Wedding, 2010 resolution, Columbia

Just a short update to say I’ve been having a wonderful time in Columbia.  It’s been great to reunite with friends and catch up on everyone’s lives.  The wedding on Saturday was beautiful, and I’m excited for Michelle and Seth as they start their life together.  :)

Be praying tomorrow, it’s the first Goer group in Fayetteville at 6:30am!

Also, if missed it, my New Year’s resolution for 2010 was to take a photo every day.  So far I have successfully done that, and they are all located on my photo blog, xina marie photography.  Check it out for a view through my lens every day.

So how is everybody doing?  Drop me a comment and let me know you’re reading and what’s new with you!

Columbia tomorrow!

Hello!
I just wanted to give you all a short update on some of the neat things that are happening this month.

• In the morning I’m flying to Columbia, SC. I’ll be catching up with supporters and friends there for a week (Feb. 3-10). I’ll also have the opportunity strengthen networks and help get the XPLORE book to people who will use it!
  • Please pray for a safe, encouraging trip, and that God will show up in unexpected ways!
• On Tuesday, Feb. 9, we’ll be having our first GOer group in Fayetteville. This is a place where students who are planning to serve as cross-cultural goers for 1 or more years can process through many of the issues and struggles involved. We’ll be meeting at 6:30am on Tuesday mornings for the rest of the semester.
  • Pray God will bring the right students to this group.
  • Please pray this will be an encouraging place of accountability for these students.
  • Pray for the Every Ethne staff as we organize the logistics, plan speakers, etc., that we can be a resource and mentor to these students. (And pray that we’ll all be awake at 6:30am! :) )
• Tuesday, Feb. 25 is the Collegiate Day of Prayer. Join with others across the country as we pray for America’s college campuses. http://www.collegiatedayofprayer.org. Invite your friends to join with you and take some time out this day to pray!

I hope you all are doing well. If you have the chance, please drop me a line and let me know if there’s any ways I can be praying for you.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

The storm, 2010

Quite a good deal of snow…  The first photo was at 11:40am.  The second was at 1:40pm.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

NWA Ice Storm 2010

Well, definitely not as bad as last year.  At least not yet, and hopefully not at all.  But it’s accrued some real ice outside.

icy hog

icy branch

icy car antenna

Ice, Goer Groups, and Columbia

Well, due to pending inclement weather, Perspectives class has been cancelled for tonight.  It’s sad, but at least everybody will be safe.  Although, being from Wisconsin, cancelling things for weather before it even starts icing is weird to me. :)

The picture is from last year’s record breaking (and tree/roof/powerline breaking…) ice storm.  I was actually in Fayetteville for it in between Texas and Wisconsin.  It was definitely crazy.  So, we’re all hoping that doesn’t happen again this year.

We’ve got some really exciting things going on with Every Ethne these days.  We’re currently a Goer Group for students at the UofA.  It will be held Tuesday mornings at 6:30 am (yikes!  I hope I can get up for that!), and is for students that are serious about going as a cross-cultural goer for a year or more after graduation.  We’re going to cover all sorts of training topics, as well as provide a place of like-minded encouragement for students while they’re in school. Super exciting stuff.  The first one is scheduled for Feb. 9.

And speaking of February, I’m actually headed Columbia, SC again!  A supporter of mine is getting married, so I figured it would be a good time to connect with other friends and supporters.  If you’re in the Columbia area, I’ll be there Feb. 4-9!  Let me know if you’d like to hang out, and I’ll schedule you in!

1st night: Alpha

We had somewhere around 80 people at Alpha tonight.  The majority of them were college students.  Exciting stuff!  Please pray for some big God things to happen this semester.

Alpha

Alpha starts tonight!   Please pray:

• for the right people to show up
• for wisdom in leading discussions
• for deep community to form
• for the Holy Spirit’s presence to be evident!

Thanks!

Urbana update in photos

Urbana update, from Dec 26-Jan 2.

We talked to hundreds of students at Urbana about Perspectives

I helped with the design of our promotional materials. This was our three booths next to each other.

Most of our Perspectives Urbana '09 team (L-R: Ryan, Daniel, me, Kyle. Missing: Angela)

There were about 16,000 participants in St. Louis for Urbana '09.

Local Church, and getting involved

I’ve been very transient for the past several years.  On top of that, I was pretty involved in activities and ministries through college.  This has meant that for the past several years, I haven’t been able to really dig in to my local church body.  I was super involved in leadership and church activities all growing up through high school.  But due to lack of transportation, over commitment in other ministry areas through school, or instability in my location, I’ve been unable to really get involved in much of anything for a long time.

Well, since moving to Fayetteville, I have found a church that I’m excited to call “home.”  New Heights is incredible, and I got to go through a Discovery class last semester.  Well, today at church, I finally decided that I have no more excuses, and it’s time once again to start plugging in to a local body and getting involved.  And, to be honest, I’m actually kind of excited about this.  :)

This evening I attended a leadership meeting for Alpha.  I’m planning to be a co-leader for an Alpha small group on Sunday nights this semester.  Please be praying for me to grow in my skills as a small-group leader.  Also be praying that God will bring the right people to this course who are seeking answers about Christianity and need a place to openly express their questions and doubts.  We’re really praying for a lot of college students to attend.

Please pray also that God will guide me as I’m seeking Him on where and how to most strategically get involved in my local church community.  In the past I have been very over committed and burned out, and I don’t want to do that again.  I really want to be really invested in just a few things, and to do them well, rather than to have my hand in too  many things.  So pray that I will have wisdom to find those things that God is calling me to, and the courage to commit to them when I do find them.

Thanks!

Perspectives – First night!

First night of the Fayetteville class.  Over 160 students!

Introducing the class.

The Living God is a Missionary God.  Love Lesson 1!

Claude Hickman of The Traveling Team taught the first lesson.

See and download the full gallery on posterous