August 2019

Thank you so much for supporting me in campus missions. I send this email out every month as a way to, hopefully, give you a peak at what God is doing with your investment - that you might be encouraged. I thank God for you, remember you in my prayers, and am still every bit as committed to the mission He's called me to as the day I started. Wether in campus ministry or the music industry, a dental office in Texas or a tech company in South Africa, our mission is the same. He has commanded us to seek out opportunities to invite people into His family, and to build up the body of believers wherever we go (derived from Matt 28:19). I pray this letter falls in the latter directive. I hope that in reading it you feel encouraged and emboldened and uncomfortable, compelled by the love He's given you to go and do what He's asked. There is a popular Francis of Assisi quote that has been circulating in recent years. It goes something like: "Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words." A unconventional pastor of mine recently called this quote into question for me. It seems to me that in every example we have of the early apostolic church, - Paul, Peter, John, the Samaritan woman, et cetera - they used their words. They were bold in their mission, confident in the good God who called them to it. They were outspoken about Jesus because they believed He is the hope of the world. It is not enough to be a good person (see Matt 7:21). What good does that ultimately do? How does that teach people who Jesus is, if His name is never attached to the good deed? Be good, yes. Be kind, and merciful, and inclusive. But likewise, be bold. Be courageous. Fearless in the face of ridicule and compassionate beyond reason in the midst of those you consider your enemies. After all, you were once His enemy too. It's this mindset that I pray takes root in our students' lives. I don't want them to be merely good; I want them to be godly. As they return to their campuses, I hope to show them what this looks like - trusting that God will make up for my deficit. I hope that they begin to put in practice what they see in their Jesus, that He would make them fishers of men as they listen for His voice. I hope the same for myself, and for all of you. All my thanks, Kristen "Now when the Jewish leaders saw the boldness of Peter and John and found out that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and realized that they had been with Jesus." - Acts 4:13 Welcome week is right around the corner. Pray that God renews our sense of urgency to go a declare the good news to incoming students, to cast our nests wide, and invite as many as we can into His family.  Pray against depression and loneliness for incoming freshman. Let's protect those most vulnerable as best we can.  Pray that we, our students and our staff, would get to experience the joys and sorrows of getting to follow Jesus this year, that our faith would produce perseverance - that we might be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1)

Nearly all of the bubble-blowers in the picture our students we've worked with over the years who have become our friends. Thank you for the part you play in us letting to do our jobs.