Hey everyone, just a short post asking specifically for prayer with my job search.
I've applied to tons of positions on craigslist, mostly office/personal assistant positions. I'm slowly starting to hear back. Please pray for discernment, and that I would get a job.
Also, I applied to work here http://www.collegeinternshipprogram.com/index.html as a relational/communications mentor. It is a program that works with students who have learning differences (such as Aspergers). I'd love to do it, but I don't know if it would be too much with interning as well.
Please pray. The real world has endless possibilities, and I want to be a faithful steward to the blessings God has given.
Thanks!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
REVIVAL for So Cal!
This weekend I was on Catalina Island with the So Cal regional InterVarsity staff, and God had a word for us: REVIVAL.
People often toss around the word "revival." What does it mean? What does it look like?
"National Evangelist" (CRAZY title, right?!) York Moore came out to speak to us about revival—what it is, what it means, what it looks like. Grounded in numerous passages* about this amazing concept "revival," he ultimately summed it up as the moment that the veil separating us from God is torn; when the Kingdom of God enters into the world of mere men; when Christ’s second coming and the New Creation can be seen on the horizon as non-Christians come to faith and Christians are awakened to God's call; when God's DREAM becomes the desire of His people; when the injustice in this world is eradicated and old broken systems are forever transformed and made new; when we reach the end of ourselves and a tidal wave of faith, miracles, hope, healing, redemption, confession, and conversion occur.
Our regional staff, coming off a difficult year (or season), to say the least, were tired. As York spoke of revival, many felt resistant—not because one doesn't think it sounds good, but because hope means work, hope requires radical faith, hope and dreaming God's dreams requires sacrifice, suffering, losing control, and always a chance of disappointment. For people who selflessly, faithfully, and repeatedly extend beyond themselves to LOVE the campuses in Southern California, the desire for more is daunting, exhausting, and relentlessly deteriorating; one cannot even think to look to the horizon to see the sun when the clouds have been covering the sky all night long. Some staff have families—what does revival look like as a parent? Some staff are in the middle of spiritual “dark nights”—what does revival look like as one feels distant and alone, separate from God? And most (or all) staff are at the end of themselves—what does it mean to pray for revival when one has nothing more to offer?
During the last night of the conference, in a moment of challenge and call from our leaders, we were asked if we were open to revival: personal revival and corporate, regional, national, world-wide revival. Despite the cost—the sacrifice, suffering, loss of control, and chance for disappointment—our staff chose to be open to revival, open to God’s call, open to the work God would set before them! Despite the hard work they put in all year, despite their weariness and desire for rest, they counted the cost and gave themselves over to God’s will.
In the midst of a night of prayer and worship, I felt so overwhelmingly connected to my fellow staff. Their hearts ached for their campuses and for themselves—for the work God has in store for us, for our contexts and our world. As the Israelites cried out to God in the midst of their suffering in Egypt, and as God answered their cry through Moses, Aaron and Miriam, through miracles and bringing Himself to His people, so also God has heard the cry of our staff—from San Diego, Greater Los Angeles, and the “Surf and Turf” Region—and I believe, WE believe, revival is on its way.
But what does that mean? Nothing. I mean, nothing clear. There is no strategic plan to bring revival. There is no way to spark revival. There is only God’s timing and a room full of obedient ministers ready to go where God calls them. That is the beginning of revival. Are you ready for it?
Do you believe God wants revival in So Cal? On the west coast? In the United States? Around the world? Again, revival is a scary word—it brings up images of “those Christians” or thoughts of mass conversions with no place to go to be truly discipled in the faith, or mass ridicule because revival is now a no-no, counter cultural word. But I say revival does not belong to any sect, denomination, people group or nation. Revival should be counter-cultural, because REVIVAL is a GOD thing! Revival is God’s Kingdom (spoken of by Jesus, by Isaiah and the prophets, in Revelation 21) coming to our world for a time. God’s Kingdom on earth—in bits and pieces, clearly imperfect for it is not yet the end of days, but a piece none the less.
Do you want it? If so, be open to dreaming dreams, God-sized dreams (also known as God’s will!). If you can picture it, it isn’t big enough. If you have a strategy for how to get there, you aren’t open enough to what God desires.** I mean this as an encouragement!!! We serve the LORD ALMIGHTY, Maker of the heavens and earth, King of kings and Lord of lords, Savior of the world! What does He dream of? Wish for? Desire? From experience, it is ALWAYS bigger and better than even the wildest of my hopes. He is so good and so big, and I am so imperfect and small, yet He uses me, us, as vessels to do His work! Crazy!!!
While there is no strategy, there are key elements in revival, and they all come from faith 101: prayer, preaching a not-watered-down gospel, waiting on the LORD (actively anticipating), seeking the LORD (fasting? Solitude? Meditation on His word?), desire for justice, confession, repentance, and cultivating a LONGING for more of God.
God is central to revival. The truth is that we don’t seek revival. We seek God. As we seek Him, we begin to be more like Him. As we become more like Him, we start to desire what He desires—we start to dream God-sized dreams. And He, our Father in heaven, loves to give His children the desires of their hearts!***
*Some Biblical passages about revival (moments when God broke through.. which is sorta the whole Bible…): Exodus 4:29-31, 1 Samuel 7, 2 Chron 15, 1 Kings 18:36-39, Jonah 3:6-10, 2 Chron 29-31, 2 Chron 34-35, Ezra 3:10-13, Nehemiah 8:6, John the Baptist, the Gospels, Acts 8, Acts 11, a lot of other places in Acts).
**My own experience with this idea: I am ready, expectant and hopeful. However, I feel small and insignificant. As I find the LORD speaking to me of His dreams and great things, I fear that it is really just my own naïve desires. Please, please, pray against my insecurities. Let me, in humility, recognize the call God has put on my life to bring His Word, His Love, and thus His Kingdom, to this earth. God bless!
*** And what are some of the desires of the So Cal region’s hearts? Click on "THE BIG ONES" at the top of this page for a summary list!
People often toss around the word "revival." What does it mean? What does it look like?
"National Evangelist" (CRAZY title, right?!) York Moore came out to speak to us about revival—what it is, what it means, what it looks like. Grounded in numerous passages* about this amazing concept "revival," he ultimately summed it up as the moment that the veil separating us from God is torn; when the Kingdom of God enters into the world of mere men; when Christ’s second coming and the New Creation can be seen on the horizon as non-Christians come to faith and Christians are awakened to God's call; when God's DREAM becomes the desire of His people; when the injustice in this world is eradicated and old broken systems are forever transformed and made new; when we reach the end of ourselves and a tidal wave of faith, miracles, hope, healing, redemption, confession, and conversion occur.
Our regional staff, coming off a difficult year (or season), to say the least, were tired. As York spoke of revival, many felt resistant—not because one doesn't think it sounds good, but because hope means work, hope requires radical faith, hope and dreaming God's dreams requires sacrifice, suffering, losing control, and always a chance of disappointment. For people who selflessly, faithfully, and repeatedly extend beyond themselves to LOVE the campuses in Southern California, the desire for more is daunting, exhausting, and relentlessly deteriorating; one cannot even think to look to the horizon to see the sun when the clouds have been covering the sky all night long. Some staff have families—what does revival look like as a parent? Some staff are in the middle of spiritual “dark nights”—what does revival look like as one feels distant and alone, separate from God? And most (or all) staff are at the end of themselves—what does it mean to pray for revival when one has nothing more to offer?
During the last night of the conference, in a moment of challenge and call from our leaders, we were asked if we were open to revival: personal revival and corporate, regional, national, world-wide revival. Despite the cost—the sacrifice, suffering, loss of control, and chance for disappointment—our staff chose to be open to revival, open to God’s call, open to the work God would set before them! Despite the hard work they put in all year, despite their weariness and desire for rest, they counted the cost and gave themselves over to God’s will.
In the midst of a night of prayer and worship, I felt so overwhelmingly connected to my fellow staff. Their hearts ached for their campuses and for themselves—for the work God has in store for us, for our contexts and our world. As the Israelites cried out to God in the midst of their suffering in Egypt, and as God answered their cry through Moses, Aaron and Miriam, through miracles and bringing Himself to His people, so also God has heard the cry of our staff—from San Diego, Greater Los Angeles, and the “Surf and Turf” Region—and I believe, WE believe, revival is on its way.
But what does that mean? Nothing. I mean, nothing clear. There is no strategic plan to bring revival. There is no way to spark revival. There is only God’s timing and a room full of obedient ministers ready to go where God calls them. That is the beginning of revival. Are you ready for it?
Do you believe God wants revival in So Cal? On the west coast? In the United States? Around the world? Again, revival is a scary word—it brings up images of “those Christians” or thoughts of mass conversions with no place to go to be truly discipled in the faith, or mass ridicule because revival is now a no-no, counter cultural word. But I say revival does not belong to any sect, denomination, people group or nation. Revival should be counter-cultural, because REVIVAL is a GOD thing! Revival is God’s Kingdom (spoken of by Jesus, by Isaiah and the prophets, in Revelation 21) coming to our world for a time. God’s Kingdom on earth—in bits and pieces, clearly imperfect for it is not yet the end of days, but a piece none the less.
Do you want it? If so, be open to dreaming dreams, God-sized dreams (also known as God’s will!). If you can picture it, it isn’t big enough. If you have a strategy for how to get there, you aren’t open enough to what God desires.** I mean this as an encouragement!!! We serve the LORD ALMIGHTY, Maker of the heavens and earth, King of kings and Lord of lords, Savior of the world! What does He dream of? Wish for? Desire? From experience, it is ALWAYS bigger and better than even the wildest of my hopes. He is so good and so big, and I am so imperfect and small, yet He uses me, us, as vessels to do His work! Crazy!!!
While there is no strategy, there are key elements in revival, and they all come from faith 101: prayer, preaching a not-watered-down gospel, waiting on the LORD (actively anticipating), seeking the LORD (fasting? Solitude? Meditation on His word?), desire for justice, confession, repentance, and cultivating a LONGING for more of God.
God is central to revival. The truth is that we don’t seek revival. We seek God. As we seek Him, we begin to be more like Him. As we become more like Him, we start to desire what He desires—we start to dream God-sized dreams. And He, our Father in heaven, loves to give His children the desires of their hearts!***
*Some Biblical passages about revival (moments when God broke through.. which is sorta the whole Bible…): Exodus 4:29-31, 1 Samuel 7, 2 Chron 15, 1 Kings 18:36-39, Jonah 3:6-10, 2 Chron 29-31, 2 Chron 34-35, Ezra 3:10-13, Nehemiah 8:6, John the Baptist, the Gospels, Acts 8, Acts 11, a lot of other places in Acts).
**My own experience with this idea: I am ready, expectant and hopeful. However, I feel small and insignificant. As I find the LORD speaking to me of His dreams and great things, I fear that it is really just my own naïve desires. Please, please, pray against my insecurities. Let me, in humility, recognize the call God has put on my life to bring His Word, His Love, and thus His Kingdom, to this earth. God bless!
*** And what are some of the desires of the So Cal region’s hearts? Click on "THE BIG ONES" at the top of this page for a summary list!
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