for continued strength to carry on faithfully, energy for the full life we have, and wisdom as we daily discern where and what to focus our time on.
4) Lastly, please continue to pray for me (Linds) as I keep learning and practicing spiritual direction. Currently, I have two directees and though I have so much to learn still, God is proving himself faithful and consistently showing up in the lives of these dear women entrusted to me. For confidentiality's sake, I am not able to give specific testimonies -- but know that God has been moving in undeniable ways in the lives of these young ladies.
With deep love and gratitude,
Lindsay and Randy
