School has begun and so have we. This is such a fun and also prayer filled time as we meet new students, but are just one of the many, many new things bombarding them as they arrive at school. So we pray and try to connect as much as possible with as many as we can.
We had 12 freshmen over on Monday night and had a good time with a little name game, some of Julee’s fajitas, and looking at John 5. Please pray as we try to be as faithful as possible in reaching and training freshmen this year.
Last night at a campus dorm we witnessed a collision of worldviews and spiritual forces. A group of students had received permission to hold a 24 hour worship/prayer event in a dorm. A lot of work went into setting up sound equipment, lights, pictures, prayer areas, food, etc. The atmosphere was well done.
About 2 hours into the event, a student whom I guess was with the dorm council, stormed into the area and announced loudly and rudely that it was being shut down. This started a conversation with more of the council which lasted for over an hour. Their position was that in their understanding the event they approved was not the event which was happening. Complaints had apparently been received which contended that it was not an ‘inclusive’ event and that students were being pressured to ‘convert’. So the council said that the event was ‘too Christian’ and not inclusive of all religions. So, while no student was turned away - anyone could be a part or hang around to check things out and several students did just that - and no one was pressured or even invited to convert, the crux was that an event where Jesus was being worshipped, could not be tolerated. The authorities could not risk for a non-Christian to be offended in anyway.
So a collision occurred between a worldview that says Jesus is truth and one that says ‘our truth is that there is no truth’. There was also a very evident spiritual force at work with one student who exhibited anger and beligerance and even hatred. Very evident when only music was being played and sung and students were quietly praying.
On the front lines anything ‘Christian’ cannot be tolerated and the blindness of the other worldview is displayed. While obviously drunk students were entering/leaving the dorm and using all sorts of colorful language and, assumingly, engaged in various sorts of activites in their rooms, it was not okay for students to be singing about Jesus or praying for the dorm they were in at an event in a common area.
It is the worldview that says ‘I have a right not to be offended.”
This event was admittedly very Christian and may not have been the most effective way to move dorm students towards Jesus, but it was also certainly not deterimental to students well-being and even interfering with their pusuits of the evening. And so in the middle of a labor-intensive event, a group of students made another group of students tear down and pack up in a hurry so that no one would be offended.
This post has nothing to do with a chihuahua, just thought it sounding intriguing.
Please pray for us as we go to speak tomorrow to the Project Impact students in Denver. We are to talk on dying to greed and developing a generous heart. Another one of those talks when you end up speaking to yourself as much as the audience.
Just returned from a great workout. Some call it a hike up the flatirons. Some call it a good idea in a brainstorming session. Some called it crazy. We called it wonderfully exhilarating. You can view highlights here.
Wow. Somehow Christmas break doesn’t end up being restful. We have been on the move for awhile now. It has been good however.
We enjoyed a few days in Pagosa Springs with some college friends who are all parents many times over these days. We enjoyed that time and worked in a day of skiing that was perfect. The trip back home was slow as a storm dumped snow on us the entire second half of the trip.
After one day at home in which we had our family Christmas, we were off to Oklahoma to see our families and friends. We also made a quick trip to see my Grandpa who is 91 years old. The kids received a Wii for Christmas on this trip and it has increased our family’s exercise. It also gave us new vocabulary, such as, “Don’t touch me there, that’s my Wii arm.”
Then we raced back to Colorado for a student conference called Life Impact. The staffs of Colorado Christian Challenge’s planned and organized this conference. The conference emphasized evangelism, discipleship, and missions and also encouraged a deep spiritual life to be found in daily relationship with Jesus. Attendance was around 400 and most everyone I talked with was in agreement that it needs to happen again in two years. This conference fits a need in reinforcing the DNA of the ministries that attend and moving students forward in fulfilling the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.
And then we were able to come home - just in time to prepare for family and friends who are coming to town for Kylee’s bat berith party ( a special party for her 12th birthday). Then we start up again as we have our student leader’s back for a meeting on Sunday afternoon. School starts on Monday. It seems we’ll get rest in heaven. ( During these times, it pays to have some small ways to relax and recharge - i.e. Quiet Time in a hot tub, family Wii bowling tournament, date night, etc. They don’t take a lot of time, but can make a huge difference in the midst of full and busy decades of life)
One of my New Year goals is to update this blog more often, so comment and hold me to it. Its good to have you for us and with us and behind us.
Oh. We saw several students join the Family at the conference (including one of our children) so it was very exciting as well as challenging.
Here is a look at the house we are now living in. It has four levels and a hot tub in the basement for theology discussions and such. Julee has it looking nice and homey and cozy. We are very grateful for God’s provision and a place here in CO.
Nov. 5, 2007
This weekend we were able to look at three different rent houses. One was a great house. The owner had just bought it 6 weeks ago and had totally redone everything, so it looked very fresh but it had no front yard or back yard which for the dog and kids it’s kind of a must. The other house, well let me put it this way, when we left I felt like taking a shower. Three college guys who have started a band were renting it, that is probably enough said. The third house might actually work, it was smaller square footage but we could probably leave some stuff in storage and at least have a place for us to settle down. We have a call out to another house that is in Louisville, which is a few miles down the road.
Kylee continues to take violin lessons and enjoys her teacher (one of the Challenge students). Zach is still practicing the piano, which the Pruett’s just got tuned, so he can now know what the notes are really suppose to sound like. Josh is starting up wrestling with the high school team. Caleb will get his driver’s permit this week!!! PLEASE PRAY FOR ME. Hudson is working on his letters and sounds and I’m working on his attitude.
It is getting cooler here but still beautiful, we are going to have to go dig (and I mean dig) out our winter hats, gloves and boots pretty soon.
Would love to hear from you all.
Julee
Thanks to our great and very dear friend Sean Campbell for setting us up in the online world. We will try and keep this updated as regularly as we can so you can keep up with our world and ministry. Please stay in touch with us so we can know about your worlds as well.
Sean has quite a good little business going now and you can check it out from the blogroll. He can also sing (Julee says much better than Josh Groban) and is now part of the Phoenix Bach Choir. Check it out at www.bachchoir.org
We also want to give a shout out to his wife and son. Walk well, Noah!
