The Sovereign Family

Blogging Fail

2012-01-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

Yeah, so I can hardly keep up with our crazy lives...something had to give and unfortunately it was this blog. :(Never fear....I created a facebook page for our group. Even if you are not on facebook, you can go to the page and see what we are up to. It is called The Sovereign's Ministry with ACF. You can search it on fb or click on the link above!thanks friends!

Challenged and Encouraged

2011-10-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

Challenged and Encouraged is the name of the blog one of our students writes. Let me just tell you a bit about this amazing lady. Not only is she an excellent writer, she has a heart bigger than her little body can contain. She is going to graduate this May (after fitting 4 years of college into 3!). The Lord has been working OVERTIME in her sweet heart...I will let her tell you about it...

It's not about me. It never was. It's never going to be. It's about that tapestry up in the boughs of heaven being sewn together by God's great hand- it's those moments when a person struggling feels like the light has been left on for them. It's the community that leaves that light on and watches and aids the struggled body make its way to safe shores. It's those moments when I lay down in bed at night (or at 3 am) and just breathe deep thanking God for putting His work in front of me. For working pieces of this out at a time. For presenting me with moments of testing, but for making me work all the same.

For hands outstretched and a heart clear cut. For days like today, when I can still hear the courage through moments of loss and anxiety. Hey God, thanks. Truly.

What else? Well, there's the huge monster of Grad School and graduation. That comes around after night when I'm laying down and just, well, God just knows. He gets my fear. He gets my wonder and that's all there is to it. The formulas and plans I thought I had before are still existent, but they're changing all the same.

I know, after weeks of research and understanding, that God is starting to push me toward teen/ youth work and counseling. But even more, He's pushing me toward the door of biblical counseling. If you knew me just one year ago? This NEVER would have been a path. But here I am, caught in the thick and dedication patches of God's plan. He's writing to me, and i need to properly find the words to answer back.

Can't you just put yourself in her heart after reading her words?

I cannot tell you how encouraging this young lady is to me personally. It has been a rough start to this semester for me. I have had a lot of trouble getting back into the groove of things. On the ministry front, things are not how we envisioned them to be at this point in the semester. After reading these words I am reminded that it is not so much about how we think things should look. It is about hearts being changed. Lives being transformed...

God is so Good. HIS mission in being accomplished on this campus.

Pray with me for this sweet young lady as she boldly follows the Lord's plans for her life.

Catching up! GOOD GOOD stuff going on!

2011-10-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

School started back up in late August and we've been staying very busy with the ministry here. I'm excited for the number of first-year students who are getting plugged in to this ministry.There are currently 8 small groups going, covering topics from the Gospel Centered Life to tough questions of the faith to Pauline epistles to Jonah. Our large group gatherings on Thursday nights are going well.
Our fall retreat in September was great...check out this video for a taste of our crazy good weekend! (Our theme was "I quit trying")

A praise I wanted to share with you is that Alaina, a first-year student accepted Christ as her Savior last week! Her small group leader, Kate, met with her for breakfast and shared the gospel, gave her a chance to respond to it, and prayed with her to receive Christ! Pray for Alaina and our students as she begins this new journey and others gather around to support and minister to her.

A prayer request... I'm going to be hitting the pavement to increase our financial support level. I really need to focus on it for the next few months in faith that God provides a bit extra here at the end of the year. Some extra administrative expenses (insurance), family expenses, and ministry expenses have increased and what's coming in is about $1500/month less than what going out. Please pray with us for provision, for me for boldness to ask, and for faith to those God calls to support us. If your church or individuals you know would be interested in more info, please follow up with me.

We're Famous!!!

2011-09-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

Check out the CCO's 40th anniversary book! Open to the first page...you might see some familiar faces!!

Open publication - Free publishing - More cco history

Annnnd.....We're off!

2011-09-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

It is hard for me to believe that Summer is over and it is time for school again. Classes at Arcadia started last Wednesday and our first ACF Large group meeting and Afterparty was Thursday night!

We had an absolute blast!In the slide show below you will see pics of the activities fair, where students have a chance to learn about all the clubs on campus. We had about 60 people sign up to learn more about ACF!

About an hour after the activities fair ended we had our first ACF large group meeting of the year! We wanted the first night to be really great, so we invited a local musician named Jason Min to lead our worship time. He was AMAZING! Overall it was a great night we had a big turnout with over 60 students there!

We also decided to make the Afterparty a bigger event for this first week, so we moved most of our furniture outside...lamps and all! It was a lot of fun. We had a great turnout...especially of first year students. (Going anywhere off camous the first few weeks of college is a big, and sometimes scary deal!)

Here are some pics of our night!

(Just realized in the preview of this post that there are a lot of exclamation marks...and YES, I am going to make the choice to leave them! It was an exclamation mark kind of night!)

Ahhhhh Vacation!

2011-08-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a while since there has been any update...We had an amazing summer. The beach project was AMAZING... and EXHAUSTING! Hence, not many blog posts. Sorry friends! We needed a little time to recuperate!

We just returned from a very relaxing vacation in Rangeley, Maine. We took two recent graduates (who just returned from a summer serving youth) along for the EPIC road trip!
Here is a video one of the girls made...

July newsletter

2011-07-30T21:59:00.000-07:00

Friends,
Greg here. Below is our newest ministry update. It's been a challenging summer... sharing our family for two months straight has produced some trials. But it's also been a blessing to see and hear transformation in the lives of 31 college students. As I type this, I'm overhearing two students, Tori and John, talking about what will be the toughest part about leaving the Beach Project. John said to Tori, "Honestly, it's going to be weird not being around three kids." I've told them before that I know I'm loved when others show love to my wife and kids. Our kids are ADORED here (as they are back with our Arcadia students) and I'm certain that we've been able to have a part in making this house a home for the past two months.

Update in pictures!

2011-07-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

Hello all, I have a blog post that I am currently composing in my head about the summer. I am back in Philly for a week and I need to get Caed all packed for camp, so I can't sit down to write. Here are some pics from summer for a quick pictorial update!

Adventures

2011-06-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

We have had a fun first week at the Beach Project. The kids are absolutely eating up all of the attention from students. Check out this blog post from Brittany...

Adventures with Abby

Beach Pics

2011-06-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

I am sure these are only the first of many beach pics...

The kids and I joined Greg for the weekend in OC last week. We had to return home for the last week of school. But we head back to the shore on Friday afternoon!

Jersey Shore...Sovereign Style!

2011-06-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

For those of you who do not know, our whole family is going to be living at the Jersey Shore for the summer! We are going to be working in a CCO summer ministry called Ocean City Beach Project (OCBP).

What is OCBP?

The Ocean City Beach Project (OCBP) is a summer-long community living opportunity for Christian college students to develop further as campus leaders. The Project provides the opportunity for you to grow personally in your faith and to develop a deeper vision for your life. At OCBP, you work and worship in one community while being challenged to become a kingdom leader. You live with other college students in a large beach house while you make an impact on the New Jersey shore. At the end of your time at OCBP, you will not only have sand in your shoes and the taste of salt water in your mouth, you will have developed character and skills to become an effective leader.

Sounds like fun huh? Watch this video to get a better picture of what our summer will look like!

The Ocean City Beach Project from CCO Campus Ministry on Vimeo.

Greg left this morning for the shore, the kids and I will join him when they get out of school in a couple weeks.

Thanks for checking in on us!

Laughter through Tears

2011-05-24T06:06:00.000-07:00

Wow, there has been a lot of laughter...and tears the past week.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that one of my favorite movies is Steel Magnolias. There is a quote from the movie that is appropriate for any occasion! Today's applicable quote is "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion".

Last Tuesday we put together a day trip to NYC for the Seniors in ACF. Here are a few pics.

Talk about a lot of laughs and great memories!

ANNNNDDD then came graduation. I wish I had I had a group pic to post here...but I did not get one with my camera so I have to wait until they are posted on FB to share with you all.

It is hard to see them go. Graduation gets harder and harder each year. One of the many reasons this class was special is that 2 of the girls who accepted Christ in the fall graduated. In my head, I am thinking "It's not fair! I want more time with them!" They are BABIES!!! But then I come to my senses and realize that the time we had with them was a gift. Both of them are growing like wildfire in the knowledge and understanding of the Lord. What better hands can I leave them in?

Another graduate has been a Christian since middle school, but her faith came ALIVE this year like never before. Right now she is in training for a summer of leading a Christian camp for teens. Here is her blog if you are interested in checking it out. I read it this morning and just wept...tears of Joy. Check out her "about me" profile....it says

I am madly in love with Jesus and following Him through everything I do. I've only recently learned to fully let go and have faith He will guide me and my life has been all the better for it. God is so good.

Ummmmm....just so proud...and humbled...and realizing afresh that it is ALL Jesus. We are only tools, broken ones at that.

Seasons

2011-05-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

So....I am not a fan of change. I like a schedule. I have a weekly routine with chores, meetings, and ministry stuff. This all works out well for 8 months of the year when students are around and life is crazy busy. But right about this time of year I start to loose steam, and then graduation comes and we have to say goodbye to students who we have come to love and are a part of our family. I DON'T LIKE IT.

When one thing in my routine gets thrown off the other things inevitably follow. I start dropping balls all over the place. The laundry doesn't get done, othodontist appointments are missed, I forget what day of the week it is. I am a MESS!

But I am coming to the realization that it really is OK. Things come in seasons for my life, it has always been that way now that I think about it. Moving a lot when I was younger, making new friends. It seems like even in our married life the same thing has happened. We have now lived in PA longer than we have lived anywhere else in our 10 year marriage. But the nature of campus ministry is change.

I recently completed a personality in leadership test and one of the encouraging things it came up with for me was to realize that "mentoring for the moment" is ok. There is no possible way someone with my personality can actively keep up with all the people/students in my life.

This concept is so freeing to me. I can get up in the morning and have one job...to love the people in front of me, and let the Lord work out the other details.

THAT is something I can rest in.

See these girls... (they all all dressed up for a dance they were in together)

I LOVE THEM.

Although I will miss them terribly, I know the Lord has BIG plans for their lives. I am honored, and blessed to have been a "mentor for a moment" of their lives.

We have our own YouTube video!

2011-04-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

A student in a film class this semester did a project on our family & ministry. Check it out!

Bragging!

2011-04-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

I just saw this on facebook and HAD to share it with you all. This is Brittany...or "BITNEY!" as Cole calls her.

I just read an article about Brittany's experience studying abroad last semester in Jordan. Brittany is part of our ACF servant leadership team and has a special place in our hearts! Soooo I had to brag. Go read the article here.

April 2011 Newsletter

2011-04-11T20:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by to check in on us! Read and enjoy!
04

Baptism Video!

2011-04-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the video to go along with Greg's recent post about the 4 girls that were baptized last week.

Warning: Kleenex MAY be required!

Ok, now watch it again and notice the "gang" all crowding in the corner in the background! :) Love them <3

Public Declaration of Personal Faith

2011-03-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

Greg here.
On Friday afternoon Jincy and I made the short walk to Dunkin' Donuts to catch up. It has become the place we go about every 6 or 8 weeks so I can hear about her young faith journey and encourage her in her new walk. Jincy trusted Christ on March 17 last year. She shared about her growth and the ways she has seen the Holy Spirit work in her heart.

We also talked about baptism. Jincy was very close to a decision about making public her faith through baptism. She decided to take the next step of obedience. On Sunday afternoon she joined ranks with three other girls from our fellowship who all worship at the same local church and were taking this next step of faith together. The pastor allows someone who has been part of the faith journey to assist him with the baptism. I previously wrote about the honor of being asked by another student, Candace, to help with her baptism. Jincy asked the same of me and I was equally privileged to help.

Jincy, Candace, Monica, and Caylynn all publicly professed their faith and were baptized on Sunday!

Welcome Home Scavenger Hunt!

2011-03-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Greg left for Nicaragua on March 12th...on the 13th Caed and Abby started planning Daddy's welcome home party! Lots of ideas were discussed, including jumping out of a giant cake. They finally settled on putting together a scavenger hunt!

Here are some pics!

I am not sure who had more fun on the hunt, the giggling kids or Greg looking for the clues! The hunt ended with a Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge cake Abby and I made and decorated. Greg also brought back a few goodies for the kids from Nicaragua!

We are glad that the trip went well, but even MORE glad Daddy is back!

Nicaragua!

2011-03-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hello All! We have had a busy week around here! Greg just returned from leading a group of AU students on a mission trip to Nicaragua. They had an amazing time, but don't take my word for it, go check out their blog!

Spring Break in Nicaragua

The kids and I had a fun time home, but were VERY ready for Daddy to come home yesterday!

Post to come with pics from their welcome home scavenger hunt they planned for Daddy!

Wait on the Lord

2011-03-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

This semester I have been hosting a ladies bible study on Wednesday nights. There are about 18 girls that come each week to study the book of Esther. I love my girls, we have a blast together. Some nights we are just rolling on the floor laughing and others we are left in awe of how relevant the book of Esther is to our lives.

This week we look at chapter 5 of Esther. Now, I have to be honest. The part of the story where Esther has her 1st dinner party with the King and Haman has never made sense to me. You can almost feel the build up in the story. Esther has just survived the first hurdle without loosing her head...literally. She manages to charm the king into coming to dinner and bringing Haman along. The Lord has paved the way and she is skating right on through.

I can even imagine the amount of self control she has to muster just being in the same room with the man who is trying to wipe out her entire race. Then...the time comes. The king asks her about her request. HELLO...open door, why not just walk right through?

It was not time. Instead she asked them both to come back the next night.

I wish we could know what was going through Esther's head right then! Did she chicken out and not go through with it, did she feel in her spirit that something was off and decided to wait? Either way, the Lord's purposes were accomplished. A lot is going to happen in the next 24 hours for the King and Haman that will change their lives forever.

That is where out lesson left off. Esther making the decision that the time was not right, and waiting on the Lord.

Our time ended concentrating on Isaiah 40:31. We talked about how waiting on something is exhausting. We go through all the possible outcomes in our head until we are just emotionally and physically spent. BUT look at Isaiah 40:31.

31 but those who wait on the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

There it is! I can't believe this has never "clicked" for me. Waiting on "something" (a boyfriend, a job, someone to change) IS exhausting.

BUT

Waiting on the Lord renews our strength!

I don't know about you but I could use some renewed strength. And soaring like an eagle? Yes please!

More Jubilee Reactions

2011-03-07T15:28:00.000-08:00

Greg here. I asked our students to flesh out some of the key things they learned at the Jubilee Conference in Pittsburgh a couple weekends ago. Here are some sound bites...

Jubilee was definitely a life changing experience for me. I learned so much about myself, God, and what God wants from us as Christians. I learned that we can serve God in our everyday lives no matter where we are or what we chose to do with our lives in the future. God changes the world through changed people. As long as we accept God into our hearts and allow Him to work in us and through us, he can use us anywhere and in any type of setting. Jubilee also taught me that Jesus uses unlikely people to do incredible things.
- Sarah T.

I can confidently say that attending Jubilee was one of the best weekends I have had since coming to college.
I strengthened my relationship with God and I strengthened my relationship with other Arcadia students who were able to attend.
I really appreciate everyone that made a contribution that helped me get to Jubilee; it was a blessing that I was able to attend and I will be forever grateful of their generosity.
- Katie

Gideon Strauss led a discussion on how Americans, Christians included, get too caught up in fast politics.
…biblical politics should be able to cross party lines since there are Christians on both sides. Political theories may differ, but biblical values should largely be the same.
- Josh

I tore my ACL and some other things in my knee in November 2010. I've been unable to play basketball this entire season. So the Steeler's punter told us a story about how he had torn his ACL earlier in their season. He talked about the struggle of not being able to play especially during the Superbowl. Standing on the sideline, wishing and desiring to be there in a jersey with his name on the back, he realized right then the lesson God had been so long trying teach him. His identity lied in the Pittsburgh Steelers above Christ. God's message just overwhelmed me at this point as I thought about all the ways in which I had placed basketball before God and... all the ways I put more effort into my team than in my relationship with Christ.
- Ash

The weekend of Jubilee as a whole was a great experience! I was very interested in the breakout session related to the music industry and feel that its title was appropriate: A Career in Music: Calling or Oxymoron?
...our intentions of glorifying God and His holiness should be the foundation of our music.
- Jeff

After going to Jubilee last year I knew it was something that I had to go back to again. This year I learned so much about myself and who I am in God. One of the plenary speakers used the Hebrew word 'tselem' which means 'made in God's image'. This weekend really reinforced that God made me to be me and nothing should change that. God sees all of me and considers me beautiful because those scratches and dents have brought me closer to Him. I am first and foremost a child of God and my identity is with Him.
- Emily

Although this was my second time at Jubilee, I still had that “kid in a candy store” feeling. It really is overwhelmingly exciting for me to be surrounded by thousands of Christians that want to live so vibrantly for God.
... Dr. James Emery White... addressed issues such as “functional atheism” in our world and how we, as Christians, are fighting a war of thoughts and ideas. He spoke about how we need to read, read, read, and reflect so that we’re essentially “thinking God’s thoughts, after Him.”
- Niquelle

I will begin with a single word and move outward from there. Identity. I must be honest I still struggle with who I am but Jubilee made it incredibly clear to me that my identity lies in Christ. To the core of my being I am a child of God and that realization alone I know will be enough to sustain me in the hardest of times and it is what facilitates the joy that awakens my heart.
- Candace

I have been uncertain of future plans for a while, but after going to the session discussing Mathematics through the lens of faith I have a renewed sense of how my vocation can honor God.
...I have been affirmed in my desire to move forward to graduate school without feeling that I'm wasting 'Kingdom Resources' in the meantime.
- Dave

God broke my heart for what breaks His. I was heart broken for the people all across the world that are living in poverty and desolate conditions, but what could I do? I am just a young woman living in suburban PA after all. Combining my passion for serving God and healthcare, I realized that I could use my skills to fight the injustices happening right here in Philly. You don't need to go far to find poverty, just drive down Broad Street.
- Sarah K.

God is at work!

About Ashley

2011-03-06T20:40:00.000-08:00

No, this blog post is not about me. It is about a student named Ashley.

Ashley trusted Christ as her Savior the summer before her freshman year in college. She is a deep thinker and feeler...and LOVES anything and everything purple. Ashley, like many students is trying to figure out how the Lord is going to use her gifts, talents and heart in this world.

Last year a couple who has served for many years with Trans World Radio hosted a pizza night for anyone interested in internships with TWR. Ashley was there that night, and she felt her heart tug. She applied this fall for the internship and was accepted... She tells the story so much better than I could...

I just read a blog post she wrote this week about her journey. I am just blown away by all that the Lord is teaching her. I know you will be blessed to read it.

Ashley's Blog is called A Separate Sky.

Afterparty fun

2011-03-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

Just in case you ever wonder what we do at our weekly ACF "Afterparty"...

Putting pretzels up our noses...always a fun pastime!

Best Snow Man EVER

2011-03-01T12:56:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I know Spring has Sprung...or at least we hope so. But I just discovered these pics while I was cleaning off the SD card. Enjoy.

A week later...

2011-02-27T17:32:00.000-08:00

This time last week we were just returning from the Jubilee Conference! Greg has been collecting student reactions all week, and I thought you all would like to read a few.

Sarah said :

The theme for Jubilee was injustices in God's eyes and what we are called to do in response. Going to sessions focusing on healthcare and rescuing the oppressed raised my awareness. At that point God broke my heart for what breaks His. I was heart broken for the people all across the world that are living in poverty and desolate conditions, but what could I do? I am just a young woman living in suburban PA after all. Combining my passion for serving God and healthcare, I realized that I could use my skills to fight the injustices happening right here in Philly. You don't need to go far to find poverty, just drive down Broad Street. Jubilee opened my eyes and helped me determine what I am called to do.

Rose said:

Jubilee was a fantastic experience for me. What I took away from the weekend, that the main thing, is that I am is a Child of God. Lately I feel like I've really been splitting my life into difference pieces- one for school, one for work, one for Jesus, one for thinking about the future. None of them have really taken the front burner, and it feels weird to not have one main thing to focus on. This weekend it was so clear to me- Jesus is the front burner. Jesus is the number one thing, the thing i'm living for. Once I know that and live that, all of the other things will just fall into place.

Dave said:

For myself the session about my major had the greatest impact. I have been uncertain of future plans for a while, but after going to the session discussing Mathematics through the lens of faith I have a renewed sense of how my vocation can honor God. It amazed me how great and many the analogies between modern math and the infinite nature of God are, and that through understanding math better I can more clearly understand and articulate truths about Him. From this I have been affirmed in my desire to move forward to graduate school without feeling that I'm wasting 'Kingdom Resources' in the meantime. I thank the Lord for the Holy Spirit guiding the speakers words and all who helped to get me there to hear them - I was truly blessed by the privileged to attend Jubilee.

Wow! How can you not be excited for all that the Lord is doing in the lives of this generation of believers?

Jubilee!

2011-02-21T18:56:00.000-08:00

We just got back from another AMAZING Jubilee weekend in Pittsburgh! This year we took 20 students, and for many it lived up to this year's theme...

The Jubilee conference is about living faithfully in every area of your life. This weekend we were challenged, inspired and provoked to action by the many people we heard who are living out the Jubilee theme in their lives every day.

Check back in a few days to find out what our students had to say about Jubilee. Until then...enjoy a few pics!

What an Honor!

2011-02-17T22:33:00.000-08:00

Greg here.
About three months ago I had the privilege of assisting in Caedmon's baptism. It was an honor both because I am his earthly dad and because he is my "true son in our common faith". Ashley and I shared Jesus with him and helped him understand man's sinfulness and God's grace as shown through the perfect spotless lamb, Jesus. Caed responded to the gospel on Feb 22, 2007. This was a special moment that I treasure.

In October I had the opportunity to share Christ with a student on campus. Candace has continued to grow in her new faith and is being discipled by Ashley.

This new faith goes against the grain of her upbringing, but she has experienced God's grace as she continues to navigate through those difficult waters. On Wednesday night Candace approached me to let me know she decided she wanted to be baptized. I was thrilled that she was ready to take this next step of obedience. But I was surprised and excited that she asked me to stand beside her and the pastor and assist in her baptism. I praise God for letting us sow seeds, glimpse the harvest, and walk along our new brothers and sisters as they make these decisions. Candace, my true daughter in our common faith, is special to us and her request humbled me.

Hardly Time to Breath!

2011-02-07T20:12:00.000-08:00

STOP...Take a BREATH with me.

Whew...that felt good. I needed that. As I write this I am listening to a mixture of laughter from the guys having their "Man Night" on one end of the hall and a symphony of coughing coming from Caed and Abby's room at the other end. Just when I think we are in the clear and all healthy, another one bites the dust.

I am so grateful that the Lord meets us where we are.

I just began a new bible study by Priscilla Shirer called "He Speaks to Me". It is just what the the Lord knew I needed this semester. In order to keep up with this crazy pace of life and to bear fruit in this place he has planted us I HAVE to stay connected to that vine and hear from the Lord.

This week something that David wrote in Psalm 131:2 caught my attention.

But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.

Did you catch the words CALMED and QUIETED....where can I get me some of that??
I am so glad David helped us with HOW this calm and quiet can be attained.

Psalm 42:6 (I like how the Aplified Bible puts this one)
O my God, my life is cast down upon me [and I find the burden more than I can bear]; therefore will I [earnestly] remember You...

How did David quiet his soul? By remembering all that the Lord has done.

When was the last time you sat back and just reflected on God's goodness, on the ways He has shown up in your life and worked things out just perfectly?

When I step back and take my eyes off the distractions of every day life and focus on my GREAT and FAITHFUL God...the chaos of my life gets smaller as my God gets bigger.

I am in a season of craziness. It is pretty easy to get overwhelmed and take my eyes off of Jesus and start looking only at the "waves" swelling up around me.
I am thankful for this reminder to stop...and remember.

Psalm 42:5
Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God.

So here I sit...calmed, quieted...and waiting expectantly for Him.

So, I know it has been a while...

2011-01-26T07:56:00.000-08:00

(Insert witty euphemism about time here)

Update on the Home front:

It has been one thing after another around here for the past month. We have been battling illness, snow, illness again, snow again, and internet problems for a while. This morning we had another 4 inches of snow, and Greg is battling asthmatic bronchitis. I need to take Cole to the Dr before we get another 8-10 inches of snow tonight!

Update on the Ministry front:

Last Thursday was our first ACF large group and Afterparty. We had a great turnout, about 50 students! (Pics to come) We were also super excited to announce the reinstating of MAN NIGHT (the guys small group study time followed by games) as well as 6 other small group bible studies going on this semester.

There is also a new peer mentorship program we are calling "Journey" that we are making available to new believers and other students who want to be mentored or discipled by more mature students and lay volunteers from the area.

Spring Break:
This year for Spring Break Greg is leading a team of students to Nicaragua to work with a missionary we got to know through our old ministry. More info on that to come!

It is shaping up to be a great semester...if we can all only get well enough to enjoy it!

Memories in the Present

2011-01-08T10:53:00.000-08:00

I am currently working on a post about Christmas (and by working on I mean THINKING about starting to work on) until then I wanted to share something that Greg recently wrote and share some pictures. :)

God is generous with His love and abundant with His blessings. He is also generous in providing moments... opportunities to see and experience His holiness and goodness.

Life is filled with moments. I love to live in the moment. I love to plan and organize those moments, too. A favorite kind of moment-- more special than others-- is when I can be in the moment yet also stand at a distance and watch a memory in the making. A moment is just a memory in present tense.

Last night after a nice family dinner, Ashley put some cookies in the oven and we played a board game with with kids. It was quiet outside and snow was on the ground. Inside, only some quiet background music and the kids' laughter filled the air. After they went to bed I curled up with my bride on the couch and watched a movie while sipping hot chocolate. Though we had two blankets, we shared them both.

Today began with a gentle snowfall and some time worshiping God. The kids went outside to play in the snow and I used the down time to send some emails and work on a few other things. I was watching out the window at Cole stomping through the snow with a grin from east to west on his face. Abigail was kicking up snow and Caedmon was throwing snow at her. Ash was staying warm in my sweatshirt outside and capturing those moments on film. As I wrote some emails I was listening to Saviour King on repeat and meditating on the anthemic repetition

And now the weak say I have strength

By the spirit of power that raised Christ from the dead

And now the poor stand and confess

That my portion is Him and I'm more than blessed

Let now our hearts burn with a flame

A fire consuming all for your Son's holy name

And with the heavens we declare

You are our king

We love you Lord, we worship you

You are our God, you alone are good

As I write this, the kids are back inside. I'm still listening to Saviour King and experiencing renewal of His grace. And I am awakening to the realization that loving my family and cherishing His goodness in these memories, these moments, is yet another act of worship.

ACF Christmas Party & Ugly Sweater Party!

2010-12-10T17:41:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that this semester is already coming to an end! Last night we hosted our annual ACF Christmas Party and Ugly Christmas sweater party. It was EPIC. See the pics below!

It was a crazy night, but also quite touching. I have asked permission to share with you a poem that Monica (one of the 6 new believers this semester!) wrote and shared with the group last night.

This Christmas

By: Monica Mazzarella

This Christmas I need to tell a story
I need to shout it out to the world
Not only of a baby, but of a saved girl

This Christmas I finally see
All that god has given me; the beauty is of tranquility

This Christmas of hope, of joy and of love
That reigns through the earth and the heaven’s above-
A baby was born on this god given day,
The savior that would show his people the way.

This Christmas I know that Jesus is my savior
This Christmas I know that he works in my favor

This Christmas I rejoice for a baby that came
To take all of the world’s sin for his blame.
The silent night has been revealed with brand new eyes
The tears of feeling lost no longer stream from my eyes.
My god has been my rock, he eases all my pain
I feel like a child, I have so much to gain.

This Christmas is special, it’s one of a kind.
I finally know what true love is for the first time.
I can now spread the truth, of the Who? What? Where? and When?

Because on September 18th , I was born again.

This sweet angel is Monica. See that light in her eyes? It's Jesus. :)

Anita Keagy @ ACF!

2010-12-03T06:38:00.000-08:00

During the Spring of 2009 I took a few students to a ladies luncheon sponsored by a local church. The speaker that morning was a lady named Anita Keagy. Her story touch all of our hearts so much that I KNEW I had to try and book her to come and speak at an ACF large group. A few weeks later I contacted her ministry to try and set things up...and they were already booking for Dec 2010!

I am just in awe of the Lord's timing. He knew that on Dec 2, 2010 He was going to use Anita's story to touch the hearts of almost 60 students!

Through her story of teenage pregnancy, giving a child up for adoption and years of longing to connect with her daughter beautifully parallels how much the Lord longs to be be our loving Father, and connect with us through his letters to us...in the Bible.

One of the things I love about Anita's ministry is that she doesn't tell her (amazing) story and then leave...she gives people the tools and a plan to start learning how to seek the Lord first each day. She gave students a 21 day Challenege to seek God in His Word and learn more about who He is. She gave each student a Seeking God First Journal with the 21 day challenge explained on the front cover, a little Gospel of John, and a highlighter to get them started!

There is nothing that gets more more excited than seeing God's word come alive to someone! Please join me in praying for our students to make time to spend with the Lord in his word for the next 21 days, and that it would be an amazing time of hearing the voice of God through his letters to us!

Thankful

2010-11-25T11:16:00.000-08:00

A few years ago one of the hot topics in Christian culture was Glory. There were books, albums, devotionals, and speakers all over concentrating on the concept of God's Glory.

I have to admit, it all went right over my head. Recently however, I have been connecting a few dots.

The thing that gets me most excited...even giddy...is seeing the Lord alive and active in the lives of those around me. THAT my friends, IS God's Glory! To quote Beth Moore, "God's Glory is the way He makes himself recognizable."

Today, on Thanksgiving I am thankful for God's Glory! He has been showing up big time around here!

The most recent example was on Sunday night (well, technically Monday morning. Gotta love the hours of campus ministry!).

Around midnight Greg got a text from a couple students asking if we were still awake and available to talk. When these two sweet girls walked into our apartment that night, it was evident that one of them had been crying.

As is so often the case...when we get to the point when we know that we cannot handle life on our own, we can see our need for the Savior the clearest.

"Cindy" described how lost she felt. She realized that the friends that she partied with were not really friends, that the guys she used to date really did not love or care about her. She recognized her need for the Lord, but at the same time she was scared that she was just beyond saving.

Doesn't your heart just break when you hear something like that?

That night Greg, Candace and I were able to tell "Cindy" about Grace. Unmerited favor. That we come to the Lord with nothing but brokenness, and in return the Lord does not give us what we deserve, but he gives us Jesus. To quote Candace accepting Grace "is the easiest and hardest thing to do".

Eph 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Candace (a month-old believer)led her friend to the Lord that night.

GLORY!

Could you not do the "happy dance" in your chair right now?

No...strike that...I am going to change the name of that dance to the "Glory dance"!

The Lord is showing up...making himself know...and changing lives.

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

I just have to share!

2010-11-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

It is a gorgeous fall morning here in Philly and I am just giddy with excitement. Last night I (Ashley) began a bible study with 2 of the girls who are brand new believers this semester. I wish you all could have been there to see their excitement and hunger for Truth! They left with plans to start their "homework" that very night, they didn't want to wait!

Join me in praying the the Lord would just capture their hearts as they spend time in the Word!

Spoiled for the Ordinary

2010-11-16T15:35:00.000-08:00

I was talking to a student the other day, and she was telling me about her experience with a group called YWAM. One of the phrases they use is “Spoiled for the ordinary”. That phrase resonated with me.

I am reminded of what life was like for us in 1999. Newly married…no kids…both working full time. We used to joke to one another that we were living for the weekends. Now I know that God does not waste time and He was working during that time, but we KNEW there was something more for us.

Once kids came along and other things filled our time, but we still had that unsettled feeling. Even when we lived in SC and Greg was directing a short term missions program we had trouble making Columbia home.

I can tell you today that where we are now feels like home. It is a place where our gifts are being used, the Lord is working in us and in others, we live with a community of believers that love one another, and the Lord has blessed us with provisions above and beyond what we could have asked or imagined.

Think we are a bit spoiled? 

Spoiled for the Ordinary!

If you are stuck in the ordinary ask the Lord to open your eyes to what He is doing around you and ask Him how he wants you to use your gifts in those areas.

A Special Day

2010-11-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a special day for our family.

Caedmon, our oldest, asked Jesus into his heart when he was 5. I will never forget that night we prayed with him. He had been asking about Jesus for a long time. He has the sweetest, wildest, softest heart imaginable...(kind of like his Daddy). It was the honor of a lifetime to accompany him to the foot of the cross as he placed his faith in the Lord. As Greg and I left the room that night, we overheard Caed praying out loud. He said to the Lord "I have waited so long to get to talk to you, this is great." Super sweet, right?

Since then I have see the Lord working in that big heart of his. He is definitely still a 9 year old boy who bickers with his sister, but He is so sensitive to the things of the Spirit.

We have been talking with Caed about Baptism for a while now. We wanted to make sure that he knew what it was and why people do it. We actually even tried to get him to put it off until more family could be here to help celebrate, but he was very eager!

So Yesterday afternoon Caedmon was baptized! Greg accompanied Caedmon into the "dunk tank" (as Caed called it) and was right next to Caed the whole time.

One of my all time favorite verses is 1 cor 2:9. It is actually on the wall in the Caed and Abby's room. It says:

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”

I get excited just thinking about all that the Lord has prepared for Caedmon! He is one awesome kid.

Better pics and some video footage are to come, but here are a few we took.

November 2010 Newsletter!

2010-11-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

Wow, What A Week!

2010-11-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

Last week was one of those weeks when we realize that we can work ON the ministry until we are just plum worn out (leading small groups, discipling students, and baking for get togethers) but the LORD is the only one who changes people!

I am just overjoyed to tell you that we have 2 new sisters in Christ! Here are their stories:

Greg and I met Candace (she's fine with using her real name) last semester. She was friends with a few girls from ACF but hadn't shown much interest at the time in diving into a Christian fellowship. Greg and I began to pray for her this semester when we first saw her and she told us that she had been looking forward to getting more involved with the ministry. In a chat with Greg on Tuesday Candace shared that she needed to quit her small group because she felt like she needed to be right with God before coming back. They talked about grace and that He accepts us where we are. This concept was at first difficult because there wasn't something she needed to do to deserve salvation. Nothing was keeping her from receiving Christ so they prayed together!

"Linda" is a good friend of Candace and also the roommate of one of our small group leaders. She came to our fellowship for the first time last night but had no idea about Candace's recent decision to follow Christ. Greg had previously asked Candace if she was ready and willing to share her decision aloud at our large group meeting on Thursday night. She shared from her heart, through tears, about her decision to follow Christ. At the end of the fellowship gathering, a student and a co-leader initiated conversation with "Linda" about what she thought of everything. Ten minutes later we had a new sister in Christ!

God is at work here and we're thankful for all the ways you partner with us for the sake of the Gospel!

Can I get an AMEN?

Pumpkin Carving Time!

2010-10-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

Fall is my FAVORITE part of the year. The leaves are beautiful, mums of every color show up on porches, and....PUMPKINS! I start baking pumpkin bread and then make tarts, cookies, cakes, anything and everything with pumpkin!

Greg's obsession with pumpkins began a few years ago. If you are friends with him on facebook you can go look at his photo album of pumpkins he had carved...It is really amazing!

We had a fun evening carving this year's pumpkins...Caed even carved his own scary skull! Greg is STILL working on his as I type this post! Pics of that one to come... until then, enjoy these:)

God-Consciousness

2010-10-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

I just began studying the life of David in my own study time as well as with a couple students.

I am only a couple days into this study and wow is it a good one!

One of the things I was reading about today was how focused David was on the task of returning the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. It was #1 on his To-Do list! David wanted God's presence to guide all social, economic, and spiritual decisions.

You and I do not need a physical chest in our living rooms for God to be present in our lives. Christ dwells in each Christians heart.

Just like David wanted the ark to sit in the center of daily life, so we must center our daily living and decisions with an awareness of God's presence.

"Practicing" the presence of God does not come easily or naturally. You have to be creative. It could mean writing verses down on note cards and posting them above the sink. (Or in the laundry room, where it seems I spend most of my time!) It could be turning on praise and worship music while you clean house. It is turning your worry-wort moments into prayers.

(I am writing this to myself as much as any of you!)

Let me close quoting a prayer from Priscilla Shirer.

"Lord, today let me see You when Your are moving and hear You when You are speaking. Heighten my spiritual sensitivities to notice Your activity around me, to me, and through me to others. May Your presence become so evident this day that I am steered clear of mistakes that I would most assuredly make if left to my own natural tendencies. Give me, dear Lord, a consciousness, an awareness of You everywhere and anywhere I may go."

Family Weekend & Fall Fest!

2010-10-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

It is family weekend here at AU and one of our favorite days of the year : FALL FEST! There are inflatables, balloon animals, food, and crafts for the kids. We had a great time this afternoon! Here are a few pics. (Look for a certain little girl who is missing a front tooth!)

Cole is 2!

2010-10-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

Sooo...I am a bit late with this post, but better late than never right?? Unfortunately we had a minor camera malfunction so there are no birthday photos to accompany this post, but here is a pic I took today...Look at that smile!

Happy Birthday to my sweet boy!

Doing More Than We Can

2010-09-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago someone asked us how ministry is going so far this semester. I really liked Greg's response. He explained "we were really prepared for ministry to a group of 40 students that were a part of ACF at the end of spring semester, but when 65 showed up this fall, we were scrambling!"

I had a great time with the Lord today, He put our crazy lives into perspective for me. (I love it when he does that!)

The essence of the lesson was this:

Life in the Spirit is doing MORE than you can. If you can possibly do things on your own, you will try.

Yep, I am pretty sure the Lord want us in a place where we know we cannot do anything without Him. Mission Accomplished!

Another thing that I am learning is that years of growth and harvest are not leisure years. When Joseph (Gen 41) was in charge of all of Egypt during the years of abundance he worked pretty darn hard coordinating the storage of food throughout the empire in order to prepare for the famine. Joseph was not just sitting back and enjoying the view...

So how is ministry going?

We are working hard trying to keep up with this season of growth and abundance. We are keeping our eyes on the One who is really in charge and looking for ways He wants to use us.

Thank you so much for praying for us friends.

3rd Annual ACF Fall Retreat

2010-09-20T07:13:00.000-07:00

We just got back from an AMAZING weekend in the Poconos!

Friday afternoon 35 students packed up and left for what they thought was going to be a fun weekend with friends. While it was fun, it was also so much more!

Friday night our speaker, Gibson Largent started the weekend with this video:

Then he asked this question..."Our lives could be 99% over, we do not know when we are going to die. The question you have to ask yourself is: Will your life have mattered?"

And so began a weekend of asking big questions.

The Lord was in and around conversations that happened all weekend. Whether it was listening to Gibson, hiking up a mountain, sitting on the porch enjoying the view, or sitting around the fire at night, the Lord was so close.

Gibson's final talk was Saturday night. At the end he gave students the opportunity to make Christ first in their lives if they had never done so.
3 students prayed to accept Christ that night!

Ahhhhh!

I wish you all could have been there. We welcomed our 3 new sisters with joyful tears and lots of hugs!

Here are a few pic from the weekend thanks to our very own Rose Huber! And yes, those are stilts that a few students tried out! Also check out the gorgeous views, we had the perfect weather all weekend!

Abigail's 6th Birthday!

2010-09-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Abigail's Birthday on Thursday was a lot of fun!

We had a family party at Chuck E Cheese, and then she had 50 college students sing her "Happy Birthday" at the Afterparty!

Here are a few pics.

Busy Week

2010-09-09T16:58:00.001-07:00

I am writing this post in the calm before the craziness begins. In about an hour 50 hungry college students will come through our door and devour everything in sight! That's right, it is almost time for the AFTERPARTY!

Before all that happens I wanted to catch you all up on our crazy week of BIG events.

Monday, Labor day, we decided spur of the moment to go to one of our favorite fall spots, Linvilla Orchards. We had a lot of fun seeing the animals, going on a hayride and picking apples and peaches! Here are a few pics.

Tuesday was Caed's first day of 4th grade. Where does the time go? Here he is all ready to go (and really not wanting his picture taken).

Wednesday was Abigail's first day of Kindergarten! She did a great job, I think I was the only one who teared up when I had to leave! Here are a couple pics of my sweet little "Babby" (as Cole calls her!).

Thursday (today) is Abigail's 6th birthday! One of her birthday requests was to have all of the students at the Afterparty be there when she blows out the candles on her cake! Pics to come!

Whew, I am ready for a restful Friday!

Thanks for checking in on us! Greg just texted me from ACF large group up on campus and said there were 62 students there tonight! Praise the Lord!

Time for me to go get things ready for the stampede!

Oh My Goodness!

2010-09-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

I guess a better title for this post would be Oh God's Goodness!

I am sitting here at my computer screen trying to collect my thoughts. I wish you all could have been at the first ACF large group meeting of the year last night. THERE WERE 65 STUDENTS THERE!

This is by far the largest group we have had for any event since we began working here at AU. Praise the Lord! And the best part: They all heard the gospel loud and clear!

Greg Baker, a co-worker from Intervarsity did a great job speaking! To end his talk he shared this video with the group.

WOW! What a story! Right?

Bottom Line: The Lord changes lives! And He is up to somethin' good here at AU!

Here is a pic taken last night with Greg's Phone so the quality is not that great, but isn't it 65 college students praising the Lord an awesome sight!?!

T minus 2 days...

2010-08-31T12:08:00.000-07:00

The first ACF large group is only 2 days away! We have been busy catching up with returning students, putting up flyers, and making gift bags to give out at the activities fair!

Please keep us in your prayers, we are so excited to be a part of what the Lord is doing at AU!

Sneak Peek!

2010-08-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek of the ACF flyer that is going to be posted all around campus!

Tomorrow 710 freshmen and transfer students arrive, and on Monday-Tuesday returning students move in!

Let the craziness begin!

Jacob and Wrestling

2010-08-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a great study time on Gen 32 where Jacob wrestles with God. I'm not gonna lie, I have always had trouble with this passage. I could never follow the story very well. Jacob packed up his family and sent them across the river because he was afraid of what Esau was going to do when he finally caught up with him after he stole their father's blessing. Got it so far... he was alone... then he is wrestling with a man....
I have never been able to picture it. My mind always goes to the WWF wrestling guys pulling fake punches in a ring!
Where did the man (who we later find out is the Lord)come from? What made Jacob fight him? Was there a point in the fight when Jacob figured out that something was fishy about this guy?? And why did they have to wrestle? Could a nice chat have working things out just as well?

The questions go on and on...

But then something stuck out to me. When Jacob began wrestling with God he was just Jacob, whose name appropriately means cheater and deceiver. He was a man who schemed and manipulated to get what he wanted. (Any toes getting stepped on yet?)

When he was done with the struggle he was changed, he was given a blessing and a new name.

What does that mean to us?

"When we struggle through a crisis with God all the way to the blessing, we are gloriously redefined." Beth Moore

I find myself acting like Jacob more often than I like to admit. I want to remember that God has given me a new name and so many blessings and promises of his guidance and provision for my life.

Next time you find yourself in a snit about something think about whether you want to be Jacob or the new you that the Lord created when he rescued you.

Were BAAACK!

2010-08-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

2 and 1/2 weeks away from home is about all I can take! We are all happy to be back in our own beds and ready to jump into the new school year!

We had a wonderful time on vacation though. We saw LOTS of family and made some great memories at the beach. Here are a couple we had taken on the beach...

Right now we are in high gear getting ready for AU students to get back in a couple weeks. We appreciate your prayers as we get things up and running again!

More to come soon...I just had an awesome time with the Lord and I can't wait to tell you all about it!

On Our Way!

2010-07-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

We are currently on our first leg of our trip down south! We are in North Carolina visiting Greg's parents and seeing cousins. Here is a sweet pic of the kids in a tree in Gramma's front yard!

Pebble in a Pond

2010-07-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

One of the first events we attended after officially starting ministry with the CCO was a monthly Coffee House for 20-somethings put on as a ministry by New Life Community Church. At that first coffee house we met a guy named Steve, he was just beginning his first year of graduate study to become an optometrist. It was not long before Steve jumped right in! He was at every bible study, movie night, dinner out, and football game that our group organized. He also plugged into the church worship team as well as our worship team and ministry with ACF.

Everyone who gets to know Steve knows that he is in LOVE with a girl named Christy (That has to be capitalized because there is no other way to tell you how much he LOVES Christy!)Christy goes to college out of state, but we have had the pleasure of seeing her every time she comes to visit.

We all saw "the ring" as soon as he got it...and knew the proposal was coming. They are just adorable.

The wedding is in 2011.

We all love Steve...and even though we do not know her as well...we love Christy.

Yesterday morning several of us received a heart wrenching text and call to prayer from Steve telling us that Christy has cancer. He did not know a whole lot at that point but he was understandably scared.

Pebble (or BOULDER) thrown in the pond.

Late last night several students gathered in our apartment to pray for our precious sister in Christ. We had an update from Steve further explaining the situation and as a group we all prayed for our dear friends.

I never tire of seeing the hand of God move in blessing over his people. We have seen several seasons of "harvest" and blessing in our ministry here at AU. Last night we saw the hand of God begin to move through a storm.

The ripples caused by the pebble...

As we prayed several students talked about how their own faith has been challenged through this "storm". One was even talking about how she has been questioning her faith the past few days, but when she got the text from Steve nothing seemed more sure and necessary than getting on our knees before the Lord and asking for grace and healing. During the prayer she was reminded that even though she may wander, the shepherd will not let her wander far.

No one can know the mind of God and how he orchestrates and ordains the events of our lives. But we do know that God is sovereign. Nothing that happens is out of His control, and He WILL use this "storm" for His glory. Healing and restoration will come in many forms...in Christy, her family, Steve's family, our ACF family, and who knows who else. Praise the Lord and His wonderful and MYSTERIOUS ways!

This pebble (boulder) that was thrown into our little pond yesterday will have ripples far beyond our understanding. Praying for the Lord's purposes to be accomplished to His glory!

Please keep Christy in your prayers. Her prognosis is great. This type of cancer sounds like it is relatively "easy" to beat. Right now she is recovering from surgery and is pretty uncomfortable.

Thank you friends.

Precious Moment

2010-07-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

It is really nice to have a few students living and working around campus this summer. We have a good group of 8-10 come to our Thursday night bible study. One even "Skypes" in from New York!

I have to share with you a precious moment from last night. We had a great discussion on Esther 4. One of the students prayed to end our time together. He thanked the Lord for everyone there and then thanked the Lord for all of the talents He has given us to serve. When he got to Greg and I he prayed the sweetest prayer for us, but then he really got me crying.

He prayed for our kids.

He prayed for protection, for growth in the Lord, for all those around them to love and cherish them...It was beautiful.

It may seem like a pretty simple thing, but it meant the world to me.

I love being a part of this community of believers.

Ocean City

2010-06-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

This summer one member of our ACF leadership team is living and working in Ocean City NJ with the CCO's Ocean City Beach Project.

What is OCBP?

The Ocean City Beach Project (OCBP) is a summer-long community living opportunity for Christian college students to develop further as campus leaders. The Project provides the opportunity for you to grow personally in your faith and to develop a deeper vision for your life. At OCBP, you work and worship in one community while being challenged to become a kingdom leader. You live with other college students in a large beach house while you make an impact on the New Jersey shore. At the end of your time at OCBP, you will not only have sand in your shoes and the taste of salt water in your mouth, you will have developed character and skills to become an effective leader.

Yesterday we made the 80 mile trip from Philly to Ocean City to visit Russ on his day off from work. We had a great time meeting several of the students in OCBP and spending the day with Russ.

We ate at the famous Mack and Manco's Pizzeria on the boardwalk and then enjoyed ourselves at Wonderland Amusement Park!

Caed and Abby rode their first roller coaster! Caed LOVED it, Abby was not so sure but would rather try something than be left out!

Here are a few pics!

Birthdays!

2010-06-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

June is the birthday month for most of our family! We have had a great time celebrating. Sunday June 13th was my (Ashley) big day. We went to church, and then I took a WONDERFUL birthday nap, and then Greg and I went out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse!

Friday evening we hosted 7 loud and crazy 8-9 year olds for a sleepover celebrating Caed's 9th birthday. It was his first slumber party and they had a blast. We finally got them all to sleep around 5:30 am!

Yesterday, the 20th we celebrated Greg and Caed's birthdays AND Father's day as a family. Here are a pics of the boys on their big day!

They are so much alike inside and out, it is only fitting that they share a birthday!

Caed's Wax Museum

2010-06-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

Caed has been working on a big "wax museum" project for school since the beginning of May. He chose a man named Duke Kahanamoku, who is called the father of modern surfing. Caed wrote a 2 page research paper, made a poster, and wrote a speech about Duke. Greg and Caed also made a model surf board out of some scrap particle board. It looks just like the one Duke made himself!

Friday afternoon was the actual wax museum day where the kids dressed up as their hero and parents were able to go around the museum and push little "buttons" on each character to hear their speech.

It was so much fun, and the kids did a great job. I snapped a few pics.

Summer 2010 Newsletter

2010-06-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

Our long-awaited newsletter! Thanks friends for being so patient.

Summer 10 Newsletter

Missing Grace

2010-06-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Its a new dawn, its a new day, its a new life for me
And I'm feelin good

I have been singing this Michael Buble song in my head all morning. Today is the first day in a while where we have ALL been feeling well! Praise the Lord!

I also had some quiet time today to dive back into the Word of God. How refreshing it is after so many days of "just getting by". I feel so wonderfully filled up...so much so that I wanted to share.

In my study I have been looking at the lives of Jacob and Esau. I got stuck on these verses.

Malachi 1:2–3 (NIV)

2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord.

“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’

“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” the Lord says. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

WHAT? My head just does not want to grasp the fact that the Lord hated Esau. My heart cries out for mercy.

Then I read Heb 12:15-16

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son

Esau missed it. His heart was hardened by his immorality and godlessness and he missed God's grace!

(Insert stomach punch here)

That just took the wind out of me! As one who has known the saving and sustaining grace of God, I don't want anyone to miss it!

Jonah 2:8 says "those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs."

My challenge to you today (and to myself) is to pray for the Lord to reveal what "worthless things" you have been clinging to.

I know I did not have to think too long before a few came to mind.

Friends, don't miss God's lavish grace because you are holding on to worthless things!

Another One Bites The Dust

2010-06-04T17:27:00.000-07:00

It has been way to long. I am writing blog posts in my head all the time. Somehow they never make it here.

Maybe our bodies know that we don't have time to get sick during the school year, so they wait until summer to unleash all the dormant viruses we have been carrying around... It has been one sickness after another around here, and it is only the beginning of June! Greg had his surgery, then Cole had a bad cold. Caed is just getting over a nasty ear infection that kept him home from school a couple days. Greg took me(Ashley) to the ER a couple nights ago. I thought my eardrum was about to burst, but it turned out to be an infection in my perotid gland. Lovely. So I am on an antibiotic and pain meds, and Greg is trying to be Mr Mom until I can get back on my feet.

Please pray for HEALTH and patience.

Busy Busy Weekend!

2010-05-23T15:47:00.001-07:00

AU Graduation was Friday morning. We said our final farewells to some very special seniors.

Friday evening our own sweet little Abigail graduated from preschool! (Sorry, we forgot the camera!) Abby is not a big fan of being on stage so she stood there and did all the hand motions to the songs they sang behind her back! They also did their own version of Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Abigail was very convincing in her role as a piece of cheese! ;)

Saturday morning was Caed's last flag football game of the season. Caed loved it. He shows a lot of promise for a future fullback! The Eagles mascot Swoop joined us for part of the game! I got some great pics. Enjoy!

Tomorrow morning I am taking Abby to register for Kindergarten in the fall...sniffle, sniffle. ;)

Thanks for checking in on us!

I Know That I Know!

2010-05-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying that Christian schools are not for everyone. That being said, I cannot tell you how much of an impact that my teachers in middle/high school had on my spiritual life. One of the many teachers that stand out in my memory is Mr. MacMillan, my bible teacher at Providence Christian Academy. I can remember one class like it was yesterday. Mr. MacMillan was talking to us about the importance of knowing without a doubt that there was a moment in time that you realized your own sinfulness, and confessed your need for a Savior. If you do not KNOW for sure, there is a wide open door for doubt and then comes the slippery slope of questioning anything and everything that you thought you knew for sure. Mr. MacMillan suggested thinking about that moment you accepted Christ as your Savior and then nailing a figurative stake in the ground. That is a solid reminder that nothing can pluck you from the Hand of God from now on.

I have passed on those same powerful words to many students over the past few years in ministry. Don't lose the battle in your head before it has even begun, you CAN know for sure.

Thanks Mr Mac.

Update

2010-05-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your prayers. Greg is on the road to recovery. It seems like he is taking two steps forward only to take one back, but I guess that is still progress right?

Around campus exams are wrapping up and students are going home for summer. We are grateful this break from our hectic schedule, but will miss them terribly.

Thanks for checking up on us...

By the way, if anyone is interested I found a great resource for family bible study through the ministry of Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church. You can download the study guide for 1 & 2 Peter here.

Please Pray

2010-05-07T07:20:00.000-07:00

Greg had surgery yesterday to remove a thyroglossal duct cyst in his neck. The Dr said everything went well, and that he should be back to normal in a week.

He is in a lot of pain right now and was up most of the night.

Please pray for a speedy recovery. Also for strength and sleep for me.

I will leave you with a pic I took of Cole and Abby on Wednesday evening. We took a picnic dinner up to campus and let the kids run around a bit.

Go on, you want to say it...AWWWWWW! Aren't they too cute?

Great Expectations

2010-05-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been looking forward to an event and dreading it at the same time?

Our servant leadership team for ACF this year has 3 seniors. These ladies have poured their heart and souls into this ministry. They have been there from the beginning (of our time here at AU at least). They have seen the Lord move in awesome ways and grow our little group of 8 to a record setting 47 last week at large group!

All year in leadership meetings we have refused to talk about what was coming...the LAST ACF large group of the year. Historically, we have dedicated this last meeting to the seniors. It is intended to be a time for the seniors to talk about their college experience and how the Lord has worked in their lives over the past 4 years.

Honestly, I was expecting a cry-fest. In the best possible sense of the (non) word. (All ladies know what I mean by that!)I thought it was going to be a time when they all talked about how much this group has meant to them.

I just knew as about a dozen seniors lined up on couches in front of the group, that it was going to be an impactful time of sharing.

AND it was...But not in the way I was expecting.

IT WAS SO MUCH MORE.

One by one the seniors encouraged the underclassmen to seek the Lord, stay in the Word, and be accountable to their peers. It reminded me of Hebrews 12. The Seniors were basically saying:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I would quote the whole chapter, but I think you get the picture. ;)

It did not end there...

Greg had been planning on giving a clear presentation of the gospel to end our time together. Sensing the presence of the Spirit in that room, he took it a step further and invited anyone who did not have a personal relationship with the Lord to pray with him, repent of their sins and ask Jesus to come into their lives.

Friends, we have 2 new sisters in Christ as a result!

PRAISE AND GLORY TO THE LORD!

Talk about more than we could ask or imagine... My "great expectations" were blown out of the water!

Greg and I were talking later that night how unfair it is that all of you (friends, family, and supporters) weren't able to be in the room that night. Nothing is more humbling and exciting than seeing the Spirit of the Lord change people's lives in front of your very eyes.

I will end this post with a pic from the AfterParty that night. Our two new sisters are in this pic!

Ephesians 3:20-25

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Believing God

2010-04-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

Do you take God at His word, believing what He has told us, or do you just believe in His existence and the salvation He offers?

What does it mean to believe God? Abraham and Moses believed God. This planted in them a seed of faith that grew into towering oaks of steadfast trust and belief. Hebrews 11 is full of other examples of bold belief.

Come Experience a Fresh Explosion of Faith.

The quote above is from a review of Believing God, by Beth Moore. Doesn't it make you want to just open up your bible to Hebrews 11 and walk down that hall of faith?

That is exactly what my small group did this semester! Last night was our last time meeting together for the year. I cannot tell you how much of a blessing it was to hear how the Lord has used His word to capture these girls hearts over the past 10 weeks we have spent together.

I have to tell you, I was not so sure how it was going to go. A bible study like this is a commitment. There are 5 days of "homework" to complete each week, and it is 10 weeks long! These girls are already busy I was afraid it would not fit into their crazy schedules, or that the homework would become a chore.

I was so wrong! (PRAISE THE LORD!)

For many of them, this was the first "formal" bible study they have ever done. During the first few weeks of the study one girl realized that even though she grew up in a christian home, she didn't know what it meant to have a personal relationship with Christ...SHE DOES NOW!

Week after week they came to bible study so excited about something they had read during the week, or how the Lord was working in their lives. They were HUNGRY for HIS word!

AHHHH....(that is a scream) THAT is what it is all about folks!

God's Word is ALIVE and ACTIVE in our lives!

PRAISE THE LORD!
(or "GLORY" as Beth would say!)

"You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he." - Isaiah 43:10

If any of you are interested, the whole study is online and you can do it anytime. At home, in your PJ's...whenever. Here is the link.

Thank You

2010-04-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you dear friends for praying. Greg is feeling so much better. Praise the Lord.
I snapped this pic a few days ago at the Spring Fling on campus.

Only one more week left of classes...Praying to finish strong!

Sick!

2010-04-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have not posted anything in a while...Greg has been really sick and I have spent the week taking care of him and the kids. We would appreciate your prayers for a speedy recovery.

On an encouraging note, I am so grateful to live in community with so many loving people. We have had students come over to take the kids out to play, and even take over some of the baking that I normally do each week for various events.

I am also so thankful for how the Lord has sustained me this week. Each time I have opened my bible the Lord has given me more than my fair share of grace and strength... in fact I was reminded just last night that I am "clothed in strength and dignity" (Proverbs 31:25)

Jer. 32:17
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

I think I know why the "Ah" is there....it is a sigh of relief!

Are You Hungry?

2010-04-16T12:24:00.000-07:00

Thursday afternoon ACF set up a proxe station about world hunger on campus. Students in ACF signed up to "man" the table during peak meal times.

The idea behind a “proxe station” is to create a spectacle on campus (they are big, colorful, and put in a public space) that draws people in and interactively engages them in a topic that relates directly or indirectly to spiritual things.

Here is what ours looked like:

Here is how an average conversation started:

"Are you hungry?"

· Do you have a minute to take our quiz on world hunger?

· “We have a bowl here that has 1 cup of dry long grain rice. In an impoverished country or in an emergency food situation, how many people do you think this feeds?

o This 1 cup of dry rice would feed 6 people and would be their only meal that day. USAID.gov Humanitarian Assistance

· “We also have a water bottle. Clearly, this water is really dirty. Do you know how many people lack access to clean drinking water and are forced to drink water like this?

o 1.1 Billion World Water Council http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/index.php?id=25

Well, as you can see on this board there are lots of pictures depicting hunger. Tragically more than 13,000 children under the age of five die due to hunger each day! More than 852 million people in the world are malnourished.

This lead into questions like:

In these situations of injustice surrounding the global hunger crisis, what do you think your responsibility is?

Do you think there is a solution to the injustice in the world?

How do you think God responds to these injustices?

The "script" goes on from there to explain how God is a God of love and he hurts deeply when He sees injustice in the world. And then, depending on the interest level of the student, salvation is explained.

We had a great response from students on campus. Please pray that the seeds planted yesterday will fall on fertile soil and bear fruit!

Taking A Little Walk

2010-04-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever though of life as a little stroll?

For some reason, I have found this to be a theme of my life. I can look back and see that the Lord has orchestrated seasons in my life where He allows company along this walk. I am thinking of:

*My Parents who were/are a true example of giving.
*My english teacher/drama coach in high school that loved the Lord and poured into me love and confidence.
*Precious friends from college, where we all walked with each other towards Christ through everything from silliness to huge life decisions.
*A dear, DEAR friend in South Carolina who shared my excitement for getting into the Lord's word even when we had toddlers running around and Barney blasting from the TV in the background!
*Most of all The Lord has given me a leader, partner, and best friend in my husband.

There are many more examples. Some that lead me on a little trail away from the Lord, but many more (Praise God!) that lead me towards Him.

Imagine how my heart jumped when I saw a picture of this walk/relationship in the life of the Patriarch Abraham! But it was the Lord Himself who was walking with Abraham!

In Gen 18 the Lord appeared (in flesh and blood!) with 2 other heavenly visitors to Abraham. I LOVE it that we are allowed to eve's drop on this conversation. After they have had a good meal and a little conversation where the Lord reiterated His promise to bless Abraham, 2 of the visitors left to make their way to Sodom to check out the situation there. The Lord stayed with Abraham to take a little walk and work through some things.

I love that the Lord walked with Abraham as he interceded from Sodom. The God of the universe was patient as Abraham as he ASKED questions. As I read it, I kind of got a little embarrassed FOR Abraham. I was thinking "really Abraham, you are pushing it a bit!"

But then I realized that the Lord not only allowed those questions he INVITED them. The fact that God was willing to be there, to share a meal, and to engage in a personal and tangible relationship INVITED Abraham to ask questions. God created an atmosphere where Abraham could approach Him and work some things through. That is a conversation, a relationship. That is God meeting Abraham where he is and taking a few steps with him.

Isn't that what we are all called to do as Christians?

The Lord has put us on this earth for a short time. We are trying to walk the path that the Lord has set out for us. There are times when the Lord blesses us with others to walk alongside. These relationships are the whole reason for the path, it is not to get to the destination!

I can see this theme of "life as a little walk" continuing in our ministry. It is actually at the heart of what Greg and I do everyday. We have the honor to walk alongside students for a short time. We get to spend time, share a meal, play a few games, and share a few laughs. All of this relationship building leads to the real purpose of life, to point each other towards Christ.

Upcoming Birthdays

2010-04-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

A year ago you may have read our blog post about a student, Dave, coming to Christ. We followed that up a couple weeks later with a more in-depth article in our April 2009 newsletter. Today, April 9th, is his first "spiritual birthday"! Dave has been drinking from a fire hydrant and has stepped into co-leading the guys small group this semester. He will be the ACF President next year. Niquelle (4/12) is also plugged into a local church and very involved in outreach on this campus. She will be overseeing ACF's service opportunities next year. We chronicled the stories of Ariella and Blaise in this blog post from last year. Ariella (4/16), who received Christ through an ACF campus outreach, transferred to another school and has been asked to serve on the leadership team of her campus ministry group there. Blaise (4/19), the point guard for AU's basketball team, graduated in May and has been very involved in his church's worship team. Blaise will likely share his testimony at an upcoming 3-on-3 basketball tournament that ACF is hosting.
Happy birthday, guys! God is so good!

Outreach with the Gideons

2010-04-08T09:05:00.001-07:00

Yesterday afternoon was one of those beautiful days around campus when it is just too nice to stay inside. There were classes meeting outside, people studying, and pick-up frisbee games all over campus. The Lord gave us the perfect day for our outreach with the Gideons! The plan was to have a free lemonade and ice tea stand where we could also give out Bibles to anyone who was interested.

There is a no-solicitation policy for all groups on campus, but if someone approached the table, the were offered a bible. A few Gideons from the local chapter joined a rotating team of students to hand out 200 cups of lemonade/tea and about 150 bibles! Honestly, this is a much larger number than we expected.

Praise the Lord!

Isaiah 55:11

ACF Coffeehouse!

2010-04-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

As a relationship-building outreach, ACF hosted a coffeehouse last night. It was a big success! Somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 students stopped in for a free latte or hot chocolate. (To put that in perspective, we usually have around 35 students come to our regular Thursday night fellowship!) RESCUED, a worship band for a local church, played a mix of cover songs and worship songs. We hoped to build off the conversations students were able to have with the new folks they met!

It's Friday...But Sunday Is Coming!

2010-04-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

A Harvest!

2010-03-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

Family and Friends,
I'm excited to get to tell you that 2 students placed their faith in Jesus Christ in the past couple weeks!

Russell is a senior who transferred to AU before his junior year. God brought a couple students from ACF across his path and they began inviting him to our fellowship meetings. He began attending ManNight, our weekly guys-only Bible study and outreach time. Over the past few months he has become comfortable with the group of guys and had openly described his faith journey as still in the stages of discovering who God is. I brought that journey up with him yesterday as we met for lunch.

With the time bathed in prayer, we talked for over an hour. He needed to think on some things and we agreed to reconnect before our Bible study began later that night. As we met up again, he was ready to hear more and share more. When I asked him if there was any reason not give his life over to Jesus Christ, he said "no". We brought Binu, Russell's ManNight accountability partner and good friend, into the picture. They met together for 45 minutes and, upon returning to the group of guys, shared that he just trusted Christ as his Savior!

Welcome to the family, Russell. 3/29/2010

Jincy is a girl who attends Ashley's girl-only small group. I hadn't met her before she decided to go on the DC Urban Plunge over spring break. I knew nothing about her but was glad she stepped out of her comfort zone to join a small group of students--none of whom she knew. While in DC, her eyes were really opened to the varying forms of racism and poverty. Her heart was being softened. By this time (through a lengthy conversation with her) I was sure she didn't know Christ and had been relying on her works and religious upbringing. She realized that a couple days later and, during a set-aside time of individual prayer she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior! However, not knowing that her new family would want to celebrate the good news with her, Jincy only shared that with me today!

Welcome to the family, Jincy. 3/17/2010

Lord, we celebrate the addition of 2 children to Your family. You are a gracious Father and Your mercies are new every day. Thank you for the bountiful provision of Jesus. Amen.

Beauty

2010-03-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

Psalm 45:11
The king is enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.

The sleepover on Friday night was AMAZING. Praise the Lord!

Here is a short video to give you a little glimpse of what prompted a 3 HOUR conversation on Friday night!

The subject of beauty struck a chord with all of us. The concept of God, the King of the universe being enthralled with our beauty brought up a lot of thoughts and emotions. Several of the girls were so touched that they decided to buy the bible study and do it on their own!

Thank you so much for your prayers, they were answered above and beyond anything I could have asked or imagined!

DC Urban Plunge

2010-03-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

"Join us for the DC Urban Plunge. We'll learn about DC, serve in a variety of organizations, and engage questions of race, poverty, and justice through Scripture, discussion, and experiences."

Sounds interesting, right? Agreed. But with little additional information, I led 5 students to Washington DC for a week of service/learning. The students had no expectations because they had no information. I was given the week's agenda only a couple days prior with clear instructions not to tell the students what the week would look like. The leaders of the Plunge wanted us to exercise the discipline of living in the moment. We had no choice... and the team was thankful for that.

About 30 students assembled from colleges in DC, MD, MA, and PA for the Plunge. We met up with a couple of the groups in College Park, MD, home of the University of Maryland, and together took the Metro into the city. Part of the Plunge experience included getting familiar with the city's public transportation... a lengthy ride on the Metro, followed by a bus ride into the Anacostia region of DC were just the beginnings of our public transportation education. We met at a leader's home in Anacostia (we later learned from locals that the area we called home for the week was generally considered to be the ghetto of DC... their words). After some introductions and basic info, we were given $7 for lunch and a roundtrip bus fare. Groups of 2 or 3 were formed and were tasked with getting to an assigned neighborhood to walk around and learn about the area from the locals. This spirit of adventure and independence marked the entire week.

The 5 students I took were able to go on different "tracks" that included sleeping at a homeless shelter for a night, working with kids at an inner-city elementary school, tutoring adults for the GED, spending a day with day-laboring immigrants, and taking tours of the "forgotten" areas of DC that lie in the shadows of some of the most famous buildings in America, The evenings were spent interacting as a group on issues such as racial reconciliation, the varying faces of poverty, and urban development. Our students responded well to the conversations about race and our eyes-- including my own-- were opened wider to the lingering presence of racism. No blame was cast... just a healthy conversation about understanding. We all have additional insights that will help us more capably minister to students of color.

Thanks again for praying!

PJ Party Tonight!

2010-03-26T07:59:00.001-07:00

Tonight it one of my favorite nights of the semester! It is the ACF girls PJ Party! I am particularly excited about tonight because of our theme. The question of the night is "Do you think I am beautiful?". I know this sound weird, but we are going off of a theme from a book (and bible study) by Angela Thomas by the same name.

This blurb about Do You Think I Am Beautiful? is taken from her website:

The question is uniquely feminine, and it resides in every woman's heart, in spite of her best efforts to ignore it. Although she aches to be adored and desired, she decides that it is good enough to be loyal, hard-working, strong, or steady. But there is Someone who finds her beautiful, who adores her and seeks to woo her to Himself. Best-selling writer and popular speaker, Angela explores the deep and life-changing implications for women who come to realize that. Practical Bible teaching and real-world advice help readers bridge the gap between the life a woman longs for, and the life she actually has.

Sounds awesome, right? ;)

Please pray for open hearts and a good time of discussion tonight.

Sacrifice?

2010-03-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

I have a friend named Heather. I have never met her face to face. We have many of the same friends, are the same age, got married around the same time, and she has three little ones also.

Heather recently blogged about something that spoke to me. Feel free to check it out, I am sure many of you moms will relate.

It was all about perspective. I am the first to admit that my life can get very small. I do what I have to do to get from day to day. There is a never ending list of things to do, and not a whole lot of time for anything else. BUT when I do stop, my mind invariably goes to the pile of laundry that never got folded, or I start worrying about bills, or I wish I had more girlfriends I could call to have a coffee date. The more I think about those things the more I become dissatisfied with my life.

Heather challenged herself to make a new list. One with a change in perspective.

I love that idea.

There are many times when I miss our life in SC. We had a sweet little house with a great little back yard. We had a group of friends with young kids that did things together. I had girlfriends to have bible study and coffee with.

This morning I read another blog that gave me a NEW perspective.

John Piper's blog today was on David Livingstone.

Here is what Livingstone said to the Cambridge students about his “leaving” the benefits of England:

For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. . . . Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice.

I know that it is just plain silly to compare being in Africa in the 1800's to being in Philly in 2010, but bear with me.

When I adjust my point of view and look at all that the Lord has done (and is still doing) here in Philly, I can honestly say that all the things I wish for are NOTHING in comparison. Sacrifice? What sacrifice??

I am blessed beyond belief.

Freedom

2010-03-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

I just finished the bible study I have been doing on the Fruit of the Spirit.
P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L, let me just tell you!

Part of today's lesson centered on Gal 5:1

Gal 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Consider this verse in light of the fruit of the Spirit. Are you choosing to be chained rather than choosing to be free?

That's right, we have a choice. If you have become a new creation in Christ, he has broken the chains and we are free to live lives full of the Holy Spirit.

Full of:

Love that never fails, Joy the comes new every morning, Peace that rules, Kindness that tenders, Goodness that does, Faith that fights, Gentleness that bows, and Self Control that stops.

Did you notice how all of this fruit is active? It is not there just to look and smell pretty. Neither are you!

Choose Freedom.

Break for Change

2010-03-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

Fresh on the heels of the President's visit to AU...

Tomorrow Greg and 5 students are making their way to Washington DC for spring break. They are taking part in a program that Intervarsity has put together called Urban Plunge.

The goal of the program is to "show students the needs of the urban poor, to let them experience the amazing strength, beauty and resilience of those who are oppressed, and to connect students to individuals, agencies and churches that are making a difference in the city. These projects are designed to help "seek the shalom of the city." Jer. 29:7."

Please pray for their safety in travel and open hearts as they become a part of what the Lord is doing in urban DC.

Obama at AU!

2010-03-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

Friday afternoon the news spread like wildfire that Obama was coming to AU to give a speech on healthcare. As you can imagine, Obama Hysteria erupted! Tickets were given out at Saturday around 3:30, but students began to line up outside the Gym at 7pm Friday night!

Check them out:

All that waiting just to get this:

Some camped out again on Sunday night in order to get good seats on Monday!

A few students who are also in ACF were chosen to sing the national anthem!

Here are a couple pics from the speech:

There were secret service agents all around campus. There were even some stationed in the parking lot of our building as I came back from the store! And check out the heavy machinery:

There was also a tea party protest in front of the university, here is a segment from the local news coverage:

Greg was not planning on going, but he was on campus Monday morning when someone said there were extra standing room tickets if he wanted to go. He said it was a bit like a rock concert with people yelling and screaming "I LOVE YOU!" to the President! Politics aside, it was a fun experience.

Just Because

2010-03-05T05:31:00.000-08:00

Warning, this will be a random assortment of thoughts.

It is a bright March morning and you can feel spring trying to break up the last few patches of snow. It feels like we are about to come out of hibernation, and we are SO ready! We all need to get outside and play! The kids are climbing the walls...see:

Next thought:

Last night in ACF large group we announced that it is time to start the application process for our leadership team for next year. This is a bittersweet time. The group of seniors that are graduating this year have been with us since the beginning of our time here at AU. They were there during the days when 8 people would show up for large group if we were lucky! (Last night there were 37! Praise the Lord!) They have seen the Lord so some amazing things on this campus and are very protective of this ministry they have taken care of for 3 or 4 years. Please pray for our team as we seek the Lord's will for the ACF servant-leadership team.

Here are the application and questions for anyone interested:
ACF Covenant and Leadership Application

87

2010-03-01T08:56:00.000-08:00

Greg here.
The university hosts a dinner for graduating students each spring. It's called "87". That is, 87 days until graduation. Your guess is as good as mine as to why it isn't 88 or 41 or 99. I'm probably wrong but perhaps the class of 1987 started the tradition and it stuck.
Each student is permitted to invite a few favorite faculty/staff. It could be they hoped to get extra credit by inviting a prof or that they truly respected the character of an administrator. Perhaps meaningful conversations inspired the student and they wanted to show their appreciation. In any case, it is considered an honor to be invited by a student.
Last night one of my student leaders, Dana, told me a really cool conversation she had with another student, "Mike". Mike is a senior. He's well liked and well respected on campus. I've spent countless hours hanging out with Mike over the past 2.5 years. He doesn't have a relationship with Christ, though I continue to look for the opportunities to share. I really enjoy spending time with him and have shared Christ with him on several occasions. When it came time to tell the school which faculty/staff he wanted to invite to 87, my name was one of 4 on his list. Unfortunately, since I'm not employed by the school I'm (understandably) not able to attend the dinner. Nonetheless, I'm thankful for the encouragement that my relationship with him has meant something significant to him. Pray for "Mike" and more open doors for the Truth.

Self-Control

2010-02-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

UGH

Can we PLEASE skip this aspect of the fruit of the Spirit?

No...OK.

I have been learning about self control this week in my bible study.

I read this last night:

"Self control enhances effectiveness; self indulgence limits effectiveness. Many of us will never fully affect this planet in the ways God planned because of our sheer lack of self-control and discipline. Any effectiveness may seen random and accidental."

Beth Moore- Living Beyond Yourself

OUCH, that hurt.

My heart's desire is to be a tool in the Lord's hands as He accomplishes His plan on this earth. Does this mean my lack of self-control has a direct effect on the Lord's plan for my life?

You betcha.

I went on to study two people in the bible. One had little to no self control: Samson. The other was an example of spiritual discipline that led to blessing: Daniel.

Samson was set apart from birth to serve the Lord, but threw it all away for self indulgence.

Daniel's discipline in everything from the way he chose to eat to the the way he worshiped God led many to believe in the One True God.

*One man assumed the power of God and ultimately lost it. One asked for the power of God and ultimately found it.

*One man was victorious in his death, the other was victorious in his life.

Yeah...so...There are some changes I need to make in my life.

YOU?

Jubilee!

2010-02-22T10:16:00.000-08:00

To paraphrase Dan Dupee:

It is OK if you feel like your head is about to explode from all of the things you have experienced this weekend.

I am so glad Dan ended the last session with this remark. Jubilee was an awesome, jam-packed weekend of realizing how big God is! It is going to take a while for all of us to process it. Among our favorite speakers were Bob Goff of Restore International, and Susan Isaacs. John Perkins also gave a moving talk on the need for change in Christian community and racial reconciliation throughout the world.

On the 5 hour van ride home we were all talking about the main things we are taking away from the conference. Here are a couple quotes from students:

"Something I learned at jubilee was that God may sometimes make our lives a disaster and things may be all wrong but at the end it’s going to be the best thing that has happened to us. When we yield to Him, he increases as we decrease."

"In short, this weekend confirmed what I want to do with my life. I learned so much about justice and how important justice is to glorifying God on Earth. Strauss said "justice is not optional, it is a means for order in the world that allows all people and things to flourish as God intended." In other words with shalom as the end goal, justice is the means. Psyched for law school! And I intend to be a far less humorous and charismatic Bob Goff down the line..."

PRAISE THE LORD!

Here are some more pics taken over the weekend by one of the official photographers of Jubilee. Enjoy!

Jubilee this weekend!

2010-02-17T11:14:00.000-08:00

Friday afternoon we are packing up a 15 passenger van and hitting the road to Pittsburgh! Jubilee is a conference that the CCO puts together each year.

Why is Jubilee weekend such a big deal?

Answer:

God cares about every square inch of his creation. That includes colleges and universities, academic majors and future occupations. What does it look like to be faithful to Christ in these settings? How do you integrate your faith and your learning? Is there hope for our broken world? We don't want to settle for easy answers to tough questions.

The Jubilee conference is designed to help you wrestle deeply with the challenges of being students of Jesus, and professors; citizens of His Kingdom, and of this world.
Is a whole life devoted to Christ and the common good possible? Jubilee invites you to "come and see."

Here is a short video of what our weekend looked like last year. Enjoy!

Snowmageddon 2010

2010-02-12T12:59:00.000-08:00

I am sure you have all heard about or experienced this winter's record breaking snow. We have fared this winter pretty well. It was a blessing not to lose power so we were able to enjoy the storm from our heated apartment! We have all enjoyed sledding and playing in the snow. Here are a few pics posted on AU's facebook page. There are some great views of campus all covered in snow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arcadiaunivnews/sets/72157623421638186/show/

Super Bowl Party!

2010-02-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a night!

Sunday night we hosted our 11th annual Sovereign Super Bowl Party! Greg and I began this tradition 3 months after we married in 1999 inviting a few friends from college to NC for the weekend. As we moved from state to state our dear friends often traveled great distances to gather for super bowl weekend.

Times change of course and it gets harder for people to travel with families, so our party has changed the past few years. Sunday night we hosted our ACF group. We had about 30 students, and TONS of food. It was a lot of fun.

On a side note: As a mother, it is special to see other people love on and enjoy your children. Students are usually here a few nights a week, but our kids are usually asleep while they are here. It was great to share our family with the students during the game. Caedmon is just like his Dad, he loves an audience. Abigail is usually very shy, but there was a sweet student named Brittany who played with her the whole time. Cole was just the hit of the party. He was a little unsure of everyone at first but once he got used to it, he just walked around smiling and playing as usual. He enjoyed the halftime show so much that he ran up to the TV and started dancing. We were all watching him more than the show!

Here are a few pics

Before I get any comments on the picture of Cole drinking a mountain dew...it was not open! ;)

20 + inches of snow!

2010-02-08T07:41:00.000-08:00

The official total of snow in Philly was 28 inches, I don't think we got that much here in Glenside (15 miles north of center city) but we got a LOT!

We have had a fun filled weekend of sledding and playing in the snow! Here are a few pics from Saturday afternoon. A couple of students came over and went sledding with Greg and the kids!

Man Night

2010-02-02T09:01:00.000-08:00

I have heard it said that any ministry looks like those who are in it. That has definitely been the case with our ministry here at AU.

*We are a family with young children, so a lot of what we do centers around our home and making students feel like they have a home away from home when they are at school.

*I LOVE to bake. In a bizarre correlation students LOVE to eat! (I think the way the Lord worked that out is pretty cool)

*Greg is a game player, the whole Sovereign family are game players...this has been a great tool for outreach and building community within ACF.

I could go on, but this post is about Man Night. ;)

Man night originally began because guys at ACF have been scarce. To be fair, guys at AU are scarce...It is about 80% female!

Greg wanted to find a way to reach guys in a way that would be fun and easy to invite friends. This is when Man Night began. Originally it was just a game night for guys, as the group grew Greg initiated a bible study and accountability time that the guys could come to before the games began. The bible study time began with 2 or 3 guys, and then another 8-10 would come for games and food afterward.

This year guys night study time has grown unbelievably! Last night there were 11 guys (including 2 first time visitors). This semester it is being led by a Dave (a Westminster student) and 2 AU students. The guys meet at 7:30 for their bible study time (they are studying Ephesians this semester), then they break up with their accountability partners for prayer. The games (and food of course ;) begin around 9 and go on until whenever...

Who would have thought that playing games could have eternal value? I love discovering the creativity of the Lord!

Someone told me recently the the Lord does not waste time. How True!

God created you exactly the way you are for a reason. He wants to use ALL of you for His Glory. Man night is a great example of that.

Spending

2010-01-26T12:11:00.000-08:00

No, this is not a post about money.

A recurring theme in my life of late has been doing...more specifically doing good.

In the past week I have read:

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Titus 3:8
This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I could add more, but I think you get the picture.

Sunday morning I was challenged by a sermon on Revelation 3. I felt like the pastor was talking to me when he said...you can't just sit there, being lukewarm is NOT an option. DO something.

MAYBE the Lord is trying to tell me something...YA THINK??

I had an awesome time in the word yesterday that centered around Isaiah 58:10

If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

I don't blame you if it doesn't jump off the page and hit you smack dab between the eyes upon first inspection. It took me a while too. ;)

But look at the words...spend yourselves...UM...there it is again...DOING.

Up until yesterday my response to the Lord's command to DO was to come back to the Lord and say...What about ME. How is spending myself going to take care of ME? Aren't I DOING enough?

The Lord answered those questions with this passage.

In Isaiah 58:6-11 the Lord promises if you spend yourselves he will

* Be your light in the darkness
* He will guide you
* He will satisfy your needs
* He will strengthen your frame
* You will be like well watered gardens

There He goes, taking away all my excuses again! ;)

No, really. I have been struggling with a decision for a week and the Lord used these verses and many other circumstances in my life to point me in the right direction. Specifically.

What is the Lord calling you to DO? How are you going to spend your life? I don't know about you, but the thought of being like a well-watered garden sounds good to me.

Ready...Set...

2010-01-21T07:50:00.000-08:00

Go!

Let the craziness begin!

This afternoon ACF is advertising our club at the student activities fair and immediately following the fair is the first ACF of the semester. The leadership team has met and there are a lot of exciting opportunities and creative ways to outreach in the works. Please continue to pray with and for us as we seek to serve the AU community.

Here is the flier Greg made to post all around campus. Notice all the small groups. When we began ministry at AU we had trouble keeping one small group going. Now the thirst for accountability, community, and deeper understanding of the Word is overwhelming!

Zeph 3:17

2010-01-13T11:53:00.001-08:00

We have been blessed to have a couple weeks to ease back into the swing of life post-holidays since students do not return until this weekend. Even though we spent one of those weeks taking turns being sick, it was a much needed respite.

Life is now beginning to pick up speed again. A few students in our leadership team attended Urbana and are ready to hit the ground running! Our minds are churning with planning, praying and preparing for spring semester. (alliteration not intended ;)

The verse I read in Zephaniah comforted my whirling mind this afternoon.

Who reads Zephaniah, really?

Well I did this afternoon! What a jewel I found.

Zeph 3:17
The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

When was the last time you let the Lord quiet you with His love?

Exhausted!

2010-01-05T18:45:00.000-08:00

Christmas was only the beginning of our crazy holiday schedule. We enjoyed the time with my (Ashley)side of the family up here in Philly. It is always nice to see all the cousins play together. Here is our family pic:

On the 29th we began our 2 day drive to Dayton, Tn to attend the wedding of some dear friends from college. Greg was one of 3 best men, and Caedmon was a junior groomsmen. My handsome men clean up good!

Poor Cole was sick the ENTIRE time. It turns out he had his first ever ear infection. Caed and Abigail also caught a stomach bug somewhere along the way and spent 8 hours each hunched over a bucket on Sunday/Monday after we got home.

Cole is still on the mend, but Caed and Abby are back to normal today. Praying the bug passes over Greg and me!

Keep on praying for Cole. He has had more energy today, but has not eaten much of anything in a few days. He is drinking plenty though.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-26T06:24:00.000-08:00

One of the things we like best about our year to have our big family Christmas in Philly with my (Ashley) family is that we get to have our own Christmas morning at home.

The morning began with all of the kids piling on our bed for a few cuddles. Caedmon and Greg read to us about the very best gift ever given to the world 2000 years ago. We then talked about why we give presents on Christmas. After that, we let the kids look at their stockings before we all ate breakfast. Then the craziness began!

We are so blessed to have family, and supporting churches who shower us with their love and support at Christmas time. Here are a few pics.

2009-12-19T18:11:00.000-08:00

Photo Tinks by WiddlyTinks.com

12 inches and counting

2009-12-19T17:51:00.000-08:00

It has been snowing steadily all day long! We have about 12 inches outside our back door.
The kids had a blast sledding and playing out in the snow today. Here are a few pic from this morning. There is a lot more snow on the ground now!

It has been snowing steadily all day long! We have about 12 inches outside our back door.
The kids had a blast sledding and playing out in the snow today. Here are a few pic from this morning.

Long week

2009-12-18T18:04:00.001-08:00

I am sorry it has been while since I posted anything. It has been a long week. Greg has been having back spasms at night which have keep both of us awake. We have been dragging through each day bleary-eyed.

Last night the pain got so bad we decided at 4am it was time to go to the emergency room. We are so blessed to live with students who are willing to come over at any time of day or night to lend a hand!

Amazingly the ER was not crowded, and we got right into a room. Greg's x-rays came back clear so the Dr said it was a muscle problem. 1 Demoral shot and a Valium later, Greg was in la-la land.

He has slept most of the day. His back pain seems to have dulled a bit, we will see how tonight goes.

I would appreciate your prayers for our family right now.

On top of it all it appears that we are in for 10+ inches of snow over the next couple days! I restocked the pantry this afternoon so we are all set for the winter wonderland. Check back for pictures!