Intern Mondays // A Song That’s Encouraged Me

Have you met the interns yet? They're pretty amazing. The following post is from Kristin Caldwell. She's a graduate of Central Washington University and is becoming an expert at navigating public transportation in the city.

Over the past couple of months, a song that has continuously encouraged me is Oceans by Hillsong United. The lyrics of this song talk about how God calls us to walk with Him into the unknown, and that if we call upon His name and keep our eyes fixed on Him, He will lead us to do things we would never be able to do ourselves. My favorite line of the song is "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders/Let me walk upon the waters/Wherever you would call me." These simple phrases hold such power.

My first experience of hearing God calling me to do something was Him asking me to confess a sin to my mentor at the time that I had never shared with anyone before. It was probably the scariest thing I'd ever done up til that point, but it brought so much freedom and healing into my life as a result. I think hearing from God very much includes obeying Him in what He calls us to do. There is action required. My experience has been that the more that I obey, the easier it becomes to identify His voice because I learn what His voice sounds like. And the things He has called me to obey Him in have gradually become bigger and bigger.

A few years later, I was journaling in my room alone with God, when all of a sudden I randomly had the thought that I should share what I had written down during the Chi Alpha group meeting that night. Every week during the worship time at Chi Alpha, the worship leader invites students up to share if there's anything that God has put on their heart. I had never done it, and quite honestly, hoped I never would. Public speaking in any form has always terrified me. And yet when I got this impression from God to share, I knew that's what I had to do. I tried to make excuses, but I also knew that I would regret not obeying the nudging.

And so that night I went up to the front and took hold of the microphone. I read the scripture, shaky voice and all, and somehow managed to share everything I felt I needed to share without notes. I don't know whether or not my words made a difference in someone's life that night, but my biggest satisfaction was in knowing that I had been obedient to what God had called me to do at that time.

Since then, there has only been one other time that God has nudged me to share something at a weekly Chi Alpha meeting. But He has stretched me in trusting Him in more other ways than I can count. When I graduated from college, I struggled to find a job before I found a nanny job with long hours and low pay. When the kids were getting ready to go back to school, I struggled again to find consistent work. It was then that God provided me with a job at exactly the right time, and in the type of place that I had been hoping for. A few months later, I went to World Missions Summit, an event I had been looking forward to for nearly four years, ever since I had any idea what it even was. It was there that God called me to do the internship. Naturally, I assumed that I would be going back to Central Washington University. When I found out that, no, that's not where I would be headed, I was devastated. And yet that's what God used to bring me to DC. I'm still not sure how God convinced me to move across the country, but all I know is that He is the one who made it happen. I still have no idea how all that support came in as I struggled to raise such a high budget my first time going into ministry. Somehow He did. And now that I'm here, I'm amazed at how fast I have been able to adjust. There are definitely still things that frustrate me and confuse me about this campus and this type of ministry, but that's okay. God is showing me how much He loves these students and how desperately He desires for them to love Him too. And somehow, I trust that He is using me in the lives of others, even when I might not see it. All that I can really do is keep trusting Him, praying that He will give me a trust in Him that is without borders.

Blane on Intentionality, The Zombie Apocalypse & More

Post by AU Chi Alpha Campus Ministries.

We're bringing back Free Resource Fridays later this week but until then, you can watch this short video interviewing Blane. It was created by the Creative Communications Cohort at AU Chi Alpha and we recently sent it out to all of our email newsletter subscribers. Want to get on that list to receive updates?  

Intern Mondays // Not Everyone Understands My Job

Have you met the interns yet? They're pretty amazing. The following post is from Nick Holmstedt a recent graduate of Hamline University. He has a knack for making friends easily and even though he doesn't really like coffee, we try not to hold that against him.

Not everyone understands my job.  Not everyone even understands that this work is a job; “When you get a real job,” they say.  You can put yourself in their shoes, of course.  A recent college graduate, going back to a college campus with friends in a place they’ve spent years (or a semester, but who’s counting?).  Certainly you could assume there would be comfort, it would be the 'easy' choice, that it’s just an opportunity to stick around with friends for another year.

Reality sets in to define something totally distinct from a student’s experience.  We have the beauty of a job whose bounds are that of missional, Kingdom living.  Truly, though, our mission is no different than that of any Christian, regardless of vocation: to bring the light of Jesus into the world.  In ministry, we are wonderfully blessed to pursue God and share His glory outside of office prisons (because that’s what cubicles really are, right?).

The difference is not our job versus professional jobs, for we share purpose.  Instead the change is in the context of our work, our relative freedom to share boldly and often.  I’ll tell you, though, the unique challenges of this open box are vast.  Each day brings about a new perspective as we explore the depths of God’s people. 

When it’s all boiled down, my job is principally about relationship.  This certainly strikes another struggle with the term ‘job.’  Traditional American culture sees relationship as only a benefit of friendship, but that’s far from what a biblical community embraces.  The conflict in perception is that a job is something you do, but in the case of ministry our job is something we love (you could even say our job IS love, but that’s a little cheesy).  We open up our experiences and our vulnerabilities to others and strive to grow together towards Christ.  We deal in the eternal, the spiritual: abstract and intangible but absolutely integral. 

Of course, the spiritual is related to the physical.  We could sit and stare at the sky awaiting Jesus’ return, but at the cost of much capacity for good here.  So we do work to facilitate the setting for Christ.  Into our campus we want to welcome him, into the hearts of students and faculty and staff and everyone.  To do this requires preparation.  The hours we spend managing databases, updating websites, practicing for musical worship, studying Scripture, planning meetings, purchasing materials… it goes to serve that purpose of discipleship, evangelism, of fellowship and praise.

This job is worth it.  Because it’s more than a job, more than a career.  It’s a mission, a vision, an opportunity, a gift.  If you can know only one thing about what we do, know this:  we love God, God loves us, we work to make known that His love is available to all, and we work hard to do it. Because it's worth it. 

Intern Mondays // People You Meet While Support Raising

Have you met the interns yet? They're pretty amazing. The following post is from Bonnie Duncan, who likes making Texas-shaped food and has never seen an impossible race she didn't want to try.

My Chi Alpha pastor often compares support raising to the Tough Mudder. If you haven’t ran a Tough Mudder, then I should warn you, there is an 8-foot wall you have to climb over before you get to the start line. And you see this wall and you’re like well team, we gave it a good run.

It is in this moment when you realize the world can be a cold and unforgiving place. And if you didn’t pay so much for your race fee, you would be temped to throw in the towel at the sight of this wall and comfort yourself by saying you gave it the old college try. But because you would never wake up at 5:30am for nothing, you climb that wall. And others help you. And you make it over. And you do a victory dance. And then you get to the start line. And that’s when the real pain begins. But you’re so stoked you climbed an 8-foot wall, the adrenaline doesn’t wear off until mile 6. 

Support raising is kinda like that. And like the Tough Mudder, somewhere between soul-crushing and how much longer til the finish line, you meet people along the way who remind you behind every missionary, God creates a team.

Every pledge faith promise is a reminder of God’s providence and grace, and a reassurance that just as he has called me to go, he has called others to send. Like these awesome people just to describe a few:

The “Down for the Cause” Guy

This guy is all about the great commission. And all things Jesus. You ask for his email for a follow up and its soldoutforJesus@gmail.com. You ask how life is going, he responds saying he’s basking in the glory of God’s will. “Just trusting God in all things you know.” You tell him about support raising, he talks about how the hand of God is going to multiply and provide. You say goodbye, and he says “Live it loud and be sold out for Jesus.”

He’s all about this life.

That Pseudo-All-Knowing Person who Supports you Without Having to be Asked

You don’t ask them, they ask you. Because they are that cool. Call it the spiritual gift of knowledge if you will. (If that is you, there is a convenient link where you can give securely online here.) They’re the “Hey, I heard you are support raising and probably too nervous to ask so I’m just gonna start my monthly support k?” So this has actually only happened twice, but I am most definitely not opposed to it.

Just another reminder that God’s the one who provides in spite of my best efforts.

Lastly, Those People That Warrant a Happy Dance After Every Convo Because they are just that Awesome.

They know who they are. They are those super awesome that just ooze with wisdom and Jesus swag that it is almost hard to finish a conversation with them. Cause all of your energy is focused on keeping your cool.  Because they not only support you, but more importantly support the work God is doing on university campuses. They are those people in the Tough Mudder that dress up in costumes and carry around blow up alligators and dolphins. Why you may ask? Because ordinary is not really their style.

And while we are at it, ordinary is not really Jesus’s style either. And while climbing over that wall before the start line is daunting and utterly terrifying, it gives meaning as we run the rest of the race. 

Nick Talks Star Wars & The Power of Release

Post by AU Chi Alpha Campus Ministries.

We're bringing back Intern Mondays next week but until then, you can watch this short video interviewing Nick. It was created by the Creative Communications Cohort at AU Chi Alpha and was shared recently on social media.